Harvard's Prospects in Athletics

The Cambridge Tribune speaks thus editorially of Harvard's prospects in the various branches of athletics during the coming year.

"With the return of the students for another term, work will be begun in earnest by those who are to represent Harvard next summer in various athletic contests. Last year was one of marked success both on land and water, and this year the prospect is bright. In general athletics, Harvard usually holds the lead by reason of more careful, intelligent and systematical training than her competitors have. There is no especial reason why she should not win the cup at Mott Haven again in 1886. In boating and base-ball many of the old men are here, and they will have the benefit of good training again. They will have to contend against crews and nines that were not nearly as strong as they were last season, and have suffered more serious losses. In lacrosse there several are vacancies that will be hard to fill, but there is considerable material to work on, and a good deal of interest. The prospect of holding the college championship another year is not at all gloomy. Should foot-ball be restored, and there now seems to be some prospect that it will, new interest will be added to the sports of the fall term, and one of the most interesting games that ever excite college audiences will again appear in Cambridge. In this sport the outlook would not, however, be particularly bright. What material there is now in college from which to form an eleven is the remnant of the old '84 team, which was no match at all for the finely trained teams of Princeton and Yale. Still, there are enough good athletes in college to form a strong eleven, and they could learn to play the game. It is to be hoped that Harvard will once more be allowed to enter the inter-collegiate foot-ball contests."