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The Infamous 5th Down Game, Dartmouth vs. Cornell, 1940


shot from Big Green vs. Cornell 1940

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Synopsis

Transcript






Film Details

Date 1940
Description 35m 35s, sound, b&w

Synopsis

After summarizing earlier games in the 1940 Dartmouth football season, the film covers the Big Green vs. Cornell in Hanover, N.H. on Nov. 16, 1940. In a breathtaking finish, the officials allow Cornell a fifth down, which leads to victory over the Big Green, 7-3. Ultimately, the game's film shows that the officials were in error, and Dartmouth triumphs 3-0.


Transcript

SPEAKER 1: But shortly after Tom Young, Junior, Dartmouth captain and three-year veteran of left guard, opened the season by shaking hands with the St. Lawrence captain, the Indian started off on the right foot by winning the counter, 35 to nothing.

Then came the darkness and the gloom as Franklin and Marshall wrote the season's first upset, later transcribed on the corner of Main Street. Diplomats, 23. Dartmouth, 21.

Thus scarred, the Indians took to the warpath against Columbia in New York the following Saturday, only to lose their scalps, 21 to 6. Though the band shows off beautifully with flag wavers and baton tossers doing their stuff, the Big Green 11 did no singing on that Saturday or on the next when it lost out to Yale, 13 to 7. For awhile in the big Yale Bowl, the fighting Dartmouth backed the blue up against its goal line and hung onto a 6 to 7 lead.

More...

At this point, however, Coach Blake was a bit nervous and took time out to cool his head off momentarily. But in the last moment Yale took to the air and brought down the winning score. Three setbacks in a row. Wow! Where is Dartmouth, they ask.

And back comes the answer on the next Saturday. May be down but not out. And the Indians pushed altogether to leak out a 7 to 6 triumph over Harvard in beautiful Soldier's Field. Now working smoothly and with greater confidence, the Dartmouth 11 put the skids under Sewanee, who were mired the next weekend on a muddy field to lose 26 to nothing.

On November 9, a big Dartmouth crowd gathered in the gym at Hanover, new Hampshire, to anxiously follow the wanderings of a flashlight bulb acting the part of a football up and down a miniature pasteboard field.

Over the wires to these men running the grid graph came exciting news of a fierce struggle at Princeton, where a hardened Dartmouth 11 was rocking the Tiger team back on its heels. Yet, owing to a heartbreaking last-minute pitch by Dave Allardice, Princeton finally lit up the touchdown ball for the second time and won 14 to 9.

Thus, the week before its big game, Dartmouth had lost twice as many games as it had won. The public could hardly be blamed for placing heavy odds on Cornell, scheduled for the following Saturday. The Big Red had been unbeaten for 18 straight games and was apparently under full steam toward an unbeaten season.

But not in the eyes of a certain student body at Hanover, New Hampshire. Higher and higher mount the flames at a monster student rally on the Friday night before the game. And higher and higher soars the famous Dartmouth spirit, unimpressed by odds and newspaper opinion.

Snow threatens as the clock nears 2:00 on the afternoon of the crucial match. The huge crowd that banks Memorial Field is tense. An air of expectancy, a mingled hope and confidence hovers over the Dartmouth section and then explodes in a tremendous cheer as The Big Green squad takes the field.

They're ready for this game. They're ready because they've been tuned up the hard way, toughened physically by a rough schedule, drilled mentally into a smooth running machine, hardened psychologically by last-minute setbacks, yet always learning, fighting, surging on up toward this opportunity this afternoon to turn the tide against this, the top notch team of the East.

And the whole student body knows that they can do it, has confidence that out of this final all-squad huddle will come an 11 that will give no odds, give no ground before any man's team, not even Carl Snavely's Big Red outfit from Ithaca.

And out they come and onto the frostbitten turf to receive the opening kickoff. There goes the whistle. And end over end the ball soars as Snook of Cornell takes to the Dartmouth 10-yard line where Ray Wolf, 180-pound sophomore, picks it out of the air and leaps into his long, pounding stride behind some wonderful interference.

