The Columbia evening Missourian., 1921-03-14
OUTLOOK FOR
NJ. .U.BASEBALL
TEAM ISCOOD
Tiger Coach Has Much Good
Material TO Pick From
Catchers Strong This
Season.
A GOOD PITCHING STAFF
Pmitt and Smith Promising,
With Shepherd, Ficklin
and Luther Looking
Very Good.

Nissouris chances in the national pas
time contest in the Malley race this
spring are staked around small group
of athletes who are laboring diligently
cut on Rollins Field each evening. Coach
IoEn Miller has already weeded the pro-
missing aspirants and the veterans IRON
those who do not seem to have sufficient
class. and is working them in different
sections Of the field. The Varsity group
!. composed Of approximately twenty-five
athletes.
Last wear there was nothing but pessi-
mism in the Tiger baseball camp. There
Mas good reason for such an atmosphere.
The entire makeup Of the proposed Var
siy was green material, untried and in
experienced. The only regular backstop
on the shelf with long spell OF sickness
ahead Of him. The team didn't look as
though il would be able to hit, while the
pitching and receiving departments were
lamentably weak As it turned out, the
pitchers came through in good style and,
even with small hitting power and little
strength behind the plate, the MissOurians
managed to go through the games in lair
shape and with fair results.
This spring. however. an entirely diff
s-eni atmosphere is to be found where
the Varsity works. There seem 10 he
plenty Of men for every position and,
best If all. the men who played last
year. for the most part, look much better
than they did at any time last year. Then
too. it looks as though the Varsity would
have considerable stick ability. In fact.
the Tigers have been informed that hit
ting will be the first requisite and each
day the Tiger mentor takes his men
through a long batting practice with
very pitcher in the squad taking his
tln heaving to them.
MUST KEEP TRAINISC
because Of the size Of the squad and
the good material available Coach Miller
has been able to set up few rules which
will stand for every man on the squad.
The men are going TO be required to
keep training.
Training for the Missourians will in
clrde many cardinal principles which
must be followed and probably the first
Of these that must be enforced is that
Of regular attendance at practice. Sew
cral of the prospects and two or three
veterans from last season have not been |
reporting regularly for the workouts. Ac-
c3rding to Coach Miller and Captain |
Lowrance these men will be among the 1
first to be eliminated at the next cut
in the squad.
OF most interest just now are the box
men. The loss of Stanley McLane was
a serious one. yet the Tigers have several
prospects available for duty who will be
able to work as regularly as did McLane.
Pruiit, a southpaw mound artist, looks
to be the best bet Il is early to make 1
predictions, yet Pruitt apparently has the
stuff. His attitude is of the best, as he
is a slave for work. Too, he seems TO
have the zip on the ball which puts south
paws ahead Of the northpaws, as the tan
ializing twist giving to the horsehide by
these sidewheeleTs is the hardest sort to
connect with. Pruitt believes that he
will have excellent control He has been