Crimson Crushes Bucknell, 59-0, In Biggest Mismatch of the Decade

The Bucknell backfield boasted a Vassar at halfback and a Radcliffe at wingback, but Harvard treated them more like Lesley girls as the Crimson rolled to an easy 59-0 triumph over Bucknell Saturday.

Harvard's score was its highest since 1955, and the 59-point spread was the widest point margin since Harvard's opening game against Maryland in 1946.

The Crimson's rushing attack led by Captain Vic Gatto netted 392 yards. Gatto plowed for 122 yards in ten carries--passing Bobby Leo's 1629 yard carrer total--to become Harvard's second all-time rusher.

The first quarter made the difference as the Harvard offense scored the first five times it had the ball. Meanwhile, the defense picked off two passes and stole one fumble from Bucknell's flashy quarterback, Sam Havrilak.

The scoring looks more merciful in a synopsis form:

* Fullback Ken O'Connell took the opening kick-off down to the Bucknell 35. Two plays later halfback Ray Horn-blower flicked an option pass to Gatto who scampered to the 17. A piling-on penalty moved the ball to the nine. Tommy Wynne came in for a field goal when the Harvard attack faltered.

* Defensive end Steve Zebal picked up a Bison fumble on the Bucknell 12. Harvard ran it to the two where O'Connell plunged in for the score. Wynne got the extra point.

* After Bucknell finally got a drive going from their own 19 down to the Crimson 23, Crimson sophomore John Ignacio snatched a Havrilak pass out of the hands of George Beals and returned it to the Harvard 24. Three plays later, Gatto reeversed through the line and rushed 66 yards down the sidelines for the score. Wynne got the extra point.

* The next time Harvard got the ball, Lalich took a double handoff in the backfield and fired a 23-yard pass to Pete Varney. Varney broke two tackles and followed the Gatto track to the goal. Wynne got another.

* John Emery picked off the second Havrilak interception deep in Bucknell territory. Hornblower ran the first play from scrimmage 15 yards up the middle for the last first period touchdown. And Wynne got another point, making it 31-0.

In the second quarter, Bucknell made a feeble attempt to get back into the game. Running his one man end sweep and showing some signs of improving his passing game, Havrilak managed to move the Bisons into Crimson territory twice.

But the Crimson defense contained the sweep on two big third down plays, and Bucknell never made it inside the Harvard 27.

After Harvard coach John Yovicsin pulled the entire first string offense, Frank Champi took over for Lalich at quarterback and used reserve Jim Reynolds to push down to the Bucknell 22. The Harvard drive was stopped on a fourth-and-six when Champi elected to run and was dumped after a three yard gain.

Yovicsin went with his first string offense at the beginning of the third period. Staying on the ground, the Crimson took the ball on their second series of downs and marched 48 yards in three plays for another score, making it 38-0.

The stands began to empty as Harvard sent its second, third and even fourth strings in to do the mopping up. A few diehards stayed on to watch the band woo three wiggly Bucknell cheerleaders over to the Harvard side. But the carnival on the field just couldn't compete with the sideshow in the stands.

With Champi still at the helm, Harvard moved in for two more scores on drives of 38 and 61 yards. Then Yovicsin emptied the bench and sophomore Pat Coleman scored once more. Harvard 59, Bucknell 0.