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BASEBALL WORK COMMENCES

Battery Candidates Report in Cage at 2.--Prospects for Season Uncertain.

Organized work for the University and Freshman baseball squads will begin with battery practice in the Cage this afternoon at 2. Inexperienced candidates for the other positions on the two teams will be called out on February 14, and men who played last year on the University squad or on the first Freshman squad will report on February 28.

For the first two weeks the practice will be under direction of Captain Lanigan and Coach Pieper. Arrangements are being made to have a coach for the battery men who will fill the position held last year by Matthewson. Until this coach is secured the work will be elementary, and will be planned to condition the candidates. The Freshman coach has not yet been appointed.

Mr. Garcelon, who has been appointed advisory coach, will have particular charge of the physical condition of the team throughout the season. The lack of a trainer last year is thought to have been partly responsible for the slump toward the end of the season.

Prospects for the Season.

Not since 1906 has there been such a scarcity of veteran material at the opening of the season. Captain Lanigan at third base, S. T. Hicks '10, pitcher, J. A. MacLaughlin '11 at second base, R. H. Aronson '10 in right field, and R. Haydock '10, substitute outfielder, are the only "H" men left from last year. The outcome of the season thus depends very largely on last year's substitutes and recruits from the 1912 team.

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Hicks and R. G. McKay '11 are depended on for the bulk of the pitching. If McKay is in good shape these two will be enough to go through the season. S. C. Boyer '10 and H. E. Ohler '11, from last year's second team, and R. C. Babson and F. C. Ernst from the 1912 team are the only other men now in sight. For catcher, Brown, J. Sweetser and Jordan have had experience on the first squad, and the 1912 pair, Howe and Reeves, may develop well.

First base will probably be filled by moving MacLaughlin from second. In case the change does not work well, C. Hann '11 or J. P. Kennedy '12 may fit in. At second base or shortstop Potter of the 1912 team is a likely candidate. Haydock and O'Connell, substitutes last year, are additional candidates for second base, and Marshall, Foster and Desha for shortstop. Lanigan is the regular man for third base, and Desha will probably be the substitute if he does not win one of the other places in the infield.

Two new men must be developed for the outfield to fill the places left by the graduation of Dana and Harvey. Aronson will undoubtedly have one of the places, probably right field as for the last two years. The other candidates for these places are Blackall, Conant, Ferguson, Kelly, Minot, Rogers, and L. D. Smith. The selection will be based very largely on hitting ability since all are good fielders. None of these men were on the University squad last year, but all have had experience on class teams.

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