Manhattan College - Manhattanite Yearbook (Riverdale, NY)

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,, The Jasper squad will have flashy Howie Pierson scooping up grounders at short-stop. Curran expects this sophomore to fill the shoes of Bob Grady who captained last year's team. Bill Garland will be the utility infielder of the squad. Then there will be Dick Esau and Bob Murphy who can play the infield if the coach needs the added help. The outfield will have plenty of power plus speed to make some sure hits, sure outs, Dick Esau should get the nod to start in right field. Dick has been converted from the mound staff to the picket line because of his power but. As an ex- pitcher he also has a strong arm to prevent our foes from taking that extra base. The left field slot should be marked by Bob Murphy, another powerful man with the l'hickory. Bob came through in the clutch many times last year and appears to be even more reliable this season. The centerfield position is still open with Jerry Mercurio and Jack Killoran battling for the starting assignment. This should be the year for the Jaspers. They have experience and depth. The pitching staff is potentially the league's best and the infield which was the conference's best defensive unit last year, looks even better. The outfield has a wealth of power and speed. With a veteran squad, the Green and White are seeking a much awaited championship, but they must top their local rivals for the crown. Their opposition in the Metropolitan Inter- collegiate Baseball Conference are New York University, St. John's, Wagner, City, Brooklyn, and Hofstra. They will also face, Army, Columbia, Fordham, Hunter, Iona, Princeton, St. Peter's and Queens.

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Bat boys do a soft shoe for the stands. Safe on first. We have him on third. The catching department appears to be even stronger than last year's contingent. Jack Corey's fine defensive work and bat- ting in the post seems good enough to give him the starting assignment as the signal caller. John Murray and Al Witte, the two competitors for the catching slot are fine backstops who will be used as pinch-hitters when the situation calls for a clutch hit. The infield will have three lettermen to knit a tight defensive web. They are Captain Bob Coccodrilli, Vin Donnelly and Red Ronan. Captain Coco's versitility will be evidenced by his work as a fence buster when he is swinging in the clean-up spot. It will also be witnessed when Bob is working at first base or second. Vin Donnelly, another of Coach Curran's returnees, will han- dle the hot corner. Vin's flashy glovework has made him one of the best third bosemen in the conference. A spray hitter, he is equally as effective in the batter's box as at the third sack. The Metropolitan Conference batting champion of last year, Red Ronan, will be another returnee to the Green and White squad. Red, will be swinging for the crown once again while digging out ground balls at first base, or chasing fiys in the outfield.

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TENNIS TEAM The 1956 Manhattan Tennis Team had a tremendous rebuild- ing task at the start of the season because of losses by grad- uation and transfers which had depleted the previous var- sity which included all veterans. That team had compiled a record of six wins and four losses during last year's campaign. Coach John Sich plans to use his three remaining lettermen as the nucleus around which to build this season's squad. He has captain Ed Ghiazza, who has been long recognized as one of the most outstanding courtmen in Manhattan history. Sich is relying on Ed to show the fine form and finesse which has enabled Ed to hold number one position throughout the greater part of his collegiate tennis career. The other varsity returnees, John Flynn and Vin Dougherty should prove to be able contenders, and will add winning strength and stability to the squad. The veteran mentor contemplates using the service of Jim Havens and last year's frosh ace, Frank Fields. April opens cm eleven-match schedule against some of the area's strongest opponents. The Black Knights of Army are the first foes. They then move on to play the usually strong teams of C.C.N.Y. and N.Y.U. Still on the road, they face their long-time rivals, the Fordham Rams. Returning home the Jas- pers are hosts to St. John's and then travel to meet Queens and Brooklyn. The team will wind up the season with succes- sive matches against the Mariners of Kings Point, Pratt and finally the Flying Dutchmen of Hofstra.