The Portland daily press., 1898-04-14
BASE BALL AT BAT Es.
Every Prospect That Teams Will be
Stronger Than Last Year.
ESPECIAL TIC THE PRESS!

Lewiston, April 10-There is every
prospect, judging from the present out
look, that the Bates baseball team this
year will be fully as strong as that of
last season and that the Maine inter-col-
legiate baseball battle will be as hotly
contested as last season when the cham
pionship was undecided.
The Maine state college will send out
practically the same team as last year,
as not a single man was lost on account
of the commencement exercises. Three
unusually good men in the freshmen class
will compel the best of work on the part
of the regular men in order that they may
retain their positions.
In Colby the situation is about the
same. Several good men come in with
the entering class and but few old play
ers graduated last spring.
The strength of the Bowdoin nine this
year will depend much on the catcher
Haiues. last years star, has graduated
and it will be hard to find man to fill
his place. The team otherwise will re-
main about the same.
The Bates team has been at work in the
cage since the first of February. During
the coming week work will begin on the
campus. While in the cage McMannus,
who is signed this season with the Fall
River nine, and Morse of the Rochester
team have been at work with the Bates
team. Through them the Bates men have
gained many valuable pointers.
Besides being under these men the team
has trained under the direction OF Cap.
team will be nearly if not quite as strong
as last year. In spite of the Yale. cry.
"a weak team this year, indications
point to a strong nlne.
Although 16 men presented themselves
as candidates when the training COM
menced they have been weeded out SO 1T
is almost settled the team will be made
up as follows: Capt. Pulsifer. pitcher;
Purinton, catcher; Low. 1900, first base;
Smith, second Quinn, third; Johnson,
short stop with Bennett, '98, Hinkley,
'9S, and Putnam, '01, in the outfield. The
substitutes will be selected from Hussy,
'O1, bennett, '01, and Pomeroy, 'o1. OF
these Hussey is sure of playing a good
part of the time as he will be used as
substitute pitcher, having shown up IN
remarkable shape.
The greatest trouble this year is on ac-
count OF the pitchers. When one is retired
it will be necessary to play substitute
in the place the new pitcher leaves as
the retired men can not ill the double
place to the satisfaction of the manage
ment.
Purinton is the only candidate for
catcher. Last year he filled the place
during the whole season without an
accident occurring to him. Should he be
Injured this year the team will be badly
crippled. With Purinton as catcher and
Pulkifer in the box Bates has battery
hard to excel among teams from smaller
colleges.
There is a question about johnson be-
ing able to play second base as is the wish
of the managers. He broke h S arm last
season while playing on the Somersworth
team. Fears are entertained that the
arm will not be able to stand the severe
strain of the work required at second.
In case he is not able to play that posi-
ton he will play short stop and Smith,
another candidate for pitcher, will play
second when Pu1sifer is pitching. With
another pitcher in the box Pulsifer will
cover second base.
Two of the strongest Datters graduated
last June but on account OF the expert
ence the other players have had and the
added strength of the new men. it is
thought the average strength will reach
that of last Year,.
The players will begin active work on
the d almond during the coming week
when the spring term opens Fast day
the season will open with game between
Bates and Bowdoin. On the following
Saturday Gates will play the Murphy
Balsa,ns. With these two games as prac-
tice the team will start on the spring trip.
Beginning Tue day, May 2, a game will
be rlayed with the University of YER
mont nine in Burlington, and a second
game the day following; THURSDAY with
Vermont academy at Sayon's River;
Friday with Cushing's academy at North
ampton; Saturday with Newton Athletic
nine at Newton, Mass,
a--Pulsifer, the captain of the Bates team
IS acknowledged to be one of the best
players on any college team in the state.
AS pitcher he has wonderful control Of
the ball and an arm that never tires. At
the bat he is the strongest man on the
team and in years hence the younger
Bates students will tell the story that
"Nate" is the only man who knocked the
ball outside the Bates campus lie played
with the Lewiston team in the State
league last season and has signed with
the Hartford, Conn, to finish out the sea-
son after the collegiate season is closed.