University Braces For Game Crowds

Harvard Square businesses and University authorities are gearing up for the influx of the nearly 30,000 Yalies and Harvard affiliates who will descend on The Stadium today.

Harvard ticket manager Edward K. Carey '55 of the Harvard Ticket Office said 28,000 to 30,000 people will turn out for the match--not a sell-out crowd--if the weather cooperates. "If not, people will probably stay home," Carey said.

Carey said the vast number of the spectators will be Crimson and Eli alumni, not undergraduates. But Yalies are still buying tickets, so the size of the crowd is hard to predict.

"It's been busy, but they're not breaking down the door. I wish they were," said Carey, who expects to have 3,000 to 4,000 tickets left unclaimed at game time.

"Like every other Yale game, people seem to be just as concerned about where they're tailgating as where they're sitting," said Carey.

Although this year's edition of The Game will not draw record numbers, there will be far more fans than at most regular season games. And the concessions vendors are beefing up their stocks accordingly.

"We would hope to do four or five times the amount of sales," said Boston Concessions Group manager James E. Bronson. "Most of the vendors will be doubling their normal output."

Bronson said that there will also be new vendors, and a greater variety of concessions from which to choose. In addition to the usual--pizza, sausage, cotton candy, popcorn and hot dogs--the vendors will offer homemade chicken soup, Legal Seafood's clam chowder and lobster salad sandwiches.

Harvard University Police Lt. Lawrence J. Murphy, who directs se- curity operations and logistics, said that thebiggest problem caused by The Game each year istraffic congestion.

Police will be taking the same precautionsagainst would-be streakers and MIT pranksters asthey have in the past. The 40 officers at TheStadium during The Game, twice the usual number,will be supported by mounted officers will beposted at the goal posts by the end of the match.

Police will be checking tickets at the game andmonitoring tailgate parties and relatedactivities, although Murphy says he expects fewproblems.

Harvard Square bars and clubs are preparing aswell. The day manager of Boathouse Bar, Mary K.Coffey, said they have stocked up on beer andhired more staff.

"We get really busy," said Coffey. "The crowdsstart coming in Friday afternoon and Saturday isvery busy. A little less then Head of the Charles,but very busy."

Mike Tallon, the manager of The Black Rose, hasalso geared up for The Game.

`Just a Lot of Partying'

"Tomorrow night we have got two Yale bands in.We booked them from New Haven, Connecticut." saidTallon. "Other then that it's just a lot ofpartying.

But some Harvard Square businesses do notexpect to be affected by the big weekend. "Oursales during the Harvard-Yale game didn't change[last year]," said Urban Outfitters' SeniorAssistant Manager Heather J. Bohs. "Our weekendbiz is really strong. The only other weekend thatis really big, aside from Christmas, is Head ofthe Charles."

Kathy Fazzalaro, Assistant of the HarvardAlumni Association Classes and Reunions Office,said this year more alumni have purchased ticketsthan ever before

The Classes of 1983 to 1992 are holdingorganized parties and many other classes aremeeting to prepare for their June reunions.

Rebecca M. Rawls contributed to thereporting of this story.

Police will be taking the same precautionsagainst would-be streakers and MIT pranksters asthey have in the past. The 40 officers at TheStadium during The Game, twice the usual number,will be supported by mounted officers will beposted at the goal posts by the end of the match.

Police will be checking tickets at the game andmonitoring tailgate parties and relatedactivities, although Murphy says he expects fewproblems.

Harvard Square bars and clubs are preparing aswell. The day manager of Boathouse Bar, Mary K.Coffey, said they have stocked up on beer andhired more staff.

"We get really busy," said Coffey. "The crowdsstart coming in Friday afternoon and Saturday isvery busy. A little less then Head of the Charles,but very busy."

Mike Tallon, the manager of The Black Rose, hasalso geared up for The Game.

`Just a Lot of Partying'

"Tomorrow night we have got two Yale bands in.We booked them from New Haven, Connecticut." saidTallon. "Other then that it's just a lot ofpartying.

But some Harvard Square businesses do notexpect to be affected by the big weekend. "Oursales during the Harvard-Yale game didn't change[last year]," said Urban Outfitters' SeniorAssistant Manager Heather J. Bohs. "Our weekendbiz is really strong. The only other weekend thatis really big, aside from Christmas, is Head ofthe Charles."

Kathy Fazzalaro, Assistant of the HarvardAlumni Association Classes and Reunions Office,said this year more alumni have purchased ticketsthan ever before

The Classes of 1983 to 1992 are holdingorganized parties and many other classes aremeeting to prepare for their June reunions.

Rebecca M. Rawls contributed to thereporting of this story.