Prospects of the Yale Nine.

Captain Stagg has twenty-three men in training for the University nine, six of whom were members of the '87 championship nine, and those who were substituted last year. The old men are Dann, Stagg, Spencer, McConkey, Noyes and Hunt, and McClintock, '90, Hayworth, '88, and Osborne, '88, S. Heyworth has pitched three years for his class team and played in the field in several 'Varsity games last year. He is a careful fielder and a hard but not very sure hitter. Osborne played behind the bat on his class nine and is probably the only man in college who can hold Dann's switt pitching. His strongest point, however, is at first base, which he is able to cover easily. He has played more or less in the field, but is not a very sure man outside of the diamond. McClintock, '90, played right field in two of the championship games last year, when both Kellogg and Brigham were away. He covers his ground well, but is not very quick in fielding the ball. His batting is not above the average.

The new men who are training are: Phelps, P. G.; Walker, '88; Calhoun, '89; Lindsey, '89; Francke. '89; Day, '89; S.; Wilson, '89 S.; McBride, '90; Dalzell, '91; Dickermann, '91; McClintock, '91; Poole, '91, and Root, '91. The majority of these are good all-round players, and have no remarkable ability in any direction. Walker has played on his class team for three years and is a hard player but he has not developed university abilities. Francke was a member of '89's team which is famous for having lost the "fence game" and played right field. He is not a very sure man in the field and is week at the bat. These are, however, faults which constant practice will remedy. Lindsey, '89, is an entirely new man, having done no athletic work at all since entering college. He played first base on his school team in Troy, New York, and was considered a good man. He is tall and limber and has long arms, three valuable requisites for a baseman, but is slow and will have to improve in this particular in order to make a successful player. Calhoun, '90, occupied the position of short-stop on the freshman nine last year and played it well. He is light and quick and a fair batter but not likely to take "Puss" Noyes place on the 'Varsity nine. Day, '89 S., is one of the best players in college. He caught for the freshmen last year and played first some. He is a heavy man, has a sure eye and is a good thrower and hard hitter. He will undoubtedly be change catcher this year. Wilson, '89 S., played on his class nine last fall, he and Day being the battery. He is pretty light for a pitcher, but he has a good head and sharp curves. McClintock, '91, played in several scrub games last fall and also when Yale defeated the New York giants. He is an all-round player and will make the University nine before he graduates if not this year.

Pool, Root and Dickerman played more or less last fall in practise games. Dickerman is a fair fielder, but is not at home in any other place, while Poole and Root can fill any one of the positions outside the battery equally well. A great deal has been said about Dalzell, '91, and he has been cracked up as a wonderful pitcher. Yale's laurels would not, however, be very safe in his hands. He is a fair pitcher, but not at all the phenomenal player he has been described. It is possible that he and Day will constitute a change battery for practice games, but he has much to learn before he will be able to equal the reliable Stagg. Phelps, P. G., has played more or less during the course, but never on the University nine. He is a very good fielder, a fast and skill-full runner and a good batsman. He played third base on last year's "Yale Reserves."

Of the old men nothing new need be said. Stagg and Dann are without doubt the best college battery in the country. The Princeton trainer when seen at the foot-ball game and asked about base-ball prospects, replied: "We have a cage now and will put out as good a nine as possible, but we will never be able to best Yale as long as Stagg and Dann are in college." Harvard's principal anxiety seems to be that she hasn't a pitcher to equal Stagg. Spencer at first and McConkey at second base gained a reputation for their excellent work last year. Noyes has played on the University nine for two years and understands his position well; and Hunt will take care of centre field, which he covered so skillfully last year.

There are quite a number of good players in college who are not practicing yet. Among these may be mentioned "Billy" Bull, full-back on the eleven last fall, who is as skillful a fielder as kicker. He played left field on his freshman team, and was one of the few good men on the '89 nine; McMillan, '89; Daval, Greer and G. Mason, '88, S., have all had more or less experience in college games and are fair players.

Captain Stagg has arranged a schedule of hours for his men and every one has to work regularly every day. They practice batting and throwing in the cage and do systematic work in the gymnasium. The gymnasium work consists principally of Indian club swinging and chest weights. The men also run a few miles every day. Three pitchers and three catchers are training, and from these it is hoped that a good change battery can be developed. The nine are arranging for an eastern trip. They will leave New Haven Thursday afternoon, March 29, and go direct to Philadelphia, where they will play with the University of Pennsylvania on Friday and the Athletics on Saturday. No further dates have been settled, but during the following week two games will be played with the New Yorks and one or more games with the Brooklyns, Newarks or Jersey Citys. The intercollegiate convention met in New York last week, but no schedule of games was arranged. Dartmouth has applied for admission to the triangular league, but no action has yet been taken on the application.- New Haven Union.