Massachusetts at Springfield

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  Vermont phœnix, Brattleboro, Vt., December 1, 1893, page 1

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  TRIUMPHANT BLUE. Yale Scored 6 and Harvard o, In the Foot Ball Contest at Springfield, Mass, Saturday. Mass, Saturday. The blue waved triumphant and the crimson trailed in the dust at Springfield, Mass, on Saturday, for the sons of Eli Yale had triumphed over those of John Harvard in the great annual foot ball contest Oh Hampden park, the score being 6 too. Did you ever witness a Yale Harvard game? If not you have missed not only the greatest of modern gladiatorial contests, but the greatest exhibition of that quality described as esprit de corps. There are no foot ball mugwumps; all are partsans. The arena before you is perfectly level space of ground, $50 yards long and 100 wide, surrounded by a low solid board fence. Between the fence and the field proper is a section roped off, in which the coachers and substitutes of the game gath er during the game. Outside the fence is | the passage leading to the rows in the raised seats, with a total capacity of 25, 600 people, which surround the field. On the west side is the Yale contingent and on the east that of Harvard, while the ends are divided in their preference. Two-thirds of all the people present wear in pin, badge, ribbon or flag, their favorite color, the blue of Yale or the crimson of Harvard. The fair sex is well represented and they are all ! enthusiasts, occasionally one appearing in dress or bonnet of solid color. The sun shines bright, but the air is chill and all wear winter wraps. 1t is a striking | sight. Here are the thousands of people | Haunting sea of color in the hundreds of flags of crimson that waved on the east and the hundreds of those of blue on the west There is a babel of sound. In front of the row on either side is a student of mar velous lung power, who calls necessarily for cheers. And then the songs, express ing praise for the one and derision for the other. The Harvard supporters seem to ! have the larger numbers and to excel in vo- | ciferousness. | A bunch of crimson balloons sails down the field, with an image in blue of “Handsome Dan,” the mascot Yale bull dog. | Then the “welkin rings” with shouts from the Harvard side. There is great enthusiasm as the two teams and the small army of substitutes rush upon the field. The Harvards create a sensation by appearing in suits of oiled dog skin, very difficult TO hold, but the Yales are “on to- this trick and put rosin | upon their hands. After the preliminary warming up practice Yale wins the toss and takes the north side of the field, with the wind in her favor, the ball going to Harvard. Harvard gains % yards with the flying wedge Har ward forced the ball to Yale’s ten-yard line, to lose it on four downs. As soon as Yale had the ball Butterworth, her full back, punted for so yards, and the struggle began over again. The ball was carried dur ing the first half to the 15-yard line on each side and there punted. Butterworth tried once for goal from field from the 35-yard line but failed. When this half ended Il, was generally agreed that Harvard had made the better showing. Harvard played with an air of confidence, while Yale was simply on the defensive But all was changed after lining up for the second half at the close of 10 minutes rest. Yale had the ball and without once losing it carried it down the field and scored touchdown in five minutes. Yale tired little of the flying interference tactics, no. ticeable in HaTvard’s work, but played good, hard foot ball, sending her half backs into the weak places in the line, with an occasional try around the ends. Butter worth scored the touchdown by forcing his way through the centre, and HicOck kicked the goal. When Butterworth went over the line the people on the Yale side rose en- masse “and yelled till the whole west side looked like one colossal grim with blue flags waving around among its teeth y After this the Harvard courage was gone. Her flags. waved less defiantly. Her men still played pluckly, but it was with for ! lorn hope. Yale twice more came neal { scoring. taking the ball to the three and the five-yard line, to lose it on downs, Civ ing Brewer, the Harvard full back, chance to kick the ball. Harvard at no time il

Public-domain newspapers from the Library of Congress’s Chronicling America, found through the American Stories dataset (Dell and Harvard, CC BY 4.0). The text is the machine reading of the page, mistakes and all.

Massachusetts leads 6–⁠4 in 10 meetings, counting the six since this game.