The prospects for Yale's baseball season are brighter this year than they have been in some time. With few exceptions the team is intact which, though defeated in the Harvard series, won the inter-collegiate championship last year. The loss by graduation of Riddell at first base will leave a large gap in the infield, but with the string of substitutes and last year's freshman team to call upon, it seems probable that this position will be filled without a great deal of trouble.

Another position is left vacant by the graduation of Schofield, left fielder. Although the loss of this player will not be felt as much as the loss of Riddell at first base, still it will be difficult to develop as all-round a ball player as this left fielder. In these two positions Yale is weakest. Practically all the rest of the members of the team, that last year won something like 27 of the 33 games played, are in college.

Veteran Personnel of Team.

Captain Blossom at short, Cornish at second, and Reilly at third base will form one of the very best infields on any college team this season. Middlebrook and Pumpelly will again play centre and right field respectively. Two of last year's battery squad are lost by graduation, but a strong staff is left. H. B. Scott, a pitcher and Burdett, a catcher, were members of the class of 1913, so are lost to the team this year. The veteran pitchers are Gile and Brown, both of whom can be counted on to equal the good work done last year. Hunter will catch.

Schedule Shortened.

Profiting by last year's experience, the season in baseball has been considerably shortened. Winter work in the cage has been but recently begun and the southern trip is planned to begin April 8, at least three weeks later than last year. The schedule also has been shortened by seven or eight games.

It is as follows:

Thursday, April 9, Norfolk Baseball Club, at Norfolk; Friday, April 10, Mt. St. Joseph College, at Norfolk; Saturday, April 11, University of Virginia, at Norfolk; Monday, April 13, University of Virginia, at Charlottesville; Tuesday, April 14, Catholic University, at Norfolk; Saturday, April 18, Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia; Wednesday, April '22, Columbia, at New Haven; Saturday, April 25, Brown, at Providence; Wednesday, April 29, Georgetown, at New Haven; Friday, May 1, Trinity, at New Haven; Saturday, May 2, University of Virginia, at New Haven; Wednesday, May 6, Williams, at New Haven; Thursday, May 7, Lafayette, at New Haven; Saturday, May 9, Pennsylvania at New Haven; Wednesday, May 13, Dartmouth, at New Haven; Saturday, May 16, Holy Cross at Worcester; Wednesday, May 20, Brown, at New Haven; Saturday, May 23, Cornell, at Ithaca; Wednesday, May 27, Holy Cross, at New Haven; Saturday, May 30, Princeton, at New Haven; Wednesday, June 3, Amherst, at New Haven; Saturday, June 6, Vermont; Wednesday, June 10, Tufts, at New Haven; Saturday, June 13, Princeton, at Princeton; Tuesday, June 16, Harvard, at New Haven; Wednesday, June 17, Harvard, at Cambridge; Saturday, June 20, Harvard (in case of tie), at New York; Tuesday, June 23, Princeton (in case of tie), at New York.

Princeton Also Fortunate.

Seven members of the 1913 baseball nine are back in college and will be eligible for positions this spring. They are Wall, catcher, Wood and Copeland, pitchers: Captain Rhoads, first base; Gill, second base; Crew and Laird, outfielders. Wood and Copeland were the mainstay of the pitching staff last season, but their work was inconsistent. Of the two, Copeland is more dependable, while Wood is more effective spasmodically. From last year's freshman nine Lamberton, Deyo, and Link are expected to show up well, especially the two first-named. Behind the bat Kelleher of the undefeated 1916 team is expected to be a close second to Wall for the catching position.

Infield Material.

In the infield Captain Rhoads is the only likely candidate for first base. Gill, second base on last spring's varsity, is liable to be shifted to short, leaving R. B. Peacock '16 probable for the keystone position. Law and O'Kane, both of the Freshman infield, will also be strong contenders for second or short. Third base is very likely to be difficult to fill. Shea '16 played an exceedingly good game last spring but his ankle, which was broken in football season, may keep him out of the game.

For the Outfield.

For the outfield Green and Laird, regulars last spring, are only fair, neither being very strong hitters. Hanks, a substitute last season, and Hoyt, Glick, and G. A. Peacock, of the freshman nine should round out into likely material.

Coach Clark will take the candidates in hand sometime before March 1, in the cage. The first games will be played during the Easter trip. The schedule will soon be announced by Manager P. S. Heath.