Down past his own 25. Down to the 35. The 40, where Ray Hall throws a beautiful block for him and on down the sideline almost into the clear, way down to the Cornell 44-yard line. That's the way to open a ball game. 45 yards at one crack. And does the stand love it!

Now into regular formations, single wingback to the left, with Hall in number 3 position. On the first play, Cast gets the ball at tailback from center and puts his head down to gain 1 yard off tackle. On single wingback to the right, the halfbacks regularly change positions. Now Wolf does the ball carrying from tailback and nets 2 yards inside Cornell's right end.

On third down a reverse is slated to swing wide to the left with Cast carrying. The play starts nicely. But Cornell's right end refuses to be blocked and chases Cast back 5 yards before nailing him for a loss.

In kick formation now, the backs block neatly as Hall gets off a long one, down, down toward the Cornell coffin corner, where it is waved out at the 19 and 1/2 yard line.

Now comes the first test of Dartmouth's defense against the famed Cornell steamroller. Murphy gets the pass from center and tries to slice through the Dartmouth line but is promptly smothered.

Deep in their own territory, Cornell is thus forced into quick kick strategy, with McCullough getting off a clean boot that soars up and down the field, way down to the Dartmouth 30-yard line, where Ray Wolf is waiting for it. He catches it neatly and is under full steam immediately, pounding up to his own 41-yard line before being brought down by three Cornell tacklers.

Single wingback to the right. Ray Wolf gets the ball and heads way out to circle the Cornell right end. But a Big Red left halfback refuses to be blocked and cuts through to bring Wolf down considerably back of the--

Again the formation is to the right. But this time Wolf finds a tiny hole off tackle and picks up 1 yard before the Cornell backs pile on.

Hall goes back to kick. Again, he gets off a long one, high enough to let the ends under it down to the Cornell 22-yard line. The Cornell safety man takes one look at the ends, picks it up, and barely squeezes between two tacklers, only to be stopped dead by a third and a fourth.

Cornell has its back almost up against its own goal line. They come out of their huddle, shift into fake punt position, and Landsburg crashes into the sturdy line, gaining only about a yard.

Again, they decide to try the Dartmouth right wall. McCullough gets the ball and fakes to Landsburg. Dartmouth's right end, Kelly, nearly snags him, and Cast comes up fast to finish off the job with a nifty toss of his body.

The famed Cornell offensive can't seem to get underway. They shift to punt formation, and McCullough kicks from his own 28, another good long one down to Wolf, standing on his own 33-yard line.

He catches it on the run. Whoops! Bounces it around like a basketball and then plunges up to the 42-yard marker. Single wingback to the left. Cast gets the ball. Neatly smuggles it to fullback Hall who finds his hole on the right and goes through for about 5 yards.

Tackle Monty Winship does a terrific job of cross blocking for him. Again, Hall gets the ball, this time direct from center and goes plowing through the Cornell defensive for almost a first down.

Cast tries unsuccessfully for the rest of the distance. And then Hall goes back to his own 45-yard line to boot a beauty that goes sailing end over end, way down into Cornell territory, to bounce out of bounds just this side of the 10-yard stripe.

Now Cornell is really leaning against its goal post. Landsburg gets the ball, sees what looks like a hole and dives for it, only to find it blocked when he gets there by two big Dartmouth backs.

Now The Big Red shifts into punt formation. McCullough is standing on his own 6-yard line. The ball comes back, and he gets it off nicely. Wolf waits for it patiently on the middle field marker.

Hall comes racing back to help him and throws a beautiful block to send him on his way. Wolf races right through a half dozen Cornells, almost shakes off the rest of the team from Ithaca, but has his heel caught and is finally brought down on the Cornell 27-yard line.

