LINING THEM UP

The following article is the first of a series reviewing the material which has been retained by Coach Arnold Horween '21 as the substance of the University's 1927 football squad. Beginning today with the end the articles will take up in turn the various positions, going over the past achievements of the men competing for them and touching on future prospects.

From the first day of practice, somewhat over a week ago, it has been evident that one of the greatest difficulties confronting Harvard football leaders this year is lack of first rate substitute material. Everywhere is this dearth unmistakably prominent--everywhere, that is, except among the ends. While the coaches have been scouring all quarters for possible quarterbacks, reserve halfbacks, and tackles, they have been forced to wield the axe with a heavy hand among the end candidates and to threaten further devestation in this department, which has reached a very high potential standard.

The prospects for abundant wingmen of high calibre have indeed looked so bright that S. C. Burns '30, former schoolboy and Freshman star, has been transfered to the backfield, and W. G. Saltonstall '28, lone Crimson scorer in last year's Bowl encounter, has been enabled to devote his entire time to his multiple official and scholastic duties. G. K. Brown '28, who was one of the leading end prospects until yesterday, has been shifted to the backfield where he will be given a try-out at quarter.

How this squad of ends is shaping up after a week of preliminary practice, and to what advantage it will appear in the important contests of the year are two different questions. But little information can be gleaned as to present showings from the heavily guarded practice sessions now in progress; what future showings will be is impossible to predict.

From past records, however, Harvard should have this season at least three sets of capable wingmen. It is in balance, however, rather than individual brilliancy, that the strength of the Crimson end squad appears to lie. Only two members, J. L. Coombs, Occ., and B. H. Strong '28 are letter men, and Coombs has not made his appearance in the role of a University regular since the Yale game in 1923, when he started as a Sophomore at left end on the Stadium turf. Strong's is the only name in the last of this year's ends which appeared regularly in last year's line ups. In addition to Strong and Coombs, however, Horween has several wingmen of wide gridiron experience. R. H. O'Connell '30 and John Prior '29, both outstanding figures in preparatory school football three years ago, the former at Exeter where he was captain and the latter at Andover, were prominent members of the Freshman eleven two years ago. O'Connell was not in college last year, and Prior, though on the University squad, was seriously hampered throughout the season by injuries. One of the most promising prospects for regular flank berths at the present time is W. W. Lord '28, baseball first baseman and for two years a member of the gridiron Seconds. From last year's Freshman team J. G. Douglas '30 and G. L. Lewis '30 have been retained as possible first string timber. F. A. Pickard '29 completes the list of Crimson jerseyed wingmen. Pickard has risen in the course of a single season from the class football ranks and is still very much of an unknown quantity.