Costly Crimson Outfielders Encounter H.C. Tomorrow

The Harvard baseball team will be enjoying that nice, warm feeling you get from having friends when it plays Holy cross in Worcester tomorrow.

Throughout most of the season, the Crimson got little attention from Boston newspapers. But after Wednesday's 14-2 pasting of Northeastern, one sportswriter estimated (in large type) that outfielders John Dockery, George Neville, and Dan Hootstein were worth about $100,000 in bonuses to a major league team.

The three handled Steve Grolnic, the Huskies' folk hero, rather roughly, helping to knock him out after the first two innings. Neville's bases-loaded triple did the most damage.

By the game's end, Dockery, Hootstein and Neville each bad three hits, driving in a grand total of nine of Harvard's 14, runs. Dockery and Hootstein each slammed home runs for good measure.

Dazzled, the same writer labelled the Crimson outfield "the dynamite trio." With predictable local pride, he noted that Neville was from Winchester and Hootstein was from Brookline, But when also credited Brookline with producing Dockery, pride became prejudice. The Crimson captain is actually from Brooklyn, a pretty proud place itself.

When Bob Lincoln goes against Holy Cross in tomorrow's game, he'll be able to usa a little leftover dynamite. The Crusaders consistently produce good baseball teams, and this year's squad has an outside chance to make the NCAA tournament, to be held in Fenway Park, Holy Cross lost to Northeastern by a single run earlier in the season.

Of peripheral interest is Neville's chance to win the Greater Boston League batting title. Neville hit an even .500 in GBL play, but he has only 22 at-bats and may not qualify for the championship. Hootstein, however, compiled a .481 average and has enough appearances to qualify even if Neville does not. Of course, league play isn't over for the other teams. Northeastern still has to go through the formality of beating M.I.T. on Saturday to take the team title.