The crowd goes wild. Dartmouth is in pay dirt territory. The invincible Big Red machine is being shoved back on its heels by a magnificent Indian onslaught.

Single wingback to the right. Hall gets it, fakes quickly to Wolf and plows forward through the Cornell left side for 3 yards. The Big Green forward line is opening holes in the Cornell line that haven't been opened for a season and a half.

Cast gets the ball on a spinner to the left, heads out for a wide end run, sticking close to his interference, but is shoved back for a loss when the Cornell end refuses to be put down.

Third down, 12 yards to go. Dartmouth lines up on the right, Wolf in receiving position. He fades back slowly for a pass, getting wonderful blocking protection from Hall.

He spots his receiver and lets fly a long, high one, way down the field, headed for the goal line. But the throw is a little too long for the end. And Dartmouth's first and only attempt at a pass comes to naught. Fourth down and one more chance for a score.

Krieger drops back to try for a field goal. Krieger gets wonderful protection by the backs, but his placement fly is wide to the right and much too low. The crowd lets out a collective sigh. Close but no cigar.

Cornell lines up with the ball on its own 20-yard stripe. Murphy gets it and starts to the right behind tremendous interference. But Krieger and Norton shove through and bounce him of bounds for a 1-yard loss.

This defense combination of Krieger and Norton did a whale of a job throughout the game, as Cornell shifts, Dartmouth shifts right along with it to match power with power in the right spots and clog up the line to spill Landsburg after a short gain of 1 yard.

Again, Cornell is forced to shift to punt formation, against which Dartmouth uses a five-man looping line defense. McCullough gets it away at the last possible moment. And it goes down to the Dartmouth 35-yard line, where Wolf catches it cleanly, slips for a second, and then zigzags his way through half the Cornell team before being forced out of bounds just inside Cornell territory.

So far only five plays have started in Dartmouth's half of the field. Now Cast gets it on a single wing to the left and plunges forward head down to pick up 3 yards.

On the next play lined up, strong side to the right, Wolf gets it, starts forward, hands the ball to Krieger who shoots around from his left end post to go almost 7 yards, just missing a first down by inches.

In punt formation, the ball goes back to Hall, who is rushed slightly and gets off a boot that goes out of bounds and is brought back on the Cornell 18-yard line.

Landsburg receives the ball on the first down for Cornell, fakes, and makes for a hole off tackle, but is snagged by Pearson before he has gone more than a yard.

And the first quarter ends 0 to 0 but with Cornell still mired in its own territory unable to get it running plays going and unable to figure out any weaknesses in the unique Dartmouth defense.

The Big Green, on the other hand, seem to be finding holes for short, effective gains, and to be pressing its advantage with expert kicking and stalwart defense work.

Shifting sides now, Cornell lines up on its own 19-yard line. On a reverse, McCullough gets the ball and starts around the right side behind smashing interference. He goes 5, 10 yards before Wolf brings him down on the 27-yard line, giving Cornell their longest run of the game up to this point and their first first down.

Landsburg tries the other side of the line on the next play but gets exactly nowhere. Now their steamroller interference swings into position for Murphy around the left side of the line, and they gain 4 yards before Cast ruins the interference and Norton wrecks the runner. This is as far up the field as Cornell is able to get in the entire first half.

A third down rush by Buffalino nets nothing, and Cornell is forced into punt conformation with McCullough getting off a high one down to Dartmouth's 40-yard stripe, where it is downed by Cornell ends.

Now The Big Green interference starts rolling around left end for Cast, who picks up 8 yards before a wily Cornell back circles a blocker and brings him down on the Dartmouth 48-yard line.

Now they are really underway. Wolf takes the ball from center, and with every man doing a great job of blocking, he nets a first down for the green on Cornell's 49-yard line.

The cheering section goes into individual fits of joy. The Indians are on the warpath.

Again in red territory, the machine-like back field rolls up its sleeves and goes to work around the left side, Cast carrying. And the Cornell defense is ripped apart to bring the goal line 8 yards closer. Cast drives forward on these rushes with all the force of a 200-pound block of granite.

