Crimson Nine Goes South As Season Opener Nears

Harvard's varsity baseball team faces its 100th season this year and its last under Coach Norm Shepard. Almost anything can happen.

Missing from last year's team are first baseman and Captain Joe O'Donnell and pitcher Larry Melfa. Joe Ignacio should have little trouble filling O'Donnell's shoes, but Melfa will be harder to replace. Last year he was the only left handed pitcher on the team and this year Shepard finds himself with no southpaws at all.

The righthanders on the staff, led by junior Ray Peters, should be outstanding. Last year Peters had a 9-3 record with a blazing 1.67 ERA. Peters will find strong backing in Bob Lincoln and Bob Dorwart.

The infield looks fairly well set with Ignacio, Dick Manchester, Jeff Grate and Bill Cobb. Manchester, at second, will provide the team with one of the best gloves in the league even though he lacks power at the plate. Grate, at short-stop, is also a good fielder and has a bat to match. At third, Bill Cobb has a .308 batting average and a strong arm.

Third base is the only unsure position in the infield. Shepard might find it necessary to use Cobb at catching as he did last year, should one of the other catchers prove inadequate.

Jack Turco, Fritz Reed, and Paul Saba are the leading candidates at the moment, but every day it looks more as though Cobb will be returned to his old spot, leaving a wide open battle for third base.

The outfield is practically complete. Pete Karaegeannes returns to his starting position in left field, and Ken Thomas will probably hold down right field. In center is team captain Carter Lord, who led the team last year with a .337 batting average.

So the two big question marks for the varsity baseball team remain: how important will be the lack of a good left hander, and who will fill the catching spot. The answers might be found in Florida, during the Spring trip.