With the return of fair weather and moderately hard ground on Soldiers Field, Coach Mahan once more took his, University baseball candidates into the open for practice yesterday afternoon. Although the nine inning practice game which has been scheduled since last Saturday was not held the men were put through a strenuous bating and fielding drill for the afternoon's work. If the good weather continues it is probable that both the first and second team aspirants will have an opportunity to show their ability in a few, innings of play today.

Practice yesterday started with two changes in the University squad which have been made since the team's last outing. B. H. Rice '25, star second baseman and captain of the second team last year, was placed on Coach Mahan's first list. The promotion came after the two-inning game last Friday when Rice was given a permanent raise from Coach Lake's supervision. The other change was but a temporary shift in which H. L. DeRham '27 was moved up to substitute for A. W. Samborski '25 as first string catcher, Samborski being out of the game for the week with an injured finger.

A new batting cage on the first team field was completed yesterday and will probably be put to its first test tomorrow. The affair consists of two framed alleys approximately 60 feet in length and eight feet wide covered with net on the sides and back. A pitcher's box is such a way that a ball coming from one runway cannot possibly strike the man who is pitching into the other By this device Coach Mahan hopes greatly to facilitate battery practice which has hitherto been carried on solely with the old type of backstop.