Pitching Poses Problem to McInnis, But Hitting, Fielding Balance Nine

"If ya wanna tell about a club," the old vet said, "ya gotta look at 'em down the middle."

And when you look at the current issue of the McInnis machine that way, you get a pretty good idea of the whole setup. Charlie Walsh has inherited Cliff Crosby's mask and looks very strong. Walsh has a great throwing arm and handles the pitchers well; this is an especially important requirement this year. McInnis counts him as one of his top hitters, a line drive specialist who has developed a lot since he first trotted onto the diamond last spring.

Moving out from the plate, we reach the mound, a real trouble spot for Stuffy this year. With his two top men--Barry Turner and Ira Godin--gone, the wily mentor really had to start from the beginning. There are seven possible pitchers on the roster today, but that number will be pared down shortly.

The top man on this staff is probably Jack Donelan, a junior and former Yardling hurler, who wasn't out for baseball last year. Donelan control is improving. He was effective against Navy until lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.

Bob Ward and Spider Webb are in the two and three spots, and both need the confidence that comes with a couple of complete games behind them. Ward performed well for the Yardling nine last year, but his control still needs work. Southpaw Webb, on the other hand, is a control pitcher with a lot of trick stuff. He saw some service in relief roles before Crosby was discovered last year, and he may well continue in that pot for this season.

Twin Killing

Two veterans form the second base combination, and the should prove a thoroughly capable defensive bulwark. Captain John White was nimble, if not thoroughly reliable, at short last year, and he appears to have settled down in the field. He is, of course, a definite asset at bat.

Tom Cavanaugh currently leads sophomore John Canepa for the right to play alongside White at second, and is one of the two men on the squad with two years of active service behind him. Cavanaugh's greatest problem has been his hitting, but in turning in two for four against Navy, he may have found his batting eye.

Ed Foynes, in center, is the other two-year man and is well remembered by local sporting enthusiasts for his pinch hit single which won the Yale game two years ago. Foynes is not only strong in the field, but he will probably lead the team at bat.

So far, the picture is pretty clear. If the pitching holds out, the team will be good, possibly the best in a number of years.

Rounding It Out

Two of the other four positions are still being hotly contested--right field and third base. Bob Smith, who is currently patrolling the right pasture, is more of a punch hitter than his rival, Ralph Robinson, but still lacks polish. In the fight for third base, Kevin Reilly is leading Hank Young and, after a fine performance against the Middies, he seems fairly well entrenched.

Bennie Akillian rounds out the outfield. He has proven himself fast, strong at bat, and one of the cleverest base runners on the team.

The one remaining position is first base. This spot was left vacant by the graduation of Captain John Caulfield and is currently held down by Russ Johnson, a former outfielder. First base is, of course, a position especially close to Coach McInnis, and he is watching Johnson's development very carefully, hoping that he comes along as the season progresses.

Who Can Say?

Just what the fate of this squad will be is hard to tell at this juncture. The league figures to be very tough this year with some of the top hurlers of last season still in action. Men like Ray Chirugi at Princeton, Kermit Tracy at Columbia, and Jack Little at Yale were good last year and should be even better now.

But the conference is a strange one. With a nine game league schedule and no provisions made for rained-out games, anything can happen. Coach Stuffy McInnis thinks the Red Sox will win.