Evening star., 1942-03-29
Generals and Indians,
Leaders Last Year,
Appear Weaker
PIoy Storts Next Week.;
WhoIey Of Spiders One
Of Few SIugeers
By BARTON PATTIE,

ASSOCldteO rlcSs SpCAe "A'N~''
RICHMOND, Va, March 28.-Old
Dominion college baseball teams will
launch their 1912 campaigns next
week with squads which appear to
be almost devoid of outstanding
hurlers and hitters.
Most of the mines should be above
par defensively, but there are few
pitchers in sight to compare with
William and Mary's Vic Raschl or
Washington and Lees Bob Greger-
son of last season.
Walter Sonny Wholey OF Fred
ericksburg. leading clouter Of the
Southern Conference in l941. is back
in his second base slot for Rich
mond. but nearly all of the other
batting leaders of last spring are
gone.
William and Mary's Braves are
the defending Big Six champions
but Capt. Dick Smiths Generals
claimed the State championship.
Five Play This Week.
All Big Six schools. except WASH
ington and Lee, will launch their
diamond programs next week.
William and Mary will be host to
Randolph Macon Wednesday. Rich
mond opens against Maryland here
Thursday in a Southern Conference
tilt. Virginia meets Bridgewater on
April 8. Virginia Tech engages Ohio
University on Thursday and Friday
and the Ohio nine plays at v. M. I.
Saturday.
The Big Six championship race
will get under way on April 9 when
Washington and Lee opens against
Virginia on Lambeth Field.
It appears to be anybody's crown
from this distance with William and
Mary and Washington and Lee. the
l941 leaders, appearing to be con-
siderably weaker than they were a
year ago.
The Indians have three pitchers,
Tom Crane and Roy Merritt. both
lettermen, and Vincent Larcara of
Norfolk. No experienced catchers
are available. Outfelders John
Korczowski, Soph Arthur Reisfeld
Ben Read and Marvin Bass are
being given try at the receiving
position. William Grover, rookie
f1rstsacker, is the most promising
newcomer.
Generals Have Good Squad.
Washington and Lee has Capt.
Press Brown and two sophomores,
Bud Cook and Ev Schneider, for
mound duty. Lugger Lyon and
Ted Pierson. last years soph aces,
have entered the armed forces. Let
terman Jim Wheater Is back to
catch while other monogram win
ners returning include Bob Cavan-
ma, first baseman; Joe Baugher,
outfielder; Ted Cieslay third sacker,
and George Eshelman, outfielder.
Leading soph candidates are Bill
McKelway, first baseman; Harry
Baugher and Stu Smith, inflelders,
and Carl johnson. outfelder.
Coach Red Laird's main worry at
Virginia Tech is the lack of natural
hitters. Veterans Johnny Owen and
Burns Gibson are his catcfers and
the hurlers are vets Ed Vassar and
Ken Fussell and rockies Gene Long
worth. Joe Moody, Don Yepsen and
Bob Hunter.
Virginia Needs Hitters.
Virginia has topnoch hurler in
Alex Cave. Tabb Gillette is slated
to succeed big Bill Harman behind
the plate for the Cavaliers. The
infeld is alright with Charley Mer-
ritt, sensation as freshman, step
ping into the shortstop berth, but
the shortage of dependable hitters
has Coach Gus Tebell worried.
AL Miller, veteran, and Chester
Bourne, undefeated as a freshman,
will be Richmond's hurting main
stays. Buddy LaWler, soph from
Clifton Forge, is slated to get the
catching job. Soph Louis Miller,
the cage star, has taken over first
base and MacPitt, jr., son of the
Spider coach, is playing in the out
field.
". NJ. rs Cadets, who finished on
the tail end of the State race last
season, have two standouts in Nell
son Catlett behind the plate and
Emil Sotnyk. the all-State basket
baller, In the outfield.