HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

The Good Old College Try

Photos and Text by Jon Chase

In a pre-season poll, defending Ivy League football champion Harvard was picked to repeat as number one, and '97 cellar-dwellar Yale was picked to be last again. But as anyone with any sense of tradition knows, throw out logic and home-field advantage when it comes to The Game. Then add in the motivational factor that Yale's seniors had lost three consecutive games to Harvard, and you have the makings of an upset. That said, the largest crowd in many years saw the two rivals play scoreless ball on Nov. 21 until Harvard took the lead on a Rich Linden run in the third quarter. When linebacker Joe Weidle '99 blocked Yale's extra point attempt after a score with five minutes remaining, Crimson fans had reason to be hopeful. But fate was with the Eli, as Harvard missed two field goals and then fumbled the ball away on their own 13-yard line with three minutes to go. Yale booted an easy field goal to go ahead 9-7, and another Game was history.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Harvard defensive back Glenn Jackson '99 (left) tries deperately to bring down Yale running back Rashad Bartholomew after being straight-armed during the second half of the play. Scott Larkee '99 (#35) levels his sights on Yale halfback Eric Johnson. Gerard Hammond '02 circles the field with a huge Harvard banner, whipping up the crowd in frenzied support for the home team. Harvard defensive tackes Chris Nowinski '00 (left), co-captain Brendan Bibro '99 (center), and Anthony Ackil '99 anxiously watch the offense try to work a miracle as time winds down. Crimson quarterback Rich Linden '00 looks downfield, perhaps searching for signs of hope as The Game begins to unravel in the final minutes.