THE BASEBALL SCHEDULE.

After the recent agitation for the reduction of the number of intercollegiate contests it is interesting to compare the baseball schedule for this spring with last year's list of games. The most noticeable feature is the attempt of the management to detract as little as possible from the "scholarly interests" of the undergraduates. The number of mid-week games in Cambridge during term time has been reduced 25 per cent, because these contests caused absences from lectures. One less trip will be taken, and the total number of games will be three or four less than it was last year. From the schedules of other teams already published, it is apparent that the wishes of the Faculty in regard to the reduction of schedules have been thoroughly complied with in every branch of University athletics.

The season begins about two weeks later this year as there will be no games before the spring recess. In the vacation the team will go farther south than usual to be sure of warm weather for practice, and will play the University of Virginia instead of Annapolis. To make certain that the championship will be definitely decided a third game has again been arranged in case of tie with Princeton.

A comparison of this list of 23 games with the large Yale schedule shows at once the tremendous disadvantage under which the Harvard team must labor this spring. Yale will play 35 games in case of ties and six of these will be against professional teams. The University team is never allowed to compete with any but amateur nines, and thus loses some very valuable experience, for in every game with a team like the New York Nationals a great deal is learned. Princeton usually plays over 30 games and meets several professional teams. It is impossible to estimate the great amount of good derived from actual games as compared with the less interesting and instructive practices, and the University realizes the size of the handicap which confronts Coach Pieper and the members of the team. We trust that they will be in no way dismayed by the prospect, and come through the season with a series of brilliant victories.