Now out of the Indian bag of tricks comes a fake reverse with Ray Hall carrying through center. But he's tackled high and hard. The ball leaps from his arms, rolls down the field, and is quickly buried under the chest of a Cornell back. A tough break for Dartmouth when it seemed to be going strong. The crowd glumly sits down again.

The Big Red, puzzled by Dartmouth's stonewall defense, still sticks to power plays and sends the ball around left end behind immense interference. But Cast keeps his feet to stop the play dead after a slight gain.

Held again on the next down, Cornell decides to shift into punt formation. And McCullough gets one off cleanly. And it goes down to Wolf who is waiting for it on his own 40-yard line.

He tries to slide around the Cornell end but is brought down by a beautiful shoestring tackle.

Now back again on their own 40 in this seesaw second quarter, Hall takes it from center, fakes to Cast, and drives through the center of the line for a short gain of 1 yard.

Back in formation, single wing to the left. Hall gets the ball and shoves it into Wolf's arms, who pounds behind fine interference inside a completely boxed right end and forward about 5 yards beyond the scrimmage line.

But the next play is broken up for no gain, and Hall goes back to boot from his own 40 to Dartmouth 11 yard line, where Landsburg is nailed almost in his tracks. Here Landsburg gets the ball on two plays and fails to gain either time, the second on a spinner that is stopped cold by the whole Dartmouth front wall.

Baffled by this defense, the Cornells shift on third down to protect McCullough's kick and to enable their ends to get down the field unhampered. The boot gets away cleanly from the 15-yard mark.

But it's a short one that only sails down to the Cornell 45, where Hall picks it up on the first bounce, sees he is trapped, and smartly laterals to safety man Ray Wolf, who catches it in stride, alludes one tackler, and is finally pushed out on the 34-yard line.

At this point, a spark plug is inserted into the Indian machine in the form of 143 pounds of determination and dynamite named Ted Arico, number 62, who drives off tackle and almost hurdles the whole Cornell second line of defense to make 3 yards.

On the next play, the Mighty Might takes it from center, fakes to Hall, and heads for the tremendous hole opened for him by a gallant line. Miraculously, he twists away from three tacklers, seems to go down under two men but keeps driving on to the Cornell 14-yard line. The crowd yells its approval of this magnificent little man and demands a touchdown.

Quarterback Norton now mixes the plays up nicely. And though Arico gets the ball from center, he slips it to Krieger on an end around play that goes plunging through a stiffened Cornell line for another precious gain of 5 yards.

The crowd comes to its feet again and chants go, go, go! And The Big Green 11 charges in with the goal line only 10 yards away. But as Hall spins and heads for the center hole opened up, the Cornell secondary rushes up to stop him after only a 2-yard gain.

On third down lined up heavy on the right, Cast swings around behind the line to crash off left tackle. But the Cornells refuse to be pushed. Desperate in the shadow of their own goal post, The Big Red team is putting up a tremendous battle.

And when Krieger tries the other side on last down, they gang up on him. And Dartmouth's great surge down the field is stopped on the 6-yard line, as the half ends, nothing to nothing, just as it started as far as the scoreboard is concerned.

But as far as the hopes and confidence and faith in The Big Green 11 is concerned, the score has changed 100%. Even the press box cynics are convinced that here a great Cornell team is meeting its match.

Now the big clock starts another half, and a field made treacherous by the ever-increasing snowfall, Cornell kicks off to Wolf down on his own 7-yard line. The Dartmouths mass together and do a grand job of blocking to enable Wolf to weave his way up to the 30-yard stripe before he is brought down heavily.

One rush by Wolf nets little gain and expert strategy calls for a quick kick by Hall, gotten off cleanly behind a sturdy line of defense. Far down the field facing the racing Dartmouth tacklers stands Landsburg on his own 25-yard line. He receives it, gets up to the 34, and is stopped dead.

