CRIMSON NINE SHOWS POWER IN FIRST GAMES

Opening its season with 22 hits blasted off the offerings of two Boston University pitchers, the Harvard nine wielded a mighty bat in two of the three games played on the southern trip to bring home to soldiers Field a batting average of 347.

This is the highest average recorded by a Crimson team at this stage of the season in a number of years. Last spring the Harvard hitsmiths had compiled a .309 average after the southern trip, while two years ago a paltry 250 told the tale of the early effectiveness of the University batters.

Three Games--50 Hits

Each of the three victories in the first four starts was marked by the power with the willow displayed by the team. After the 22 blows lined out in the 21 to 8 triumph over B. U., the Crimson smashed 13 hits against Virginia and 15 against Georgetown. In the lone defeat, administered by the Quantico Marines, "Captain" Kidd, twister for the Devil Dogs, held Harvard to four singles in 11 innings.

John Prior '29, first sacker on the 1928 diamond aggregation; leads the regular players with a mark of 470. This is Prior's first year on the University team. W. W. Lord '28, for two years a mainstay at the bat, trails with 428, while G. E. Donaghy '29, early season leader last year, ranks third, with a figure of .368.

Hardie Drives Out Three Triples

R. C. Sullivan '28 and W. S. Hardie '30, other newcomers to the regular ranks, have had little difficulty so far in fathoming the deliveries of opposing pitchers. Sullivan, now stationed regularly at shortstop, is credited with an average of .357. Hardie, last year's first-string Freshman pitcher who is patrolling left field, has hit only four times in 14 appearances at the plate for a .285 mark, but three of his drives have been for three bases.

Fifty-four hits for 93 bases tells the story of the propensity of the team for long-distance hitting. Eight doubles, six triples, and one home run, registered by Captain H. W. Burns '28 make up the sum of the extra-base hitting.

Burns, who led the base-stealers of college nine's last spring, has pilfered three sacks in the four games played. Five other players have been guilty of one steal apiece.

Only Seven Errors in 162 Chances

Stellar defensive work has bolstered the attack. A team fielding average of .957 ranks high above the .940 which was the team's record at the end of the southern trip last spring. Only seven errors have been committed in 162 chances.

J. N. Barbee '28, one of the leaders of college pitching last season, has already cut two notches on his record of victories. Virginia and Georgetown having fallen before his skill. On the spring trip last year Duplin of Georgetown, then a substitute, came through with a hit in the pinch which lost the game for the Harvard hurler. In the meeting last week Duplin, as regular left fielder, contributed three of his team's 12 hits.

F. B. Cutts '28, credited with a triumph over B. U. on opening day, is the only other pitcher who has registered a win. Howard Whitmore '29 was charged with the loss of the game to the Marines. Whitmore hurled the tenth and eleventh frames after Cutts had held the service team to two safe blows in nine innings. The winning run was scored without a hit being made. LEADING THE VAN   HIGHEST AVERAGE Prior  .470   MOST RUNS Donaghy  7   MOST HITS Prior  8   MOST DOUBLES Donaghy  2 Chase  2   MOST TRIPLES Hardie  3   MOST HOME RUNS Burns  1   MOST STOLEN BASES Burns  3

CRIMSON RATTING AGGREGATE AVERAGES .347 Player  a.b.  r.  h.  2b.  3b.  h.r.  s.b.  s.h.  Ave.  p.o.  a.  e.  Ave. Durkee  3  0  2  1  0  0  0  1  .666  0  0  0  .000 Barbee  9  2  5  0  0  0  1  0  .555  2  4  1  .857 Prior  11  6  8  0  1  0  1  1  .470  34  2  1  .973 Lord  14  0  6  1  0  0  0  0  .428  23  4  1  .964 Donaghy  19  7  7  2  0  0  0  0  .368  8  7  0  1.000 Sullivan  14  4  5  0  0  0  0  0  .357  5  3  0  1.000 Burns  18  6  6  0  2  1  3  1  .333  11  1  0  1.000 Cutts  6  1  2  1  0  0  0  0  .333  6  1  0  1.000 Whithey  3  0  1  0  0  0  0  1  .333  3  0  1  .750 Chase  16  4  5  2  0  0  1  0  .312  8  9  0  1.000 Hartile  14  3  4  0  3  0  1  0  .285  7  0  0  1.000 Jones  18  2  3  1  0  0  1  2  .166  5  2  1  .875 Donaldson  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  5  0  0  1.000 Nugent  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  1  0  1.000 Whitmore  2  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  1  0  1.000 Ketchnm  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  3  2  .600   --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  -- Totals  156  41  54  8  6  1  8  6  .347  112  42  7  .975

CRIMSON RATTING AGGREGATE AVERAGES .347 Player  a.b.  r.  h.  2b.  3b.  h.r.  s.b.  s.h.  Ave.  p.o.  a.  e.  Ave. Durkee  3  0  2  1  0  0  0  1  .666  0  0  0  .000 Barbee  9  2  5  0  0  0  1  0  .555  2  4  1  .857 Prior  11  6  8  0  1  0  1  1  .470  34  2  1  .973 Lord  14  0  6  1  0  0  0  0  .428  23  4  1  .964 Donaghy  19  7  7  2  0  0  0  0  .368  8  7  0  1.000 Sullivan  14  4  5  0  0  0  0  0  .357  5  3  0  1.000 Burns  18  6  6  0  2  1  3  1  .333  11  1  0  1.000 Cutts  6  1  2  1  0  0  0  0  .333  6  1  0  1.000 Whithey  3  0  1  0  0  0  0  1  .333  3  0  1  .750 Chase  16  4  5  2  0  0  1  0  .312  8  9  0  1.000 Hartile  14  3  4  0  3  0  1  0  .285  7  0  0  1.000 Jones  18  2  3  1  0  0  1  2  .166  5  2  1  .875 Donaldson  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  5  0  0  1.000 Nugent  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  1  0  1.000 Whitmore  2  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  1  0  1.000 Ketchnm  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  .000  0  3  2  .600   --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  -- Totals  156  41  54  8  6  1  8  6  .347  112  42  7  .975