Horace Mann Lincoln High School - Lincolnian Yearbook (New York, NY)

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ITH the first game on the schedule already under its belt, Horace Mann Varsity baseball team seems headed for a fair season. The nine can- not hope to win much more than fifty per cent of its games unless the mound staff improves to a degree that looks far from probable now. Pitching is a tremendous factor on a high school diamond, and pitching is just what Ump Tewhill's 1937 baseball squad lacks. This problem may have a solution in the per- son of Ben Lindgren, who twirled a 5-2 game at Hackley in the season opener, allowing only two hits. Lindgren fanned eleven batters in ringing up his victory, but also walked severel men and fre- quently had to work himself out of a three and two count. On the other hand, Hackley never had more than one runner on the base paths at the same time and Lindgren invariably managed to tighten up when the going got rough. In addition to Lindgren's excellent showing on the hill. the unexpected smoothness of the Horace Mann defense was a pleasant surprise. Although without the services of Pat Nash, regular shortstop, the Maroon and White nine played an airtight ball game in the field. Lindgren's error in the third was the only H. M. misplay of the ecounter, and the scrappy little second base combination of Joe Nag- ler and Pat Bownes handled several difficult chances in true big league fashion. However, the team is still far from being a first-class ball club. With good pitching, the Hor- ace Mann tossers may go a long way. for the team Put Bourncs. pvppcry infielrlcr, slurls lu lash one our lfilll his Im! well clmlfelf. Durfx is lhe r'u11'fler. has shown itself to be an adequate defensive unit, in addition to offering several threats in the batting order. The infield may turn out to be as good as any that Horace Mann has ever had, with the exception of the great combination of Lucy, Cahill, Segatti, and McCormack of 1935, the year in which the Ma- roon and White was unbeaten. Arnie Kerner is back again at first base and is the only veteran in the in- field. A fast man on the bases, Kerner is also a de- pendable batter. The H. M. first sacker hit safely in every game last year. At the keystone bag, Pat Bownes received the starting assignment and bids fair to hold that position for the remainder of the season, although Joe Nagler is sure to see action at second base, too. Bownes, probably the most con- sistent fielder on the squad, is only a fair hitter, even though added weight has put just that much more extra punch into his batting. Nagler. a better hitter, is not far behind Bownes in the field. Both are small, but make up for lack of stature by their spirited hustling. Pat Nash. who fell victim to the mumps soon after practice began, showed enough in the first few workouts to assure him the regular shortstop posi- tion when he returns. One of the best hitters on the squad, Nash is also a brilliant though unsteady fielder. Harry Greenwald. who played first base for the 1936 Jayvees, completes the infield. As a third baseman, Harry has a long way to go, but is rapidly improving. Greenwald takes a tremendous cut at the ball and his slugging may keep his posi-

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WILLIAM F. TEWHILL WILLIAM WYCKOFF AL HORTON . NICK PAGANO . . ARNIE KERNER . PAT NASH . . SAM FISHMAN . . Lou DUI:sINc . . . HARRY GREENWALD . PAT BOWNES . . . BEN LINDGREN JERE DAVIS DON DEL MANzo MAURICE GOLDMAN Hackley Columbia Peddie Trinity . . C ouch . Manager BATTING ORDER Left Field . . Right Field . First Base . . Short Stop . . . Catcher . Center Field . . Third Base . Second Base . . Pitcher SUBSTITUTES SCHEDULE Freshman Scarborough 163 HARRY LASKER Joe NAGLER HARRY RICKETSON Bronxville Hackensack Blair Irving

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tion at the hot corner away from the ubiquitous Mr. Nagler. Versatile Joe. who performed admirably at shortstop against Hackley, is ready to step in at a moment's notice and will be a handy utility man for Ump Tewhill. In the outfield. Horace Mann still has Al Twinkletoes Horton, three-year fly-chasing vet- eran. Horton's antics in left field on the Horace Mann diamond-as tough a field to play as one would ever care to see-cannot be too often re- peated. Possessing uncanny judgment. fleet-footed Al has robbed more opposing batters of apparent safeties than you could shake a Louisville Slugger at. Sun. track. water fountain. gymnasium, wire fences. cement walks-none seem to faze dare-devil Horton once a fly ball soars into left field. Flank- ing him is Lou Duesing, playing in the center gar- den for the second successive year. Lou is a less spectacular ball hawk. but covers his territory equally as well. Duesing is also one of the hardest hitters in the line-up. Rounding out the last line of defense is Nick Pagano. who clouts the ball from the port side of the plate. His trick knee slows him up in the field and hampers him at the plate, but Nick has managed to keep a step ahead of Harry liicketson in the struggle for the right field position. liicky. who also swing left-handed. serves in the dual role of first string outfield replacement and relief pitcher. Ump Newhill barks orders from the bench during a praciice session. Baseball Manager Wyckoff seems bup- py in a hectic sca- snn. -4 l Sam Fishman. although only a Fourth Former, has taken the catching job away from burly ,lere Davis and Harry Lasker. who are no mean expo- nents of the mitt and mask technique. Fishman can hit. and his rifle peg will cut down many a base- runner during the coming campaign. Already a good catcher. Sammy should rank with Horace Mamfs best before his graduation. The mound corps will present a big headache to Coaches Tewhill and Schmitt. in spite of Lind- grenis first showing. Ben is still something of an unknown quantity. while Don Del lVIanzo and Harry Ricketson. the other twirlers. have not shown enough to earn a starting assignment. Del Manzo. never- theless. has a puzzling variety of curves. He starred on the Jayvee nine last year. pitching a no-hit shut- out against the McBurney Thirds. Ricketson pitched on and off during the ,36 season and proved effec- tive for short stretches. using a fast ball to much advantage. At present. his activities are confined to trying to break into the outfield. but should Lind- gren and Del Manzo fail to come through. Ricket- son will get the first mound call. Bill Wyckoff has the distinction of being the first manager in recent years who knows enough about the game to keep a legible score hook. Hill has arranged a tough schedule for the nine. and Ump Tewhill and Fred Schmitt face the arduous task of surmounting that obstacle with the mediocre material on hand.