Freshman Football Team Pulls Out 6-6 Tie Against Favored Princeton

Saturday at Princeton started out nicely enough when the Harvard freshmen surprised the favored Tigers with a 6-6 tie.

Either team could have won the game if they had a man capable of kicking extra points, but lack of a place-kicker hurt the Crimson more than the home team. In the fourth quarter, Harvard was on the Princeton 12-yard line with fourth and 8. John Ballantyne's pass to Neil Hurley was incomplete, and Harvard lost the ball on downs -- in what would ordinarily be close field-goal range.

In a game marred by many penalty calls and many more that weren't called, the greatest excitement was generated by Harvard's defensive secondary. When Tiger tailback Fred Wiechec looked to pass, he found every receiver blurred together with one of the Crimson's deep four: Jim Higgins, Greg Kundrat, George Mekras, and Jim Reynolds.

Harvard scored first of a 43-yard drive midway through the first quarter. Dave Smith looked great as a passer and a running quarterback on the drive, and he executed a great play for the TD.

Smith took the snap from center, straightened up, and fired instantly to Neil Hurley for the 12-yard score. Smith never moved a step back from his position over the center during the play.

Princeton's single-wing attack got nowhere all day, but the Tigers avoided a shutout on a flashy runback of Tom Harris's second quarter punt. Tim Garven fielded the kick just in Princeton territory and skipped down his right sideline all the way. Punter Harris was the last man with a chance to get him, at the 20, but he was suddenly obliterated by three blockers -- and Garven was free.

The second half was so stalled by penalties that people were beginning to leave in the fourth quarter because the varsity game was starting. One time, Harris had to make the same punt three times before it counted.