Now to find out whether Cornell has solved Dartmouth's stonewall defense against their power plays. And as [? Shoal ?] comes around right end and finds Krieger and Norton waiting for him, it would appear that they have not.

Thus, with no further trials necessary, Cornell decides to take to the air and Murphy fades back, waits patiently for his receiver, and then flings one out to Kelly who twists high in the air, snares it, and is promptly brought down out of bounds.

Again, Cornell takes to the air, starting with a long, lateral run behind the line, almost across the field, until [? Shoal ?] lets it go to [? Matajac ?] on the midfield marker. He catches it and is immediately bowled over and over by Norton, number 73.

Then mixing them up, Cornell sends [? Shoal ?] on a spinner off right tackle, and he manages to run down to the Dartmouth 35. The first time in the entire game that Cornell has had the ball in enemy territory. And the stands aren't exactly in love with the new idea.

Murphy takes it now on a wide sweep around left end. Behind good interference, he keeps moving parallel to the scrimmage line, gets his chance to out race the end, out twists another tackler, and is finally downed on the Dartmouth 27. Cornell is now for the first time threatening to score.

[? Shoal ?] fades back for a long one. He lets it go. It's way beyond the receiver. But the referee claims interference. And Cornell gets the ball on Dartmouth's 16-yard line. A first down and a challenge to The Big Green to charge in and hold.

One line rushed by Murphy is smothered, and then [? Shoal ?] steps out to the right for another attempt at an end sweep. His interference is properly busted wide open by Krieger, and Dartmouth's secondary chases him back and back until Ray Hall makes a magnificent shoestring tackle to toss him for a loss of 7 yards. Dartmouth's dander is up.

Murphy gets it on the third down and fades back for an end zone pass. He lets it go. Down the field Wolf has his man covered like a blanket. He leaps high. His fingertips curl around the ball, and miraculously he hangs onto it for a touchdown saving interception.

Dartmouth lines up with the ball on the 20, makes two short rushes for a gain of 5 yards, and then sends Hall back to boot one that sails down to the Cornell 38-yard line, where Landsburg catches it cleanly and dives between two tacklers to land almost on the midfield stripe.

Immediately, [? Shoal ?] fades back to continue the Cornell aerial drive. But the Dartmouth defense tightens to knock it harmlessly on the ground.

Again, Dartmouth tries a pass. But their receiver is completely bottled up.

And it goes for naught.

Thus, baffled both on ground plays and in the air, Cornell shifts to punt formation again, and the ball sails down and offside on the Dartmouth 17-yard line.

There's the kick.

One rush by Wolf nets 2 yards. And he gets it again on second down cuts, back and to the right, evades one Cornell, slips between two others, and finally falls at about the 24-yard line.

Now Cast gets it from center, finds a nice hole opened up for him off left tackle. And goes through for about 3 more yards. But not enough for a first down, so Hall drops back to his own 16-yard line and gets away a punt that goes down to the Cornell 36.

The Big Red loses 2 yards on a first down rush and then tries a reverse, with Murphy getting it and heading way out to his left. But he can't find a hole in the Dartmouth secondary. Finally does get around one man but is quickly stopped after going about 30 yards sideways and 2 yards forward.

But, again, the Ithacans decide on a power play with the whole left side coming out and around for interference. [? Shoal ?] carries, cannily waiting for the break. But Hall comes flying up to spoil the offense. And Gerber, the end, and Norton mop up the runner.

But they're short of a first down. And McCullough goes back to his own 38 to kick to Wolf standing on the 18. Hall races back to help him, neatly spills one man, and Wolf gets up to the 38-yard line before being stopped.

Here the line goes to work on first down to open up a hole off left guard for Hall, who picks up about 2 yards. Dartmouth is puzzling Cornell by a constant change of play, as on the next down when Wolf fades back, makes as if to pass, and then races ahead and around right end for a gain of 4 yards.

