SPRINGFIELD FACES PUFFER'S HURLING

In the final preliminary game before the first of the objective games, that against Pennsylvania on Saturday, the University baseball team will take on Springfield at Soldiers Field this afternoon at 4 o'clock. Puffer is scheduled to make his first Cambridge start of this season, his last appearance on the mound having been against Catholic University on the southern trip.

Puffer did relief work in the Yale series last spring and is the only letterman on Coach Mitchell's mound staff. He is said to possess the most deceptive curve ball of any of the Crimson hurlers, but last year his control was none too good. In his one start this year, he showed a complete reversal of form, and held the C. U. hitters to four hits in the eight innings that he toiled. He was removed for a pinch hitter at that time, and not because of the pressure of the opposing stickmen, though he lost the decision, 1 to 0. His removal in favor of a pinch hitter brings to mind an incident in Puffer's career last spring as a Second team twirler. Up to the time of the Yale Second team game, he had not violated the tradition that a pitcher should be impotent with the willow, and in the ninth inning of that game, with the Yale seconds leading by three runs, Coach Lake was tempted to send a pinch hitter to bat in his stead. But, possibly reflecting that the Crimson was too far gone for even a pinch hitter to do any good, the Second team mentor allowed Puffer to take his turn at bat, though at the time two were out and the bases were groaning with impatient Crimson runners. With things thus left up to himself. Puffer broke all pitching precepts by hitting one of the longest home runs ever seen on Soldiers Field. Final score: Yale Seconds 6, Harvard Seconds 7.

Second Base Doubtful

Puffer this afternoon will have the same team behind him that supported Booth so well on Saturday against Amherst. Coach Mitchell has not decided definitely whether he will send Ullman or Chase to cover the keystone sack. If a left-hander toils for Springfield, Ullman, who bats from the starboard side of the plate is sure to get the call, but with Springfield offering a right-hander, Chase, in spite of Ullman's brilliant fielding against Amherst, may be sent in to bat from the first base side of the rubber. Neither of these men has shown much prowess with the stick, but Coach Mitchell is stressing hitting in his practice sessions and the whole nine should show improvement along this line before long.

Springfield has been defeated twice this year, in three starts, their most recent conqueror being Amherst, victim to the Crimson's fine defensive play on Saturday. Vermont and Middlebury have been the Springfielder's other opponents, the Green Mountain boys winning, 4 to 2, while Middlebury, with a weak team, was buried under a 7 to 1 tally.

The physical culturists have shown only mediocre pitching and very little hitting strength, though in the latter respect they outhit Amherst 10 to 5. In Minikin they possess a clean-up batter of no mean efficacy, for in eleven trips to the plate he has slashed out no less than seven hits of assorted sizes. Either Crowley or Beach will toe the rubber against the Crimson this afternoon, the latter having the only Springfield verdict to his credit.

Second Team Lineup Changed

While the University nine is playing on the grandstand field, the Second team will take on St. Anselm's College on the Second team diamond. The scrubs opened their season at Exeter last Saturday, and showed lack of practice in their defeat at the hands of the schoolboys. Coach Parent, after a few intensive practice sessions has shifted his line-up, and he expects his charges to put up a much improved game against the Saints today.

Knowlton, recently cut from the University squad, has replaced Field as the team's clean-up batter and has replaced Flood at second base. Cozzens, pitcher and utility man on the Freshman team of a year ago, has replaced Morris in center field, and Nash will toe the rubber in place of Moseley. Except for these shifts the team will face St. Anselm in the same order as it faced Exeter.

Against Exeter, the Seconds were weak at the plate, Samborsky allowing only one bingle in eight innings. The fielding, on the other hand, aside from occasional lapses in team work, was of a high order. With their batting sights more properly adjusted, and behind steady pitching this afternoon the invaders should find it difficult to carry off the honors