1906-07 ATHLETIC PROSPECTS

Following is the outlook for the University baseball, football, and track teams, and the University crew for next year, based on the showing of the past season:

The Baseball Team.

Next year the University baseball team will open its season with the brightest prospects of any Harvard nine in some years. But two of the regular players will be ineligible, and both these positions should be filled with little difficulty from the available material. This is especially fortunate, as the new one year residence rule will declar all men entering the University for the first time next autumn.

B. K. Stephenson '06, captain and first baseman, will be lost by graduation, but there are good candidates for the position. F. H. Burr '09, who played at first base in many of the early games, although somewhat slow, is a steady fielder and with more experience should develop into a reliable batter. G. F. Waters '08, who played first base on the University second nine this year, is also a promising candidate.

A. L. Castle '06, pitcher, will be ineligible next year on account of the new rule excluding all graduate students from University athletic teams. His position will undoubtedly be the hardest to fill; G. F. Greene '07 has been regular substitute this year, and is now the most promising candidate for the position. He has good curves, but fields his position poorly and is a weak batter. Among the other candidates for pitcher are: C. E. Lincoln '08, D. O. Slater '08, N. K. Hartford '09, and S. D. Bush '09. D. C. Brennan '07 should also be a good man.

With these two exceptions every member of the University team will be eligible to play next year. E. P. Currier '09, catcher, is a conscientious worker, a fast and reliable man. H. McCall '09 and J. W. Simons '09, second baseman and shortstop, have proved to be good men, and C. R. Leonard '08 will be back for third base. All of this year's outfield, which is as a whole fast and sure will be eligible next year. W. D. Dexter '07 is a fast fielder and good batter. C. W. Harvey '09 and J. D. Pounds '08 are both reliable men.

Should any of these men be unable to play next year there are many men of some experience, who should make satisfactory substitutes, including most of the players on this year's University second and Freshman nines. With practically the same team, and so large a number of substitutes, the University team should be able to develop early, with every chance of a successful season.

The Football Team.

Losses caused by graduation and the new eligibility rules will seriously interfere with the development of next year's football team. Not only will several of the strongest players who were counted on to start the season, be ineligible, but no help can be had from the incoming Freshman class.

The line will suffer the most, the three centre positions being the only ones satisfactorily provided for. The effect which the new playing rules will have upon the kind of players needed can only be learned by an actual scrimmage, the spring practice giving no cue to the real differences in the game. Although it is true that speed and agility will be essential, nevertheless weight, especially in the line cannot be sacrificed to those ends. It is probable that weight will be even more necessary than under the old rules, since the rush line defense has been weakened and the line will be forced to rely more on its own efforts.

Only half of the men who played in the Yale and Pennsylvania games last fall will be available next season, and the problem of finding tackles and ends will be even more difficult of solution than last year. When the candidates are called back on September 13 for early practice, these positions will be filled by men whose ability is unknown. J. F. Macdonald '08 is the most experienced end, but his work last fall was far from giving complete satisfaction. J. S. O'Brien '09 began the season as a promising end, but his playing fell off rapidly in quality, and after the West Point game he ceased to be considered as a promising candidate. He has, however, the requisite speed and weight. G. G. Ball '08 is light and was kept out of the game by a bad shoulder most of last season. J. W. Wendell '08 will probably be shifted to end, and should make good there. V. P. Kennard '09 of this year's Freshman team may also be used at end.

There is an equal dearth of good tackles. H. Inches '08, who played on the second team last fall, is awkward, but improved in spring practice, and should have a good chance at tackle or fullback. C. G. Osborne '07, who was away from College last year on account of illness, has the build for a good tackle, and H. M. Gilmore '08, who played on the second team last year, has the necessary weight and strength. C. C. Pell '08, H. Sibley '07, H. C. Blanchard '09, and W. R. Severance '09 are other tackle possibilities. K. F. Brill '08 will not play, but if B. H. Squires '06 decides to return and proves to be eligible, he would of course be sure of right tackle.

H. E. Kersburg '07, F. H. Burr '09 and W. Peirce '07 are most prominent among the guards. Kersburg is very reliable and Burr is valuable for his splendid punting, but Peirce never seems able to do his best in a game, and although strong and heavy, is too slow. F. Forchheimer '09 played guard on the Freshman team and may be used on the University team, as it will very likely be necessary to shift one of the guards to tackle.

At centre B. Parker '08 is the most likely man, but H. B. Barney '08 has improved rapidly and is the better passer. S. Fraser '07 is light but good. Other centres are J. Cunniff '07, D. Plumb '08, who is heavy but inexperienced, M. Dore '09, and C. J. Nourse '09.

Behind the line there is more promising material. Captain Foster is the most reliable half-back, both in running with the ball and catching punts. C. E. Lincoln '08 was hurt last fall and was too light. He has thickened up considerably and must be reckoned within the coming season. P. C. Lockwood '07 was used as fullback only in an emergency. He is fast, however, and may be developed into a halfback, J. W. Wendell '08 will be available for halfback if he fails to give satisfaction at end. For fullback C. Appollonio '08, who was ineligible last year, has promising form. D. B. Somes '08 played in some of the minor games last fall, but is too slow for the position. D. P. Starr '08 and M. L. Newhall '08 are two very good quarterbacks and the choice between them is doubtful. Starr has the advantage in weight, experience, and ability to drive the team, but Newhall is much surer in the backfield and is a good dodger. N. L. Hall '07, who proved too light for end was tried near the end of last season at quarterback and showed aptness for the position. He is a fair punter and drop-kicker. J. Kerans '07 who played in 1904, but was ineligible last year and J. W. Simons '09 are other possible quarterbacks.