But first down is still 1 yard away, and Hall goes back to kick.

The punt gets off cleanly and goes off to one side and bounces around while Crowley, substitute right end, follows it like a beetle, and finally downs it on the Cornell 17 and 1/2 yard line.

Again Cornell lines up deep in its own territory, having been pushed back and back after their one surge down the field. But as the center snaps the ball, something fails to click. [? Borman, ?] one of The Big Red backs scrambles for it and barely recovers it on his own 4-yard line as the third quarter ends.

Still nothing to nothing. Still undecided, except from one point of view. The minds of those massed in the Dartmouth stands are made up conclusively. They have no shadow of a doubt that on this snowy day they are witnessing a great team from Cornell, never better, play against an even greater 11, one inspired no little bit by the most unanimous, most ear filling and soul stirring spirit derives from the cheering section in Flood Memorial Field.

The Big Red is now once more in great danger. Their line shifts and braces to protect McCullough standing in his own end zone. He gets the ball and quickly boots it between the upfront arms of would-be blockers.

But another threat to Cornell has entered the game again. Mighty Might has been inserted at safety. He catches the ball on the Cornell 40, gets great blocking from Hall, and pushes forward to the 25-yard line.

Now Dartmouth is not to be denied. [INAUDIBLE] gets it on first down, fakes to Hall, finds a giant hole open for him off left tackle, and squirms forward, lunging with his powerful little shoulders to the Cornell 20-yard stripe.

Hall, number 42, takes it on second down and crashes through another hole opened by the line, this time on the right side for a five 5-yard gain. And look at those stands go wild! Our first down on the Cornell 15-yard line.

First down, 10 to go. 15 for a touchdown. And the ball again goes to Arico who cuts wide to the left but runs into a gang of Cornells who swarm over him.

Staley tries again on second down but nets no gain. Then on third down, the ball goes to Hall who pivots on a dime and smacks through a wide hole opened at center for a precious gain of 6 yards.

Still, on [INAUDIBLE] down, it would be dangerous to try a running play, so cagey quarterback Norton calls left end Krieger back to attempt a field goal from placement. The line braces beautifully.

He gets it off, and true as an arrow, it cuts straight through its uprights. Dartmouth, 3. Cornell, nothing.

Amid continued bedlam from a stand gone crazy with joy, Dartmouth kicks off to Cornell. It's short and is received by Jenkins, who carries it up to the Cornell 25-yard line before being brought down.

Immediately, Cornell takes to the air. McCullough fades back to make the pass, but Dartmouth has his receivers covered completely, and he barely gets off a shaky one that bounces to the ground harmlessly.

Then McCullough tries to run it but is tackled at the line of scrimmage, and so on third down fades back again for another pass.

This is a long, , high one that goes down into Dartmouth territory. And is intercepted easily by Wolf, who is forced out of bounds on the 45-yard line.

Dartmouth has the ball again. On first down, Hall tries a pivot through center, but the Cornell right end gets around and grabs him from behind for no gain. Wolf takes it on second down for a straightforward right end sweep. The backs block beautifully, especially Cast, and the play rolls up to the midfield mark.

But Hall fails to advance on third down so is forced to go back to kick from his own 46. The ball sails up and down the field catty corner to go offside on the Cornell 22-yard line.

McCullough takes it on first down and manages to squeeze through right tackle for a 2-yard gain. Then he fades back for another pass and this time gets off a bullet that goes straight and hard to Jenkins to net Cornell a first down on their own 35.

Again, Cornell fades McCullough back for a pass. He gets it off. It's a long one. And it's completed beautifully by [? Borman ?] on the Dartmouth 44-yard line. That famed Cornell aerial offense is beginning to click, and Dartmouth's well-known campus watchdog, Spud Bray, licks his chops in anger that he can't do anything about it.

Cornell lines up again.

