Crimson Eleven Favored to Wreak Revenge Against Yale Today Before Crowd of 40,000

To some people accustomed to thinking of their football spectating largely in terms of good companionship, good liquor, and general good cheer, it may seem rather harsh that a Harvard-Yale game should ever be a "grudge match." Yet there is no denying that most of the ingredients will be there when these two teams meet for the 75th time, beginning at 1:30 this afternoon in the Stadium.

The primary ingredient, of course, is the memory of last year's fiasco, in which a powerful Eli squad ran the score up so high that most people lost count. But more recently, a series of rather pointed statements from football VIPs at the two colleges have added fat to the fire.

Yale coach Jordan Olivar started this wrangling by complaining that Princeton had deliberately run up the score, in defeating his team, 50-14, last weekend. Dick Colman, the Princeton coach, therupon produced some elaborate statistics to show how little the first Tiger team had played in the contest, and graciously asserted that "we could have put in our freshman 'B-squad' and still torn them apart." Understandably, this remark did not set too well down at New Haven.

Meanwhile, Harvard captain Bob Shaunessy was also getting into the act. "It seems to me," said Shag to a newspaperman, "that Yale doesn't always only beat you. Sometimes it likes to twist the knife a little." The big Crimson tackle was, perhaps, thinking of that memorable moment in the fourth quarter of last year's game when Olivar sent in his first team with the Eli point total already past 40.

Shaunessy observed that his opinion on this matter was shared "all around the league," and suggested that "Jordan Olivar has a nerve to squawk now."

Back in New Haven again, Eli captain Paul Lynch read the newspapers and then retorted: "I see that Shaunessy has been saying they'll wipe us off the field. That makes good locker-room bait." He has acquired a record 54 tickets to this afternoon's encounter "for my family and relatives;" and the Lynch tribe clearly does not expect to witness a slaughter.

All this rancorous talk aside, the Crimson is rated a modest seven to ten point favorite in today's contest by the "experts" who determine the betting odds. This seems logical enough given the disappointing records this fall of both squads (with Yale's the more disappointing), but there are many Crimson partisans who are hoping for a much bigger margin of victory.

The Elis have beaten only Connecticut and Colgate, and have lost to six consecutive Ivy League opponents. The Crimson is 3-5 on the year, but has been decisively beaten only by Pennsylvania (and that on an obvious off-day).

In addition to its other miseries, Yale has some serious injury problems. The situation is most critical at quarterback, where second and third-stringers Art Lavalle and Dan Feldhaus are both definitely hors decombat.

Sophomore Tom Singleton, who won the starting assignment at this position midway through the season, is also in somewhat questionable shape. Singleton sprained his ankle two weeks ago and did not play in the Princeton game. He returned to contact work in practices this past week, just in time to reinjure the ankle.

A lot of tape and maybe some novocaine, too, will get Singleton onto the field at kickoff today, but just how long the ankle will stand up is somewhat in doubt. If it goes early the Elis will have to rely on a couple of jayvees named Kugler and Welch at the crucial quarterback spot.

Lawson Definitely Out

The only Harvard player ruled out of the game due to injuries is halfback Tom Lawson. Larry Repsher, who showed his best running to date against Brown last week, will start at right half, in place of Lawson. Rounding out the varsity's backfield will be Charlie Ravenel, Sam Halaby, and Chet Boulris, all Crimson regulars for most of the season.

Crimson coach John Yovicsin says that he plans to rely this afternoon on the same atack that he has used all season long. This evidently means an emphasis on running plays between the tackles; for the varsity has had a singular lack of success at passing and has never had the backfield speed to run the opposing ends effectively.

Yale's passing has been nearly as bad as the varsity's, but the Elis, on the other hand, do have two speedy halfbacks in Herb Hallas and Rich Winkler. These men may well give the Crimson ends a rough time.

Defensively, both teams have had their most serious problems guarding their flanks, Each squad is fairly strong in the middle of the line, with the Crimson rating a slight edge here thanks to greater experience.

As for morale, the hope is that the Crimson may have the advantage. Certainly John Yovicsin had done his best to make it that way. Last night out at the varsity's retreat in Concord, Yovicsin had done his best to make it that way. Last night out at the varsity's retreat in Concord, Yovicsin had some special before-bed entertainment for his charges. It was the film of last year's game.....