"Had Patterson remained in the game Harvard never would have been able to make those great gains through tackle -- and Harvard never would have won . . . Patterson's football record is clean. He never before was chased from a game for roughness. No man that ever played against him justly can accuse him of 'dirty' playing. Patterson always played the game to the fullest limit of his great power. He opened holes when he was called upon to do it, and he held back his enemies when such action was necessary. But he always did it fairly, honorably, and in keeping with the rules of the game. And so Patterson's action, even though it lost the game for W. & J., even though it robbed W. & J. of a wonderful honor, is an excusable action and one which should not reflect upon his football record, which has been as bright and as clean as that of any man who ever played the game."