To those who read this page so faithfully each day, the sudden change in weather can mean only one thing--the winter athletic season, with its nine sports, is almost here. And so, appropriately, the following is some early season commentary, in very brief form, on the potential of two of the Crimson's major winter teams.

In the Icehouse

The varsity hockey team, which started its season officially at Watson Rink this afternoon in practice, has perhaps the brightest outlook of all the major teams except for squash. The sextet won its third consecutive Ivy League championship hands down last year and should be able to at least equal that feat again this year. Most of the 1956 forward lines are returning this season, along with several members of an outstanding freshman team. And for the second straight year its captain, James Bailey, is the goalie. The hockey team is definitely the outfit to watch this year.

The team was scheduled to open with an exhibition match (for one period) against the U.S. Amateur Team on Saturday but that game has been cancelled and Northeastern will replace the varsity. B.C. and B.U. will share the other periods. So the varsity will open officially at Providence College on December 6.

In the Blockhouse

Prospects for the basketball squad indicate that the quintet will at least improve its low standing from last year and may finish near the first division of the Ivy League, perhaps in fourth or fifth place. The trouble is that almost every single outstanding player of the seven other teams will be back this season to plague the Crimson.

These include: Johnny Lee of Yale, who won the Ivy scoring championship with 337 points in 1956; Chet Forte of Columbia, who won the same title in '55; Brown's Joe Tebo; Dartmouth's Ron Judson; and Don Davidson of Princeton. Princeton and Yale appear to be the strong clubs this year.

The other seven winter sports, including freshman teams, will be treated in a similar fashion during the next two weeks.