This time it looks like a power play. [? Shoal ?] cuts back of his own line and slices off right tackle 4 yards before he's stopped by the entire Dartmouth secondary.

They're on the 40-yard line now. Landsburg gets it and swings right through center where a slight hole has been opened and lunges on for 7 yards before being brought down on the 33-yard line.

First down for Cornell. McCullough fades back. It's going to be another long one. He lets it go, and it sails down to the 9-yard line where Cast leaps high in the air, snatches the ball, almost falls, stumbles over one tackler's hand, keeps going, reverses his field, and finally, is downed on the Cornell 15.

Again, the stellar secondary has stemmed a dangerous Cornell offense, and the crowd rises with a yell of thankfulness. Dartmouth nets only 1 yard on plays, and then McCullough goes back to his 5 to kick a beautiful, long one that bounds away from Landsburg to the Cornell 35, where he finally gets it, evades two tacklers, and goes up to the 42-yard mark.

Here Buffalino takes it and starts off well, but tackle Winship and right end Kelly come up to bust up the interference and stop him cold.

Still, Cornell is determined to march, and they mix up the play by having [? Shoal ?] bullet a short one to Landsburg right at the line of scrimmage. And he manages to reel off 11 yards before being stopped.

Again, [? Shoal ?] goes back for a pass. He waits patiently, then sends another short one, but it's tipped by Cast so that Snook of Cornell can't catch it.

It's getting late now, and Cornell must work quickly. Again, [? Shoal ?] fades back. It's a fairly long one. And it's good, completed by Snook on the Dartmouth 35 and taken up to the 30-yard line when Wolf sails over to bring him down.

Now they try a running play, but Dartmouth swarms over Landsburg after he's gone only one and a half yards. Now they give Buffalino a chance to toss a pass.

He gets it off way over to the left, and it is incomplete, beyond the receiver. But the referee rules interference on the play, and Cornell takes the ball on the 19-yard line. Murphy receives it on a wide left end sweep, but Cast comes roaring in like a locomotive and stops him for plenty of no gain whatsoever.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

SPEAKER 2: Here are the official Dartmouth football films of an amazing sports events. Did Cornell win on a referee's mistake? The picture tells a dramatic story.

Trailing nothing to 3, and with less than two minutes left to play, Cornell takes to the air. Walt [? Shoal ?] fires to Bill Murphy who lobs it to the Dartmouth 6-yard line.

Earl Blake, the Indian coach, looks plenty worried. One minute will decide victory or defeat. Here's the first down. Mark Landsburg and The Big Red powerhouse drive through the line for 3 yards.

Anxiety is written on the faces of Blake and his Indians. Cornell seems destined to beat the clock and snatch its 19th consecutive victory. Second down.

[? Shoal ?] hurls himself against the Indians' stronghold and Cornell's 2 yards nearer the goal. Hold that line. Hold that line of the Dartmouth [INAUDIBLE]. This is the crisis of a lifetime.

The third down. A yard to go. Another line drive with Landsburg the spearhead of the attack. It's no gain.

Cornell's penalized 5 yards for excessive time out. Referee [INAUDIBLE] out, places the ball on the 6. For Blake, the seconds are dragging like hours, and now, the fourth down. They're going to try a pass.

Shoal running to the right, a ball game hangs in the balance. He leaps and fires to Murphy in the end zone. Ray Hall bats it down. To all appearances, it's Dartmouth's ball and a day saved.

Or is it? Indians Captain Lou Young protests to [? Frizell ?] as the befuddled referee allows another down. Dartmouth just can't believe what's happening. Three seconds left, and here's the fifth down.

[? Shoal's ?] trying the same play. He runs to the right, looking for a pass receiver, finds his man, and this time connects with Murphy for a touchdown. Officially, Cornell wins!

Dartmouth's stunned and dismayed. But 48 hours later, Cornell admits the mistake, and headlines tell the story. First photo finish in football history.

[MUSIC PLAYING]


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