Almost everyone has heard the tale of how Harvard “beat” undefeated Yale 29-29 on November 23, 1968. The collection of incredibly powerful and amazing moments leading to Harvard’s 16 points in the final 42 seconds is now the stuff of legend.
My father, Jack Daly, served as head linesman for this game along with his usual crew of officials. I did not see the game as I was away in western Mass at the time but I got a rare letter from my father, after the game describing its incredible progression.
The game’s uniqueness and notoriety actually increased through the years and one of its enduring legacies were complaints from some on the Yale side about how officials had handed the game to Harvard. High on the complaint list, especially from Carmen Cozza, was a facemask penalty that occurred with 8 seconds left. As the Quincy (MA) Patriot Ledger describes it, “…Champi was nearly caught in the backfield, but he scrambled free and a face mask penalty put Harvard 20 yards from the goal line. With three seconds left, Champi threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Vic Gatto, who had left the game earlier with an injury.”
My father threw the flag for that penalty and took lots of grief for it over the years from devoted Yale folks at sports dinners, football banquets and the like where he often spoke as a “Down East” story teller.
Then, some 40 years after the game, Kevin Rafferty created a wonderful documentary, Harvard Beats Yale 29 – 29, with insights and commentary from many of the key players on both sides.
I saw the film, and the game, for the first time a week ago. The tape and the commentary on the face mask call fascinated me. First the scene, the take down, the flag, the Yale bench reaction, the call….in frame grabs from the film:
Many on that bench, including Brian Dowling said there was no foul.
Frank Champi the Harvard runner recalled, “I made about 14 yards until I felt my head snap around and the Yale defender was caught for a face mask. Now I know to this day I have heard that they claim that it was not a face mask…”
But, the person actually penalized that day, Mike Bouscaren, #27, Linebacker, Defensive Captain of Yale , aka “Mike the Man” in the Doonesbury comic strip, said,
“I just figured that this guy was too dangerous to leave on the field anymore [Harvard quarterback Frank Champi] and it was my job to put him out. So, again, trying to make things happen, if you try too hard they are not going to happen. But I realized that here’s my shot to get at him because as a linebacker you don’t get that many chances to put a quarterback out of the game. And he went down before I got to him and when I ..when I hit him I got him on the face mask instead of between the face mask and the top of the helmet which I was aiming for with a chop. I thought that would do it but I missed and of course the referees were all over it as he’s going down and I got the flag.”
“My intent was to inflict so much damage on him that he wouldn’t be able to play the game anymore. I didn’t care if I got a face mask penalty and 15 yards and he can’t play anymore … that’s a good trade as far as I’m concerned. So I was out for a .. hell bent on destruction and I got what I deserved. –( pause)… Good Call. (nods) “
Two other Yale Defensive Linemen Jim Gallagher and his brother Fran added perspective.
Jim speaks as his brother sitting beside him nods in agreement,
“Bouscaren said, ‘Well, my hand may have grazed his face mask.’ — [laughs] — and the criminal defendant would say , “ that means “Yes I did it.”
My father was able to see this documentary before he died and repeated that “I always knew it was the right call.”
Thanks to all that made that game, including the officials, and to Kevin Rafferty (RIP) for a wonderful documentary that enshrines it.
Here's What I Found 