NEW CAGE NOT FINISHED UNTIL EARLY IN SPRING

Preliminary work is already well advanced on the new baseball cage which is to be located at the southeast corner of Soldiers Field, next to the Locker Building. The contract has been let to the E. W. Pitman Co., of Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The new structure is 167 feet square, and is of concrete, brick, and steel. Owing to a shortage of steel at the present time, work cannot be pushed as rapidly as was expected. The necessary steel will probably arrive about October 20.

Was First Planned for Winter

The original plans provided that the cage should be completed in time for winter practice. However, the delay in construction material makes it impossible for the new building to be completed before next spring at the earliest.

In order to make the construction of the cage possible, it was necessary to remove six tennis courts. These will probably be replaced at the western end of Soldiers Field.

The old baseball cage will be used again this winter, but officials are puzzled as to what it shall be used for when the new structure is completed. There has been some rumor of a stadium extension, but as yet that has not been verified.