The Question: Do you think more or less of Ted Williams since the spitting episode in Boston?

MAJ. GEN. ROGER J. BROWNE
USAF
Commander
First Air Force
Less. Ted Williams is a great star and a war hero. Children and sports fans all over the country look up to him. The greatly publicized affair was certainly beneath the dignity of such a great man. He, in effect, lowered himself to the level of his unsportsmanlike detractors.

MARY ANN COBB
Indiana University
Physical education instructor
I think more of Ted for not letting the fans run all over him. I've seen them throw cans and rubbish at him. I don't blame him a bit for showing his contempt in the manner he did. How else could he fight back? Those who have been abusing him deserve what they got.

BILLY MARTIN
N.Y. Yankees
Second baseman
Neither more nor less. Ted Williams is a wonderful man. He is a credit to his country and to baseball. What happened in Boston a couple of weeks ago is between him and the Boston sportswriters. But I notice that the Boston fans took his side and gave him a great ovation the next night.

BOB KRIENDLER
New York
Co-owner, 21 Club
Certainly not any less. Baseball players are at a disadvantage. They must take all kinds of abuse, and they are not supposed to fight back. It was good to see someone with enough courage to fight back. It paid off. The Boston fans turned out 32,000 strong and gave Ted a great ovation.

MICKEY MANTLE
N.Y. Yankees
Center fielder
Ballplayers couldn't like Ted more. I admire him tremendously. He's the greatest slugger in baseball. And he's done more for his country than most players. The majority of the fans in Boston like him so much that they started a collection to pay his fine. Even the kids sent in their pennies.

EARL SPRACKLING
New York
Executive, Anaconda
Wire and Cable Co.
Less. There's mighty little left of American dignity. I hate to see it lessened. Sports fans are quick to condemn unsportsmanlike acts. When Brown was playing the Carlisle Indians, I tripped Jim Thorpe instead of tackling him. The fans gave me the booing I deserved.

SVEND JORGENSEN
New York
Owner, Wivel Club
I couldn't like Ted any more, but I have more respect for him. He's taken altogether too much from the Boston sportswriters. I think they've purposely needled him to get good copy. Ted gave them enough material. I think the spitting was more for them than for the fans booing him.

PATRICIA ANELLA GULLOTTA
Forest Hills, N.Y.
College student
Why pass judgment without knowing what a man goes through? Who knows what emotion a man is under and what is eating his heart out? There's no way of telling—you and I might do the same thing under like conditions. There's a reason for everything. I still like Ted.

MIKE HIGGINS
Manager
Boston Red Sox
I couldn't possibly think more of a guy who has been so wonderful all through our association. The spitting was one of those spontaneous pop-offs that can come from any high spirited person who is being needled by sportswriters and booed by fans. Most of us have popped off some time.

TEN PHOTOS

NEXT WEEK:

Was there a time in the service when athletic training was of great value to you?

(postponed from this week)