19th HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER
HUNGARIAN ATHLETES: COLLEGE EDUCATION
SIRS:
AT CHRISTMAS CHAPEL STUDENT BODY SPONTANEOUSLY MOVED TO SUPPORT HUNGARIAN REFUGEE STUDENT ON KNOX CAMPUS AND HAS ALREADY RAISED MONEY TO COVER ONE YEAR'S TOTAL EXPENSES. THE COLLEGE WILL PROVIDE FULL TUITION. KNOX IS QUALIFIED TO GIVE AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING STUDENT PREMEDICAL, PRELEGAL AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND HAS A FIVE-YEAR ENGINEERING PROGRAM WITH COLUMBIA AND STANFORD. WE ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN DEUTSCH, BORDI, DOBAY, HOSZPODAR, KARPATI, MAGAY, MAGYAR, MARTIN OR NAGY, IF QUALIFIED TO DO COLLEGE WORK.
JERRY ZINSER, PRESIDENT
STUDENT SENATE, KNOX COLLEGE
Galesburg, Ill.
HUNGARIANS: TEAMWORK
Sirs:
My "team" of Equitable agents earned second place in a sales contest and voted to have our cash prize go to our Hungarian friends.
Inasmuch as you are one of the sponsors of the Hungarian Olympic Tour, which is on tour to raise funds for the relief of these distressed people, we are asking that you add this to your general fund and make proper use of it.
C. EDWIN DELINKS
District Manager
The Equitable Life Assurance Society
New London, Conn.
•Our warmest thanks to the students and officials of Knox College, to Mr. Delinks and his agile agents and to the many other readers whose support of Hungary's Olympic athletes is most welcome. For example, Robert E. Langford of the Langford Hotel, Winter Park, Fla. put up the athletes during their recent Florida exhibition and helped raise $2,000 for the fund.—ED.
MURRAY'S BOWL: SOUND COMMENT
Sirs:
As a transplanted Oregonian, I should like to compliment you on the excellent article by James Murray in which he answers the usual glib-tongued, arrogant sportswriters from the smog belt (After the Bowls, SI, Jan. 14).
These same newspapers and their sports-writers have been the bane of Oregonians for at least the 25 years that I have read their accounts of football contests. They are past masters at making excuses for their usually talent-laden outfits—and the first to heap criticism on anyone outside the state of California. One wonders if they would admit that the same ocean washes the shores all the way up and down the Pacific Coast!
I only hope the writers Murray quoted were able to get the smog out of their bloodshot eyes in order to read your article and allow its sound comments to sink into their biased brains.
RALPH E. GRIMES
Lubbock, Texas
MURRAY'S BOWL: NUTS
Sirs:
Your James Murray must either be an Oregon State alumnus or have been suffering from a New Year's Eve hangover. The way his article reads it is hard to believe that he even saw the Rose Bowl game. He said nothing about Mike Hagler outrunning Earnel Durden for 66 yards and a touchdown. But he does state that Oregon's Joe Francis was by far the best back in the game. How anyone can make a statement like that, after the dazzling performance turned in by Iowa's Kenny Ploen, is beyond me.
This Iowa team, which, according to Mr. Murray, was medium good as Big Ten champions go, had just completed one of the toughest football schedules played anywhere this past season, coming through with only one loss and shutting out both Minnesota and Ohio State.
To Mr. Murray's whole article I say "Nuts." If our 35-19 victory was sloppy, how do you think articles like this one make your magazine look?
W. R. KRUSE
Clinton, Iowa
•James Murray learned sobriety at Trinity College, Connecticut.—ED.
MURRAY'S BOWL: DADDY'S DICTUM
Sirs:
I frankly don't want to have your magazine again because I know now that your reporting is not only inaccurate but very unkind.
Frankly, even quoting the Pacific Coast writers in some detail was in poor taste. My daddy says, and I think he's right, to quote those Pacific Coast writers is like compounding a felony.
BRUCE SMITH
Waterloo, Iowa
MURRAY'S BOWL: SOUR GRAPEFULLY
Sirs:
James Murray's article suggests by its tone that one of us quote rubes unquote once sold him the Sioux City bridge and he's been trying to get even with him ever since.
