Though snow still lies heavy on the ground and baseball diamonds are still frozen solid, coach Al Carsten's baseball team is already at work in the track area preparing for the coming season. As all but a very few know, coach Carstens is the man who has led Maine teams to two successive state baseball titles, a feat never before accomplished by an Illinois baseball team. In addition, he has led Maine teams to three consecutive West Suburban conference championships.

Three outstanding lettermen from last year's title crew are returning to bolster the 1960 squad. Bob Kunkel, Ed Swanson, and George Verber are the only letter‑winners on the team. Verber was chosen all‑tournament center fielder last year by state tournament officials for his part in helping to bring Maine to the title. Those boys returning from last year's team who did not letter are Bill Tookey, Jerry Romes, Jim DuVal, Bob Smith, Dick Smith, and Bob Stefani.

This year the diamond nine face an even greater reconstruction job than last year. Losing two of the finest pitchers in the state in Jim Humay and Rich Peterson, the team has only one returning pitcher, Kunkel. Other candidates for pitching berths are Dick Smith, Dave Stenmark,

Jack Kern, and Bill Tookey. Without the tremendous pitching of last year, the Warriors face a schedule which Carstens terms "one of the roughest Maine teams have ever faced."

As a season goal, coach Carstens has set up nothing less than the state tournament. With no conference titles to aim at the tournament is a natural objective. One of the big ways in which he hopes to toughen up the team is to drill them in defense which he feels lies the key to a winning team. A stone-wall defense saved many a game for the Maine Demons in their march to the state crowns.

At present the team is working on pitching and catching with the fielders taking turns in Maine West's batting net, which is equipped with automatic pitching machines. The team is currently preparing for their first game of the season on March 31 against the Evanston Wildkits.

With such a capable coach as Al Carstens, the baseball nine can look forward to a season of fine coaching and the possibility of making a respectable showing in the state tournament.