Game used football attributed to the 1940 contest between Ivy League foes Dartmouth and Cornell. In what came to be known as the "5th Down Game," Dartmouth's 4th quarter field goal was the only score entering the final minute as Cornell's 18-game winning streak (over the span of three seasons) was in severe jeopardy. Cornell was unable to score from inside the 10 yard line which should have ended the game, but some confusion by the referee allowed an extra play resulting in a touchdown, with the Big Red leaving the field with a 7-3 "win." A review of film after the game revealed the error and, in a show of sportsmanship, Cornell forfeited the contest. Records of the era were not nearly as structured as today, and the question remains as to what would have happened had Cornell not forfeited, as no particular entity had the authority to address the issue and change the result. Ball shows heavy aging with cracking and separation at one of the seams. Written in white is, "For Joe Madden's Gang's Trophy Room, Wm. H "Red" Frisell, "The Fifth Downer", (3+2=4?)." Those are the only markings on the ball, so although it may be possible, we cannot conclusively confirm that it is from the 5th Down Game, though it was clearly used as a souvenir to commemorate the curious occasion. Originates from Joe Madden's Trophy Room Collection, and we have two other balls from that collection in this auction.