WINS THOUGH OUTPLAYED

The University football team narrowly averted defeat at the hands of the Springfield Training School last Saturday and won only by the small score of 9 to 5. The team was taken completely off its feet in the first half by the skillful way in which Springfield worked the forward pass, using it successfully nine times for a total gain of about 105 yards. Although the ball was chiefly in Springfield's territory, it was due to the fact that Burr out-punted Honhart and to the fumbling of two of Briggs' passes one of which put the ball back to Springfield's 3-yard line. Harvard showed some improvement in the second half when all the scoring was done, but even that it was mediocre football for one of the big teams and the fumbling was inexcusable.

As in the Annapolis game, the work of the backs was very ragged and they were slow in sizing up the opponent's plays. Starr made several sensational tackles in the backfield, but in other ways was not up to the usual standard. Apollonio did well and his line bucking was a future. Much of the credit for Apollonio's gains through the line is due to Rand, however, who pulled him along on every play till the ball was actually downed. He followed the ball closely, was all over the field, and played a hard, fast game. However, he was the only redeeming feature of the backfield. Butt and Gilbert fumbled constantly and on the defense were very weak. Butt in particular was drawn in on almost every end play and as a result, Colton and Honhart made repeated gains around his end. He was slow in starting and his tackling was poor. Not a single punt was caught by the University backfield, Butt, Gilbert and Starr all being to blame.

Starr ran the team with more life than has been seen on Soldiers Field this fall, but his choice of plays showed very poor judgment. He rarely tried the various forward passes that have been used constantly in the scrimmages and relied entirely on straight, old-fashioned line bucking. At times, this method of attack seemed to possess considerable power but when it neared the goal line and went against the stiffened defense of the Springfield line it was held twice, both times within the 5-yard line. This lack of power at the critical moment was most discouraging and can only be explained by the fact that the annual mid-season slump is at hand.

In general, the Harvard line-men did good work. Macdonald was down well under punts but his tackling wasn't sure. Forster was a little slow and was inclined to be drawn in on end plays, but he helped the backs along well on the offense. Burr played well, both offensively and defensively, and his recovery of his first blocked kick was a very fast piece of work. He seemed to be somewhat slow in getting his punts off, but did not have adequate protection when called on to kick. Fish put up a good game on the offense and tackled well in the open field. The guards, Peirce and Hoar, and Nourse at centre, played steady, reliable games, opening up good holes for Apollonio and repulsing the few attacks the Springfield backs made at the centre of the line. Grant played his usual snappy game at centre and was one of the first men down under punts. His passing back to Burr was erratic, however, the ball sometimes just skimming the ground.

Captain Honhart's work at quarterback on the Springfield team was a feature of the game and his accurate manipulation of the forward pass was remarkable. He ran his team splendidly and was never afraid to take chances.

The Game in Detail.

Burr dribbled the ball on the kickoff but Harvard failed to recover it owing to Briggs' quickness. A line play failed to gain and Honhart passed forward to Crispin. On the next play, Springfield's forward pass hit the ground and they were penalized to their 35-yard line. Honbart dropped back to kick, but the ball was passed over his head and he recovered it on the 15-yard line. Another fumbled pass put the ball back to the 3-yard line, from where Honhart punted to Butt, who fumbled, Springfield recovering the ball. A series of forward passes was then tried, which worked the ball down to Harvard's 43-yard line, where the ball was lost on an onside kick to Rand. Burr punted to Springfield's 27-yard line, and after one play and a penalty, Starr got the ball on a punt. In three rushes, Apollonio carried the ball 25 yards to the 17-yard line, where it was lost on a forward, pass. Honhart punted and after one play Harvard lost the ball on the 20-yard line on an onside kick. By means of another series of forward passes, Springfield worked the ball to the University's 41-yard line, from where it was punted after a penalty. Harvard rushed the ball back to Springfield's 15-yard line, when time was called.

When the second half opened, Gilbert had been substituted for Butt, M. C. Peirce for Forster, and Grant for Nourse. Springfield kicked off to Rand who juggled the ball, Starr falling on it behind the goal line for a touchback. Burr punted to Honhart, who passed forward, Starr getting the ball. After a failure to gain, Burr fell back to punt, but the kick was blocked. He recovered the ball on the 5-yard line and tried another kick which was also blocked, Colton failing on the ball behind the line. Honhart failed to kick the goal.

Burr kicked off over the goal line. The ball was brought back for offside play, and Burr kicked over again, the ball travelling 70 yards. Shortly after Springfield's punt-out, Burr made a return punt. Rand intercepted Honhart's forward pass on the next play and then the ball was carried 20 yards in four plays for a touchdown by Apollonio. Gilbert missed Starr's punt--out, and the score was a tie, 5 to 5.

Burr kicked off again and after Spring field had worked the ball back to the middle of the field, aided by a 25-yard run by Jones, the University team secured the ball on a forward pass. By means of an onside kick, a 20-yard run by Gilbert, and line plays, Springfield was forced back to their 1-yard line, where they held. Honhart punted to the 30-yard line and the ball was rushed down again, Burr kicking a goal from placement after the backs had been held for two downs. There was no further scoring and time was called shortly after with the ball in Harvard's possession on Springfield's 25-yard line.

The summary:

HARVARD.  SPRINGFIELD T. S.Forster, M. C. Peirce, l.e.  r.e., BaileyBurr, l.t.  r.t., HemenHoar, l.g.  r.g., CookNourse, Grant, c.  c., BriggsW. Peirce, r.g.  l.g., HowardFish, r.t.  l.t., McGuireMacdonald, r.e.  l.e., CrispinStarr, q.b.  q.b., HonhartButt, Gilbert, l.h.b.  r.h.b., McCullochRand, r.h.b.  l.h.b., ColtonApollonio, f.b.  f.b., Jone