Callinan's Biggest Day

Oh, how Vernon Struck must have loved to run against Princeton. He probably could have run against the Tigers all day long. In fact, during Harvard's 34-6 shellacking of the Tigers in 1937, Struck did just that, rushing 33 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns. The two totals stood as Harvard records for 44 years. And now one has fallen.

You see, Harvard fullback Jim Callinan also loves to run against the Tigers. Last season he turned in the first 100-yard game of his college career, on a muddy, rain-swept field in New Jersey. And Saturday afternoon during Harvard's 17-17 tie with Princeton at Soldiers Field, the six-foot, one-inch, 210-pound senior did himself 90 better, setting a new Harvard record for carries, with 34, and rambling for the second highest yardage total in Crimson history, a sparkling 190 yards. He has no rushed for more than the length of a football field on three occasions this season, and by boosting his total on the year to 603 yards gained, he's averaging more than 100 per through six games. Not bad for a guy who's best known for his performance during a game way back in his sophomore year and who many said had a hard time making it to brunch without getting injured.

"I feel really healthy this year for the first time," Callinan said yesterday, "and that has given me confidence. The last couple of years I might have been tiptoeing a little bit--not that I wasn't trying hard--because I was thinking about the injuries. Now I go out there with no fear."

A Callinan with no fears should instill plenty in opposing defenses. It certainly seemed to scare most of the Princeton defenders out of his menacing path, for Callinan was constantly popping through holes the size of the tunnel of similar name. The fullback credits the big guys in front of him.

"The offensive line just played really well, like they have all year. The were all taking the Princeton lineman out of the play. There were big holes every time, holes for at lease ten yards. It was up to me to get more than that."

A weak Princeton defense--one that has allowed an average of 443 total yards per week--also contributed chunks of yardage to the output of Callinan, halfback Jim Acheson (18 carries, 64 yards) and wingback Jim Garvey (10 for 56, starting his first game). On the day, Harvard rushed for 311 yards.

"They (the Tigers) were very weak up the middle," Callinan said. "Their linebackers went down very easily. The defensive backs had to make the tackles." A quick glance at the stats shows Princeton strong safety Vic Ruterbush leading his team with ten unassisted tackles. That's not something that defensive coaches like to see.

The Harvard running attack was also boosted by the two-tight-end offense the Multiflex ran out of for much of the game. Callinan, who had his best day rushing since he gained 205 yards on 16 carries during his senior year at St. Ignatius High in Cleveland, was the workhorse of the drives that put Harvard back in the game in the fourth quarter, carrying 13 times for 76 yards. He was the one bright spot on an otherwise dismal day.

And, unlike previous years, all it cost him was two swollen ankles.