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The first football game between Harvard and Yale was played at Hamilton Park, New Haven, on November 13, 1875, and was won by Harvard by four goals to none. About 150 Harvard students journeyed from Cambridge to witness the contest, and were commented on as "the biggest crowd from Boston ever seen in New Haven." Mr. Parke H. Davis in his book on football gives account of the game, from which a few excerpts are printed here:
Summary of Initial Game.
"First half-hour--Harvard wins the toss and selects the wind. Arnold kicks off for Yale, sending a long kick down the field. Leeds springs a trick not known at Yale: he kicks the ball back again, Yale again kicks, and Leeds, catching, runs in for a touchdown. He kicks the goal. The ball is kicked off and Harvard soon has it in touch near Yale's goal. It is thrown in to Seamans, who kicks a goal from the field.
"Yale kicks off. Seamans runs in to Yale's goal, but stops 35 yards away and tries a drop-kick. The ball sails squarely for the post, but Trumbull jumps in the air and stops it with his hand just as it is crossing the cross-ropes. Yale kicks out, and the half terminates with the ball 10 yards from Yale's goal.
Yale Team Begins to Learn Football.
"Second half-hour--Yale kicks off. Harvard runs back, but Yale now shows greater familiarity with the game and tackles strongly. The runner is stopped and the whole Yale team piles on him. When they are taken off the ball is found a flattened sheet of rubber at the bottom. It is blown up again and the game proceeds. Blanchard gets the ball and runs in for a touchdown. The goal is missed.
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