Second to the championship Dartmouth nine a year ago, the Crimson baseball team seems to be the logical choice for titlist of the Eastern Intercollegiate League this season on paper. In contrast with the other circuit nines. Harvard has most of its last year's lettermen back on the roster. Pennsylvania and Cornell will probably continue to be the woak sisters while Princeton and Yale will be seriously hampered by the loss of their best hurlers, Bell and Horton.

Dartmouth will doubtlessly be stubborn in relinquishing its crown, despite the graduation of Ted Bruce, top league pitcher last season. Darkhorse of the Ivy group Is Columbia, erratic last year, but stronger and more well-rounded this season. These two teams will offer the Crimson its stiffest opposition in its bid for the title.

With eight lettermen returning, Coach Fred Mitchel finds only two positions which will be difficult to fill, third base and right field. In practice sessions in the cage, Dick Ulen, two-year Jayvee veteran, seems slated for the hot-corner spot, while Jo-Jo Soltz, due to heavy hitting, is leading the pack for the right field post. Considered a strong contender for third base, Fred Heckel will be lost to the team for eight weeks following a wrist injury in the Yale basketball game.

Top Crimson hitter last season as a Sophomore, Captain Ulysses Lupien will continue his career which may in the end prove him to be one of the greatest Harvard baseball players. Undoubtedly Lupe will be the outstanding League first baseman both at bat and in the field.

Bothered all season a year ago by a trick knee and a spiked heel, Art Johns should show great improvement over his below-par performance at second base last year. Already John's hitting in the cage has jumped, while he is regarded by many sports writers as the best double-play maker in Eastern college baseball. Varsity utility infielder last season and regular Freshman short-stop of the undefeated team two years ago, Dick Grondahl is being groomed to take over the place vacated by the graduation of Captain Tom Bilodeau at short.

Dick Walsh, who pitched Infrequently last year, is the only member of the Mitchell mound stall not returning. Ace Varsity hurler for two successive seasons, Ed Ingalls, will be counted on to carry the major portion of the hurling burden this spring. Slim Curtise, who pitched a surprise 4-1 victory over Dartmouth and played a major role in the late-season Crimson wins, is rated as the number two pitcher. Don Prouty, Tom Healey, Yardling twlrier a year ago, Frank Foley, and Lefty Edinberg, Jayvee pitcher, are others who may see considerable action for the Mitchellmen.

Led by the heavy hitting Bob Gannett, the outfield will probably be composed of Dave Shean in left, the newcomer Soltz in right and Gannett in the center garden. To date Paul Doyle is leading the fight for the Varsity catching berth and has been connecting regularly at the plate. Not out of the running for the back stop post are Chief Boston, Ellie Bacon, and Bob Fulton.