There are several men who should make good, but whose positions are doubtful. J. B. O'Hare '08 and B. T. Stephenson '08 have the weight for fullback or line positions. H. S. Blair '08 may be tried at halfback or end. E. L. Burnham '07 had little experience until last year, but is heavy and active. W. M. Bird '08, H. K. Craft '07, and J. D. Pounds '08 are others who may prove useful in some position.

Among the most serious losses are W. Z. Carr '06, R. F. Guild '06, W. T. Harrison '05, R. J. Leonard '06, D. McFadon '06, J. M. Montgomery '06, F. H. Nesmith '06, J. D. Nichols '06, A. J. D. Paul '06, W. M. Shohl '06, H. R. Shurtleff '06, H. H. Whitman '06, F. H. White '06, C. A. Fultz '06, L. F. Spear '07, K. F. Brill '08, D. J. Hurley 1M., C. M. Cavenee 2L., L. H. Leary 2L., H. R. Snyder 1L., W. A. Broun 1L., D. W. Knowlton 1L., R. A. Quigley 2M.

The Track Team.

The outlook for a good track team next year is very promising, as a large number of men who won points this year against Yale or in the intercollegiate meet, will be available. Of the 24 men who won points this year the following will return: Captain W. Minot '07, L. P. Dodge '08, P. C. Lockwood '07, B. L. Young, Jr., '07, A. S. Cobb '07, M. H. Stone '07, M. S. Crosby '08, J. F. Doyle '07, W. M. Rand '09, O. F. Rogers, Jr., '08, C. Brinsmade '07, W. A. Hanley '07, B. T. Stephenson '08, A. G. Grant '07, and G. E. Roosevelt '09. It is not yet definitely known whether Cobb, Stone, Grant and Brinsmade will be able to compete.

The loss of E. J. Dives '06 will be most keenly felt. Other point-winners who will not return or will be ineligible are F. J. W. Ford, Jr., 3L., H. M. Turner '06, R. H. Oveson 1L., H. E. Kersburg '06, and P. M. Clark 2L.

The greatest need for new men will be felt in the hammer-throw and in the broad jump. In the latter event O. F. Rogers '08, who won second place in the low hurdles against Yale, has shown good form since the meet, and should develop with practice. H. M. Gilmore, '08 and W. Peirce '07 seem the strongest available men in the hammer throw, although neither has had experience. The other field events are fairly well provided for, as A. G. Grant '07, in the pole-vault, B. T. Stephenson '08 and W. A. Hanley '07 in the shot put, and G. E. Roosevelt '09 in the high jump, have all won points this year and can be counted on for next spring.

The main strength of the team will probably lie, as this year, in the track events. L. P. Dodge '08, and P. C. Lockwood '07, in the 220 and 100-yard dashes, will form a strong nucleus for a sprinting squad. Although these are the only men who have won points in the sprints, other fast men are: A. H. Bowser '07, J. V. Quinlan '07, W. D. Thompson '08, R. Edwards '08, P. C. Haskell '08, and E. G. Reed '08. In this department, the team should be as strong as, if not stronger than, it was this year. In the absence of E. J. Dives '06, B. L. Young '07 and J. S. O'Brien '09 will probably be the strongest men in the 440-yard dash, and both should improve with experience.

A. S. Cobb '08 who ran a close second to H. Whitman '06 in the half mile run in the dual meet, will probably compete again next year. M. B. Van Brunt '08 and E. Becker '08 were both promising in this event, and may be expected to do well next year.

The mile run should prove a strong event for the team, as Captain W. Minot '07 has proved a fast man and will have the benefit of his experience in the dual and intercollegiate meets this spring. In addition, S. T. Hubbard, Jr., '07, R. P. Boyer '07, H. F. Hadden '09, and H. F. Miller sS., who was unable to compete this year, will make a strong squad to pick from. In the two-mile run M. H. Stone '07 and M. S. Crosby '08 were both point-winners, and should be next year. With W. G. Howard '07, H. W. King '08, N. Hedin '08, and others, the prospects are unusually good for this event.

In the hurdle events there is abundant material, and that the results were not more favorable in the intercollegiate meet may be largely attributed to the inexperience of the men. Point-winners in the dual meet who will return were W. M. Rand '09, O. F. Rogers, Jr., '08, J. F. Doyle '07 and C. Brinsmade '07. All these men are expected to improve greatly. With F. R. Dick '07, H. S. Blair '08, and J. B. Brandreth '09, a fast team of hurdlers should be developed.

The Crew.

The prospects for a strong University crew next year are very bright. In addition to the fact that some of the men will have been under Coach Wray for two years and will have become thoroughly acquainted with his style of rowing, the coach will be fully aware from the start of the exact calibre and ability of the majority of men on the squad.

Of this year's crew the bow six will return intact, but will probably be changed about in the boat as C. Morgan, Jr., '08, who is rowing 3 this year, is the probable choice for stroke. He stroked the 1908 Freshman crew last year and this year occupied the corresponding position on the University second crew until it was broken up into fours. R. L. Bacon '07, R. M. Tappan '07, S. W. Fish '08, G. G. Glass '08 and J. Richardson '08 will be the other members of this year's crew who will return. In addition to these C. E. Tilton '08 and S. B. Swaim '07, the University four-oar substitutes, and three of the University four-oared crew, J. Richards '07, N. F. Emmons '07 and G. G. Ball '08, will make promising candidates. Several men from this year's Freshman eight and four-oar are considered very promising material, of whom R. M. Faulkner, L. K. Lunt and F. M. Rackemann are most likely to develop into University material.

Fall practice for most of the squad will commence early in October. It is probable that the same scheme of work in the spring will be applied as this year. The men will be called out directly after the mid-year examination period and will be gradually weeded out until the departure for New London. Any men who show up especially well in the class or club crews will be tried on the University squad.