Mr. Murray is to be congratulated on an amazing piece of logic. He has proved conclusively that, had Iowa left its ends and linebackers in a locker room, the seven remaining Hawkeyes could not have stopped the Oregon State eleven.
Jimmy boy, the entire state of Iowa agrees with you.
Sour grapefully,
BOB ST. CLAIR JR.
Mason City, Iowa
•We know, Bobby boy. So far we have heard from 75 irate Iowans. For another great moment in Iowa sports history, turn to page 8.—ED.
FOOTBALL: TURNABOUT
Sirs:
I enjoyed this "undoubtedly fictitious" letter from Henry J. McCormick's column in the Wisconsin Slate Journal of Madison and thought your readers might also.
Dear Coach Broadshoulders: Remembering our discussion of your football men who were having troubles in English, I have decided to ask you, in turn, for help.
We feel that Paul Spindleshanks, one of our most promising scholars, has a chance for a Rhodes scholarship, which would be a great thing for him and for our college.
Paul has the academic record for this award, but we find that the aspirant is also required to have other excellences, and ideally should have a good record in athletics. Paul is weak. He tries hard, but he has troubles in athletics. But he does try hard.
We propose that you give some special consideration to Paul as a varsity player, putting him, if possible, in the backfield of the football team. In this way we can show a better college record to the committee deciding on the Rhodes scholarships.
We realize that Paul will be a problem on the field, but—as you have often said—cooperation between our department and yours is highly desirable, and we do expect Paul to try hard, of course.
During intervals of study we shall coach him as much as we can. His work in the English Club and on the debate team will force him to miss many practices, but we intend to see that he carries an old football around to bounce (or whatever one does with a football) during intervals in his work.
Sincerely,
Howdoyou Like Themapples,
Chairman
English Department
E. R. FIEDLER
Rochester, N.Y.
HOTBOX: BIG MAN'S GAME
Sirs:
It would be foolish to put a limit on the height of basketball players ("Should there be a height limit on basketball players?" HOTBOX, Jan. 14). The big men of today are no longer "basketball goons," but most of them can shoot from the outside, pass, dribble and handle the ball as well as the playmakers. Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell are good examples of this. If a height limit were put on the tall players a great many of the skilled players would be forced not to compete.
BILL KEACH
Robstown, Texas
HOTBOX: RIGHT INTERESTING
Sirs:
It would be unfair to bar a good ballplayer simply because his feet are too far from his ears. Limit the total height of the five men in the game at any given time. Then if a coach wanted to play a nine-foot goal tender he would have to throw in a couple of midgets to compensate.
I would like to see this idea tried out in a major tournament. Ought to be right interesting.
ROBERT L. BIGGS
Kansas City
HOTBOX: BASKETBALL HANDICAP
Sirs:
My suggestion is to handicap basketball teams in much the same way as race horses. This would require adjustable baskets and objective handicappers. To take an extreme example, imagine a team with an average height of 5 feet 6 inches playing a team averaging 6 feet 6 inches. Before the game the basket to be shot at by the shorties could be set by the handicappers at, say 9 feet, that of the taller team at 11 feet. This would, in some measure, compensate for the one unjustifiable basketball variable, the height differential between opposing players, and put a higher premium on shooting skills.
GERTRUDE GOODRICH
New York City
GOLFERS OF THE U.S., ARISE
Sirs:
Herbert Warren Wind's article on country club finances ("Out West of Calcutta," SI, Jan. 7) was both thought-provoking and well timed.
Unfortunately, he only hinted at what could be the most important single step toward sorely needed club financial succor. The life of every club is its dues and initiation fees. Both are still taxed at the now discriminatory and unfair 20% (excise tax) levied during World War II.
Until club officers, managers, employee groups and members rise up in concert and demand of the Congress of the United States that they be given fair and equal excise tax treatment, they will continue to be treated as recipients in a "soak-the-rich" and "pluck-the-feathers" routine.
