Shepard Readies Strong Baseball Squad

A former Cincinnati Reds scout has watched therapist baseball team practice on the grass less diamond that is Briggs Cage this past month. The former scout is now a college baseball coach and after a few indoor sessions Norman W. Shepard is impressed with the strength of his first Crimson team.

With only five lettermen lost from last year, Shepard will have an experienced squad to face the imposing 25 game schedule. The first four games will be played next week, on the annual spring vacation trip south, with the initial contest Monday against a powerful Quantico Marine Base team.

Confident that the team will improve last year's 7-15 record, Shepard looks for an overall improvement in team play, with more consistent hitting and pitching. "I will move men around regardless of position to bolster the scoring punch. I already have a tentative starting lineup. With a team batting average like that year's 201 you can never hope to win," he added.

In the all-important pitching department, he has his two top men back from last year right handers Andy Ward and Ken Russano Number one man Ward depends on a blazing fast ball with a sharp breaking curve, and last year posted a 3.11 earned run average. Rosano, a control pitcher, allowed 3.73 earned runs per game.

Dom Repetto and Joe Bernstein, the one-two men from last year's freshman team, have both shown a good fast ball. The fifth pitcher on whom Shepard has definitely decided is Bob Kessler, a deceptive lefthander who last year held Columbia hitless for eight and two-thirds innings.

Captain George MacDonal will start at catcher, backed up capably by "Bing" Crosby and Phil Haughey. MacDonald hit a solid .283 clip to rank second on last year's team.

Shepard plans to use sophomore John Simourian, a smooth fielding, hard hitting lefthander, at first base. Two versatile lettermen Ned Felton and Bill Chauncey, can play either at first or in the outfield.

Bob Hastings, another sophomore, also has edged out two lettermen, to gain the second base spot. Dick Hoffman, normally an outfielder, can fill in at second if needed.

Shepard has replaced Jim Rahal at third base Don Butter, last year's leading bitter with .307, in an effort to add power to the lineup. Butters was the tam's most valuable player and the R.B.I. leader last year.

Shortstop is still a question mark. Harold "Bones" MacKinnney, last year's regular, is a good-field-no-hit player. Shepard's problem may be solved if Bill Cleary can regain his baseball from after the strenous hockey campaign. Cleary, a versatile outfielder last season, won the Wendell Bat, a trophy awarded for reaching base the most times.

The outfield will be composed mostly of surplus infielders. Hoffman will start at left, and Felton, a 500 hitter as a utility man last year, will play right. Dick Fisher, the third sophomore in the tentative starting lineup, will patrol center field.