The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-15
YALE FANS HAPPY Believe That College Is At Last to Have Championship
 Baseball Team. !, A GOOD HITTING BUNCH Fels, Wheaton, Murphy and Merritt Add Strength-Jones Working
 Hard For Team.

AS announced long ago In Tho Jour. nal-Courier Captain Tad Jone. ilas issued the cali for the candidates for the Yale 1903 baseball tsa:n to come out Monday and meeting will be held in the trophy room pf tie gym. nasium at Clock Captaia Jones will make SD sech to tho candidates telling them what they are up against in Harland's Tigers ani .:,e Harvard nine and he will be foll,vel by Wal ter Camp If 'he adv.s).y board and Manager James,. Thornton.
 The men will report for practice next week but the hard work in the cage will not commence until the fol- lowing week when everyone will get down to business, month later than Is usually the case. The men had no fall practice, as the wisdom of such work has been questioned by those in charge of the present team.
 In spite of the fact that the prac- ttiNO Sloi tS idbCl llldil uSudi. lIdl tuCl O was no fall practice and that the as- sistance of a professional coach has been done away with, the outlook for a winning team this year is far better than any year since Bowman. Not since he was captain in the spring of 1905 has Yale won the championship but unless unforeseen acidents occur. the honor, won so seldom by the Ellis will come here this year.
 | In the first place very few good players are lost from last year. This l is doubly true because of the fact that there were very few really good play CTS on the team. The principal loss is that of Captain Gil il'Kinney who was star as long as he stuck to third base. Johnnie Madden another of the good players is an instructor in Hopkins Grammar school and will as- sist in the coaching. Tad Jones will be in full charge and among his chief assistants will be Dutch Carter of New York
 | Two players who possibly will not be able to come out this year are Jim Clifford and Lippitt, both felders. Cliff ford hopes he will be able to play though his physician put him off the basket ball team. He was second on the batting list last year. Lippitt is suffering from infiammatory rheumat- | ism and has not been able to como back to college since Christmas, so there is strong doubt as to his ability | to be in trim for the game,
 Three weeks ago the pitchers box looked very dark, but now the out look is much better. Van Week who was kept out of the Cornell basketball game because of his studies. has been made eligible again by the faculty and can be relied upon for good service in the pitchers box.
 But the star of all is Merritt of last years team. Merritt started on the toboggan in his studies about Christi mas time and the descent was rapid till Captain Jones got after him and then he took brace. Whether he will be able to start practice with the other candidates is a question, but it Is certain he will be able to play in the big games Pinkie Dunbar, Howard Jones and Jud Parsons are others who will help fill the position Is necessary.
 Tad Jones will be in his old position as catcher. His ability is so we'll known as to have brought offers from National league circles, New York, Chicago and the Maps, so there is little possibility that anyone will steal home. In some of the games he will probably allow Philbin 10 catch, both to give himself a rest and to give Philbin training for next year.
 Cushing will probably be the first choice for first base and second will be covered by Cushman or Bomar, Wheaton preferring the outfield. On third will be Williams. Fels, one of last years freshman stars will oc- cupy the place at short stop and will greatly strengthen the team in this position.
 Fred Murphy, the nephew of Mike and Captain Tot Murphy, and who is one of the best baseball players and all around athletes in Yale, will be at centerfield with Wheaton probably at right. Should Clifford be unable to play. it is probable that John Mall lory will be given the first chance at left field.
 The team which was weak in hitters last year will be greatly strengthened. Tad Jones is good hitter and Wheaton. Murphy and Fels are stars. Wheaton last year had an average of 450 and Murphy and Fels both over $50 This was of course against freshman pitchers but gives line on the ability of the men. The hitting of the other members of the nine is about average.
 A month approximately will be ai- lowed to get the team into shape for it's first time. here against the New York university. March 21 A train ing table will be started about week oottte ceoeo,, ro,,, n, eareQ