Injury-Ridden Pitching Staff Must Bolster Hitless Harvard

Harvard's baseball team will have a tough time even buying hits this season. If it hopes to win many ball games, its pitching staff will have to be really stingy.

But injuries have transformed the once potent staff into one big question mark.

Jim McCandlish, the mainstay of last year's staff, twisted ligaments in his pitching shoulder playing catch with a medicine ball. He attempted to pitch in a practice game Saturday, but Harvard coach Norm "Swampfox" Sheperd says "he just didn't feel comfortable." Sheperd had been counting on McCandlish to win "at least a half-dozen games." It is now doubtful that the fast-balling senior will see any more action.

Jim Sersich, another returning letterman hurler, broke his wrist playing intramural basketball and has been dropped from the roster. Losing its two big guns would be bad enough, but the Crimson will probably have to do without the services of sophomore star George Lalich, who is suffering from a chronic arm ailment.

Harvard's pitching hopes rest squarely upon the shoulders of three returning varsity players and a handful of inexperienced sophomores. Sheperd expects junior letterman BOb Lincoln to be twirling ace this season. Lincoln comes armed with a hopping fastball -- which last season too often hopped out of the strike zone.

Back from last year's varsity to fill supporting roles are senior Larry Melfa and junior Tom Menzel. Melfa has never been a starter, but Sheperd says he "looks solid this season and might help." Sophomore prospects are giant fireballer Ray Peters. -- 6'3" and 215 pounds -- and Bob Dowart.

Receiving Line

On the receiving line of these questionable hurlers will be a pair of questionable catchers. Sheperd has used last year's receiver Joe O'Donnell to plug a large gap at first base, leaving Jeff Hall and Bill Cobb behind the plate. Hall has had freshman and junior varsity experience; Cobb was ineligible last season. Sheperd describes the pair unenthusiastically as "adequate."

The big question mark still looms over the center of the Crimson diamond, however. "This is a peculiar pitching staff," says Sheperd. "We don't have any outstanding players. In past years, we always had players who stood out in the crowd. This year there are none."

TOMORROW: The Hardwood