SOME GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM

With the five minor activities of the winter season, swimming, fencing, gymnastics, wresting, and shooting, drawing to a close, interest in being aroused in the prospects for the minor sports of the spring; soccer, lacrosse, tennis and golf. In these sports the University teams were unusually strong last year, winning the intercollegiate championship in everything but golf. The soccer prospects which have already been outlined seem to point o the development of a team almost as good as last year's title winning eleven since five veterans form its basis.

Lacrosse Material.

An almost parallel situation is found in the case of the lacrosse team. Five of last year's team are on hand this year together with three substitutes. The regular defense loses heavily, for P. Catton '15 is the only veteran left. Two of the regular substitutes, R. G. Wilson '14, and R. W. Hallock '14 will aid in the defense work. The attack, led by P. F. Brundage and three regulars will be unusually strong. The Freshman team of last year which won 3 out of 4 games, will furnish many men for the University team. Nine games won out of eleven played was the record of last year's team. In the Northern Division of the U. S. Lacrosse League the University won all three games, thus having a clear claim to the championship.

Another Tennis Championship?

Probably the strongest of the spring minor sports will be tennis. With the single exception of A. J. Lowrey '13, caption of last year's team, the University will be represented by the same men, captained by E. H. Whitney '14. In addition R. N. Williams '16, who was a member of the 1913 Davis Cup Team, will be eligible for a position. During the spring season the University team won 4 out of the 6 matches. But in the intercollegiate matches, Harvard won a complete victory, for the finalists in both singles and doubles were University men. That this victory may be repeated seems probable. W. M. Washburn '15, and R. N. Williams '16, who, with J. J. Armstrong '14 and E. H. Whitney '14 won the intercollegiate tournament last summer, will be in the tournament again this summer. The two men to replace Armstrong and Whitney in this tournament will be cosen in all probability from the 1916 Team. Owing to the three-year rule all '14 men end their season in June, thus being debarred from the intercollegiates.

Golf Team Strong.

The last of the sports, golf, went through an unsuccessful season in 1913. The team as a whole being inexperienced. Every man on the squad will be eligible this spring, and with a year's added experience the prospects are bright for a successful season. E. P. Allis '15, captain, is undoubtedly one of the best golfers in any American college today, and if his work of last summer is a fair example, he should do some brilliant work for the team. F. Sargent '14, last year's captain will be Allis's chief aid in the various matches. There seems no doubt but that last year's record of one victory, three defeats, and one tie, as well as the defeat by Yale, will more than be retrieved.

On the whole, all indications point to a repetition of last year's unusual success in these minor sports.