Fifty-three candidates for the Freshman baseball team reported at the first meeting of the season yesterday in the Dillon Field House. Only aspirants for the pitching and catching positions, however, remained for the short practice held immediately afterwards in the New Cage. Infielders and outfielders will work out for the first time on Thursday.

While pre-season prognostications are of little value at this early date, the unusually large number of star preparatory-school catchers reporting indicates, that the team will be unusually strong in that department. The dearth of pitchers with impressive records, on the other hand, is a source of worry to the coaches.

Among the men trying out for the backstop position are: Frank Crane '34, star center on the Freshman football team, who caught last year for Andover; J. M. Lockwood '34, captain of the Freshman football team, who headed the Gunnery School baseball team last year; J. W. Paul '34, star Groton backstop; and John Swarts '34, who played catcher two years for Milton Academy. A. S. Murphy '34, former Boston Latin School hurler, and J. V. Strong '34 of Rutgers Prep School are the only pitchers with outstanding records.

Other promising candidates include: Benjamin Beale '34, who played third base three years on the Milton Academy team and starred on the Freshman football and hockey teams; B. C. Elkins '34, captain and shortstop of the St. Marks team: J. T. Summers '34 of Noble and Greenough, who also plays football and hockey; John Ware '34, who captained the Milton team in 1930; Nathaniel Ware '34, who played shortstop at Noble and Greenough; Edward Laughlin '34, captain of Williston Academy last season; E. P. Morse '34, first baseman for Proctor Academy; and L. C. Jackson '34, of Houston, Texas.