FRANK G. HATHAWAY
Los Angeles
HOT STOVE: HERE WE GO AGAIN
Sirs:
As an old and avid baseball fan I was greatly interested in the summary of the National League as the Hot Stove traders see it (SI, Jan. 7). However, it disappointed me to see the small amount of interest shown concerning any possible trades in the American League. Does this result from complacency over the fact that New York is expected to again easily capture the AL pennant?
HENRY RICHARD SILVERMAN
Briarcliff, N.Y.
•For a start, see below.—ED.
HOT STOVE: MR. SWANN EXPLAINS
Sirs:
Well, the Hot Stove league is getting better every time you print it. You printed the "new" National League (I hope a new AL comes out soon), and the sentimental fans are crying, "Don't trade my old heroes even if they don't win the pennant."
I would like to explain to Dan Sullivan of Boston (19TH HOLE, SI, Jan. 7) why they should trade Zauchin, Lepcio and Throneberry for Yost and Courtney. For one thing, you don't need Zauchin when you have Gernert and Vernon and Goodman (in a pinch) to play first. You don't need Throneberry when you have Gene Stevens, and Marty Keough coming up from the high minors. You don't need Lepcio when you have Yost.
Yes, the Red Sox have leadoff men, but none who draw walks like Yost, none who play third base so well and none who will pull the ball over that nice left field wall as often as Yost. Remember you don't play all your games at friendly Fenway, and Courtney is one of the few "near .300" hitting catchers around. He and Klaus could really spark up some of those la-de-da guys you have.
JIM SWANN
Notre Dame, Ind.
HOT STOVE: ATTN. MR. SWANN
Sirs:
Please inform Mr. n Jim Swan(19TH HOLE, Dec. 17 and above) that if Newk were traded to the Sox, Lopez would be out of his mind if he tried to platoon Newk as a pitcher and a first baseman. Modern-day pitchers have enough trouble with their arms trying to pitch every four days without playing another position.
FRANCIS RUSSELL
Mahopac, N.Y.
HOT STOVE: GIANTS' DREAM WORLD
Sirs:
As a wistful New York Giant fan (there aren't many of them nowadays) I wish to give any assistance that I am capable of to the Giant front office. Appalled by the flock of Dodger dreamsters, I will now show the contents of my own dream world.
Four simple trades do the elementary work. Gomez, H. Thompson and Margoneri to Cincinnati for Burgess and Thurman. Antonelli, Grissom, Bressoud, Rhodes and Burgess to Philadelphia for Haddix, Lopata and Repulski. Schoendienst, Mueller and Wilhelm to Milwaukee for Crone, Thomson and O'Connell. Thomson, Sarni, Ridzik and Thurman to Chicago for Rush, Moryn and Jablonski.
A fifth trade might be needed: Rigney for either Stengel or Tebbetts.
WILLIAM L. BAKER
Kitzbühl, Austria
HOT STOVE: LOOK AND SHUDDER
Sirs:
I was looking over the "National League as Hot Stove Traders See It" and being a most loyal Cardinal fan I looked first at the Cardinal column. When I missed such Cardinal greats as Ken Boyer and Wally Moon I imagined someone who isn't very well acquainted with the Cardinals had "traded" these stars. When I found that they had been "traded" to the Dodgers I began to shudder.
DALE BOURDETTE
Milan, Pa.
HOT STOVE: A REALIST SPEAKS
Sirs:
I'm a sensible baseball fan. Even after a quick glance over the Hot Stove National League (19TH HOLE, Jan. 7) some strange changes are seen:
1) Not a Dodger on the Dodgers.
2) Half of the Dodgers are on the Giants.
3) Snider's on Pittsburgh!
4) ‚Öì of the Giants are on the Dodgers.
As for trades I think could or will materialize, these are my predictions:
1) Palys and money for Jackson (3b hole in Reds).
2) Burgess for Erskine and money—or—
3) Burgess and money or a "small" player for Rush (who is still on the trade block).
4) Bridges and Grammas for Buhl and an infielder.
Well, those are my views and no doubt someone thinks I am off my rocker, as I do of others, but everyone to his own viewpoint, I say.
STEF LEINWOHL
Cincinnati
THREE ILLUSTRATIONS
©Ajay
MR. CAPER