Crimson Struggles to Redeem Season Today in 66th Encounter with Yale

Harvard and Yale, the originators of big time football now fallen by the wayside, meet in the Bowl today. But the mere honor of victory in the 66th renewal of the nation's most famous football rivalry is enough to bring upwards of 60,000 people to New Haven for the game.

There are no significant titles hinging on the outcome of today's game. Both teams have miserable records, Yale winning three times in seven starts, and Harvard winning but once in eight tries. And yet it is the game which makes or breaks a season; for the side that wins, all is forgiven. This is why 60,000 patrons will be present.

The gambling fraternity has labeled the game a toss-up. This may seem peculiar to some people who note that the Crimson eleven is roughly the same one which whipped Yale decisively last year. But Harvard has suffered from the trials of a schedule that included outside games with Army and Stanford and no breathers. The primary result of this backbreaking schedule is the season record of one win and an injury list which rivals that of the Lost Battalion.

After eight games, the best eleven football players from Cambridge have yet to play 60 minutes as a unit. This condition will continue this afternoon. John Coan, strong side guard, will probably see little action; Chief Bender, strong side tackle, is recovering from a persistent leg injury and will not play full time today; Hal Moffle, wingback, has been out for the last week and a half.

Lacks Depth

The recurrent Crimson injuries are all the more serious because Harvard lacks depth. Coach Valpey simply does not have enough good football players to use a two platoon system. Yale does. The two Blue elevens may not be excellent teams, but at least there are two of them.

Consequently, it seems fairly clear that if Harvard is to win, it will have to pile up its winning margin in the first half--before the team tires.

On the basis of comparative scores, Harvard should have the better offense and Yale the better defense. The Crimson scored more points against Army than any of the Cadets' other opponents. At no time since the opening game has the Crimson been unable to move the ball and score.

Yale, however, has been more successful at stopping the other team. This would seem to show that the key to today's game lies in Harvard's ability to stop the Yale offense.

Nobody can tell what Herman Hickman has planned for Harvard. He instituted a brand new offensive pattern against Princeton last week, and he may very well produce another one for today.

But the genial Tennessean has undoubtedly noted the Crimson's weaknesses (none-too-sharp guard play and faulty pass defense) and will exploit them to the full. Valpey must have also noted the Eli defensive flaws (mediocre end play and weak pass defense) and will direct the Harvard offense against them.

All of which points to a game with the accent on passing, and a passing game is a high scoring one.

But this is the Harvard-Yale game, the one in which they throw away the book. It may even turn out to be a 0 to 0 tie. The Crimson must win today to have any kind of a season record. But Levi Jackson inspired Yale to a second half comeback against Princeton, and he may pull it off again against the Crimson.

In any case the result of this contest is just about as unpredictable as the fall of the half-dollar they'll flip at midfield at 1:45 p.m. This is more than a mere football game they play today; it's a matter of institutional honor