Intercollegiate Football.

The first football games at Harvard were the annual contests between the sophomores and freshmen, in which all of both classes took part. They were always held on Bloody Monday night on the Delta, where Memorial Hall now stands. They were abolished many years ago and survive now only in the mild form of rushes. A similar custom prevailed at Yale between 1840 and 1858, the games being played on the City Green.

Until 1871 there were no college matches and the game was almost unknown. In 1872 the Yale Football Association was formed and a few games were played. In 1873 the first Intercollegiate Convention was organized and a series of games played. The game then was very different from that played now. It was purely football, as no player could carry the ball or tackle an opponent and off-side playing was not forbidden. Yale won the championship in 1873 and again in 1874, but lost it to Harvard in the following year. In 1876 and 1877 Yale again defeated Harvard, Columbia and Princeton. In 1878 some changes were made in the rules, tending to make the game closer and the number of players on each team was reduced to fifteen. That year Princeton won, with Yale second and Harvard third.

The great revolution in football occurred in 1880 when the present Rugby game was introduced and the players reduced to eleven on each side. Since that change, football has taken the foremost place in college sports and is now the most popular and scientific game played. Some years afterwards the "blocking" system of play was introduced by Princeton. The championship was won by Yale for several years, Princeton following closely. In 1884 the contest between Yale and Princeton was a draw and the championship was not awarded. Princeton won in 1885 by a remarkable run of Lamar's, which turned the score at the very end of the game. In 1887 the game was again a draw though the championship was virtually awarded to Yale. Until 1886 the game languished at Harvard. In fact, in 1885 it was forbidden altogether, and Harvard did not take part in any intercollegiate contests. During 1886 and 1887 a steady improvement was made and last year Harvard defeated Princeton 12 to 0 and succumbed to Yale only after a very hard battle. This year the contest promises to be closer than ever. All these colleges are doing their utmost. It will be impossible to predict the result until the last game is played.