You will normally find "The 19th Hole," our letters-to-the-editors column, at the end of each week's SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. This week, however, "The 19th Hole" is right in the middle of the course—because we have a most welcome overflow gathering.

On behalf of our entire staff, I want to extend thanks to everyone who has written us. Pages 37-44 are devoted to some of your letters.

Lack of space has kept us from printing all of the letters we would have liked to print, and lack of time from answering them all—but you can be sure that we will answer every one, plus those we hope you will send us in the future.

As you will see, we have heard from men and women in all walks of life, from many ports of call—from those in the arts and sciences, the trades and the professions, as well as from those who devote their lives entirely to sport. We couldn't be more gratified.

For "The 19th Hole" is to be a meeting place for the wide and varied fraternity which enjoys sports. And we hope that it will have the relaxed and congenial atmosphere which marks the end of the game or the finish of the race; the return to camp from a day of good fishing; the warmth of the lodge after a long afternoon's skiing. It's a fine place to talk over the-time-when and the-one-that-got-away and the-one-that-didn't; and perhaps to think about what the chances are tomorrow.