TO BEGIN BASEBALL CAMPAIGN MONDAY

The preparation for the 1924 baseball campaign will begin in earnest next Monday afternoon with a meeting for all candidates at the Locker Building, according to an announcement made last night by Manager Pantaleoni. Daily workouts for infield and outfield candidates will begin on that date, and the batterymen, whose duties have not yet been arduous, will begin a period of more strenuous work.

Coach Mitchell is noncommital on the results of his seven weeks' guardianship of the battery candidates, saying rightly enough that the drill has been of such an elementary nature that it is in no way conclusive. Meanwhile the daily press continues to blossom forth intermittently with laments on the weakness of the Crimson mound staff.

Irate Alumnus Sends Letter

In this connection an irate alumnus who has cloaked his identity by calling himself "A Follower of Harvard Athletics for Twenty Years" has made various particularly apt comments in a letter to the CRIMSON.

"Where do they get that idea," he writes. "They are relying on reputations, past performances, and percentages. I wish you would call the attention of your readers to the fact--for it is a fact--that where Fred Mitchell is a coach, percentages are a mightly poor guide. He doesn't need ready-made stars to develop a pitching staff.

Refers to 1916 Season

"Look at the 1916 season, when Mitchell held the reins of Harvard baseball. That was the year we beat the World's Champion Boston Red Sox team at Fenway Park 1 to 0 with Eddie Mahan pitching. When the Yale series rolled around Mahan was out of the lineup and these same Boston papers that say 'hopeless!' now said 'hopeless!' then. Mitchell won the New Haven game with Whitney, his second-choice pitcher, in the box. Then, before the Harvard Class Day crowd, he sent to the mound a lad named Harrison, a substitute Freshman infielder who had never even played in a Varsity game. Mitchell had been quietly drilling him all season and that day he pitched like a veteran, trimming Yale 4 to 1.

"That's the sort of a coach the papers seem to think can't develop a pitching staff this year. Let them worry all they like--I am willing to entrust our chances to the pitchers Fred Mitchell will develop."

Many Prospective Pitchers

The man from whom the anonymous Harvard well-wisher confidently expects a first-class pitching staff to be developed include several good prospects. K. N. Hill '24 and Grosvenor Bemis '24, "H" men, have been unable to report regularly yet, but their proven ability makes them outstanding candidates. Philip Spalding '25 has made a vast improvement over his last year's form. R. F. Cordingley '25 was also showing up to very good advantage until he broke his wrist recently. His physician expects him to be in shape to play before May 1, and does not anticipate any permanent result from his injury.

D. G. Casto '26, F. S. Moseley '26, R. W. Puffer '26, and D. E. Lewis '26 are four likely Sophomores. The latter, a made-over first baseman, is a left-hander who will bear watching. R. G. Norris '24, Owen's understudy at first base last year, is also working with the moundsmen, but he will probably go out for his regular position when the infield practice begins