University's Stadium Stand Receives Swift Retaliation

The University's refusal to let the Boston Patriots play in Harvard Stadium prompted retaliation from the state legislature yesterday.

Less than a day after President Pusey had once again turned down the Patriots' bid for use of the Stadium, a legislative committee voted, 21-3, in favor of a bill to take over the Stadium by eminent domain and lease it to the professional football team.

The Federal Financial Assistance Committees action came after nearly three hours of hearings which saw more than a score of witnesses- legislators, Patriots players and football fans- Jambast the University's stand on the Stadium, and voice their support for the eminent domain bill.

The bill now goes to the floor of both houses of the legislature, where it will undoubtedly face a stiff fight. Last night, a Harvard Administration source expressed surprise at the quick action by the committee and said, "We'll have to do some hard work on this one, because quite a few of our so-called friends in the legislature are not friends on the Stadium issue."

Paper Tiger

Harvard was not represented at yesterday's hearings, although the University did send the committee a copy of the letter Pusey wrote Monday to Patriots President William Sullivan, in which he refused the Patriots' latest bid for the Stadium.

"It is clear that to share the Stadium with the Patriots would cause a very serious disruption of our athletic activities and a very serious problem of congestion in the Charles River-Harvard Square area," Pusey wrote.

The absence of a Harvard representative at the hearings drew fire from legislators. One representative called it "an example of the arrogance which comes from great wealth." The audience, heavily in favor of the Patriots, applauded warmly.

During the hearings, Patriots President Sullivan warned that unless the club had assurance of a 50,000 seat stadium by March 15, the team could not play in Boston next fall. The Harvard Stadium now seats about 40,000 but could be expanded to meet the 50,000 figure.

"On the one hand we have six days of possible disturbance [from the Patriots game in the Stadium]," Sullivan said, "and on the other we have a $9

million profession leaving the community."

Other witnesses echoed Sullivan's sentiments, saying that losing the Patriots would make Boston a second-rate city, "If it has to be taken by eminent domain, then TAKE IT," roared Boston License Commissioner Albert M. "Dapper" O'Neill, "because we're not going to lose that ball club out of this city."

"The public wants to keep that ball club and they want those boys to come in there and play and bring some decent people in there," O'Neill concluded.

I Got Dem Old Blues

House Majority Leader Thomas W. McGee (D-Lynn) said that Harvard it self had an interest in promoting pro-football. "The Rookie of the Year- Calvin Hill- is a graduate of one of those Ivory [sic] League Colleges. In this day and age, one of the greatest inspirations for youth is athletes, professional or amateur," he said.

A co-sponsor of the bill- Rep. Timothy W. Hickey (D-Cambridge)- even suggested that perhaps it didn't go far enough. Instead of merely taking over Harvard Stadium, he said, perhaps the legislature should reassert the control it had 300 years ago over the entire University. "Harvard was in effect our first state or public university, and it should now open its arms to the Commonwealth," he said.

Only three persons- two legislators and one spectator- spoke in opposition to the bill. Rep. Harrison Chadwick (R-Winchester) argued that the blame for letting the Patriots leave Boston would rest not with Harvard, but with the legislature itself, which has killed numerous bills to build a new stadium because of difficulties with arranging its financing.

"We let this thing go to the eleventh hour. We are now in a crisis, which is not strange in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," Chadwick said. "We should do it the right way," which, he said, is to select a stadium site and let private capital build an all-weather, domed stadium.

No Sympathy

The legislator whose district includes the stadium area- Rep, John F. Milia (D-Bos.)- also spoke in opposition to the bill. "My sympathies don't lie with Harvard University, but I am concerned with the people of my district," he said.

Opening the Stadium to the Patriots would create tremendous traffic jams in the area, Milia said, "You won't be able to get home to Allston and Brighton unless you own a helicopter."