The Harvard baseball team went 22-7 last season and nobody seemed to notice. In fact, if they chiseled Coach Loyal Park's face out of Mt. Rushmore people would probably think it was Teddy Roosevelt without his wire-rims.

Nevertheless, it's at long last almost sort of baseball season, and if the sound of gurgling sewers and the aromatic smell of Harvard Yard doesn't tell you that, then brother, validate your visa cause you're in the wrong country.

Though it's the time every year when the leaves turn and Yankee-haters awake from hibernation, this time it is THE season for Harvard baseball. It's a team that graduated one letterman and lost two others to pro baseball from last year's turn-around extravaganza that was engineered primarily by freshmen. Mostly though, it's a squad that seems primed to finally regain control of Eastern collegiate baseball, which the Crimson enjoyed in the early '70s.

Last year the Crimson nine finished second in the Greater Boston League and fourth in the Eastern League, but because of some fancy footwork by the ECAC, Harvard was not selected for post-season play.

But Park has patched up some of his sore spots of a spring past, and thanks to extra playing time in Briggs Cage these past two months (the track team has vacated the dust bowl to run on the erasers at the new facility), there's no telling how close to the College World Series in Omaha in June that this year's edition will come.

"Before all the players on last year's team have graduated, it will undeniably be the best team I've ever had here," said Park yesterday. And that's saying a lot, coming from a guy who's already taken four Harvard baseball teams to Omaha in June.

Last year's freshman infield now has a year under its belt and should function even more smoothly as sophomores. Big Mark Bingham hit a solid .383 with 22 rbis while making but one error at first base last year. Rick Pearce (.253 last year) anchors the other side of the diamond, wielding a glove around third base as well as anyone in these parts. Burke St. John hit .323 and was second on the squad in rbis a year ago, and if his fielding improves he could have few peers at shortstop.

And then there's second base, which is handled by a certain Mr. Mike Stenhouse. Sten hit .475 and knocked in 40 runs last year as a freshman. Both are Harvard records, but believe it or not, underscore the fact that the sophomore from Cranston, R.I. is unconquerable by anything short of frontal lobotomy once he stands in at the plate. Another couple of seasons like the one past for the big guy and he can forget about graduate school.

Captain Paul Halas, letterman Dave Knoll and newcomer Joel Mazur will handle backup infield duties, though Halas (.317 last year) will probably spend most of his season starting in left field.

And speaking of the outfield, the loss of Dave Singleton, who played a gifted center field last season, to IBM or minor league baseball will not weaken the strong nucleus of returnees. Either converted pitcher Peter Bannish or junior Jim Peccerillo, back from a year off, should be Singleton's equal offensively and more than competent defensively.

With Halas in left, right field looks like a three-way dogfight between the same combatants as last year--strong-hitter Charlie Santos-Buch (.313), lefty Billy Blood (.269) and some kinda fleet-footed Bobby Jenkins (.320). Football retread Brian Buckley could bag his designated hitter chores to do some outfielding, too.

Catching was Park's big question mark last spring, and if senior Steve Joyce (.200) can't produce, he'll have two freshmen pushing him for the job. Joe Wark, of the bazooka arm, and Chuck Marshall will both be watched eagerly in Florida next week. "Both are good athletes, and I think Marshall can do some hitting for us," Park said.

While Jamie Werly has gone on to seek his fortune with the Yankees' farm system, Park has secured the one lefty pitcher he desperately needed last season to help out Paul McOsker (4-1, 2.49 ERA). He's got two more portsiders this year, senior Billy Bradshaw, whose persistence has finally been rewarded with this season's promotion to the varsity, and fireballing freshman Jim Keyte, who may be a brown-haired McOsker.

As far as righties go, they're all back except for Werly, and all good. Senior Steve Baloff (2-1, 2.39) and displaced quarterback Larry Brown (4-0, 2.40) have been the best of the lot, but don't dare take Ron Stewart (6-3, 3.26), Timmy Clifford (4-0, 1.77), or reliever Rob Alevisos (0-1, 2.25) lightly, because the hitters won't.

Starting Friday, when Baloff will toss against the Montreal Expos' farm all-stars, the batsmen will duel with minor league talent from the Twins, Red Sox, Astros and Rangers, as well as college teams, during their stay in Sanford, Florida.

Park plans to shift around lineups, work with different batteries, and get some good competition from the pro clubs during the team's stay in Sanford. Though Harvard may not bring back the kind of record it used to compile against rinky-dink junior colleges down south, Park is optimistic. "We're down here to learn," he said, "and the pro clubs will help us prepare for anything those Eastern League clubs might throw against us."

So most likely it will be a learning experience in Florida for the Crimson, but once up north (the opener is April 5 at UMass) it should be one for all of Harvard's baseball opponents this season. Maybe then people will start watching, because from what I hear there's no room on Mt. Rushmore.