Advertisement

No Sweeter Way For Milt to Finish

For Crimson quarterback Milt Holt there certainly couldn't have been a nicer way to close out a career than by beating Yale with a tremendous individual effort, including a spectacular 90-yard drive in the final five minutes to clinch the victory in The Game.

The Game meant a little more to Holt than the rest of his Harvard teammates. In the Harvard-Yale freshman contest three years ago, an Eli defensive back slugged Milt, knocking him unconscious and out of the game. Harvard was leading at the time 10-0, but the Holt-less Crimson went on to lose, 13-10.

"I have to admit that I hold a grudge against Yale from that freshman game," Milt said before Saturday's encounter. "I still remember that cheap shot from their defensive back, and that makes this game mean a little extra to me."

Vengeance

Holt gained revenge all right, completing 19 of 32 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, Milt ran for the final, climactic TD himself, barely diving into the endzone in the last 15 seconds.

Advertisement

The Frank Merriwell-like 90-yard drive alone would have earned Milt a niche in Harvard football history, but not to be forgotten is the rest of Holt's great career. Milt established records for most TD's in a season (16) and most passing yardage in a season (1351).

What made the victory all the sweeter for Holt was that his family, adorned in orchid leis from his native Hawaii, viewed the entire proceedings. His brothers and sisters put the leis around the necks of the other Harvard players after victory was assured.

For Holt, his teammates, and the 42,000 fans, it was a memorable contest, a game never to be forgotten, and will rank as The Game of all The Games (save one), the likes of which won't be seen for quite some time.

Advertisement