19TH HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER

INDIAN WAR
Sirs:
If major league baseball moves out of Cleveland to San Diego (SCORECARD, Aug. 7), it will be the biggest farce in the history of money-hungry baseball-club owners. If Cleveland, with the biggest stadium in the league and largest season attendance in history, is not a major league city, you name one. You might as well move the Yankees to Glendale (to join Casey)!
DONALD P. SMITH, M.D.
New Monmouth, N.J.

Sirs:
The San Francisco Bay area has always wanted a first-class (no Angels for us, please) American League team. As the Giants have been accepted here, so the Indians will also be accepted, only with even greater pleasure.
ARTHUR WANG
Berkeley, Calif.

Sirs:
What in the world do you know about the possible moving and relocation of the Cleveland Indians? You spend so much time and space covering the various New York Yankee superstars that I consider it rather presumptuous of you to write about the asinine rumors flying around other teams.

In the future just stick to writing about areas you know something about—the Yankees and such major sports as food, sightseeing and chess.
JAMIE ROBINSON
Chagrin Falls, Ohio

FORTHRIGHT FANS
Sirs:
Thanks for writing something about Lisa Lane (Queen of Knights and Pawns, Aug. 7) and the greatest game ever devised by man: chess.
ROBERT L. NELSON
Compton, Calif.

Sirs:
Thanks from all of us for the superb article on Lisa Lane, the biggest publicity break ever for chess!
JERRY SPANN
Vice-President, Fédération Internationale des Échecs
Oklahoma City

Sirs:
I like SPORTS ILLUSTRATED because it is decisive. But the one article I didn't agree with was Nobody Likes the Dodgers (Aug. 14) by Jim Brosnan (who, by the way, is slightly prejudiced). You tell Jim that I like the Dodgers. Also tell him that baseball is not a popularity contest.
ROBERT WILSON
Richmond

HEY, UMP!
Sirs:
As one who frequently does not see eye to eye with the umpire, let me say that the "gentleman in blue" on your cover (July 31) is typical. He is calling the play with his eyes closed!

I knew it all the time.
J. B. THOMAS
Columbia, Tenn.

Sirs:
A very clear and colorful picture, but could you explain to me how the umpire's right arm grew a left hand?
HUGH WINIG
Trenton, N.J.

•The right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing—to the picture, that is.—ED.

Sirs:
I'd sure like to see this cooky calling balls and strikes behind the plate. Come to think of it—I think I have.
JOHN KENNEDY, D.D.S.
Reseda, Calif.

BATTLEGROUND
EXCELLENT STORY BY FURLONG ON FULLMER-FERNANDEZ FIGHT (A Losing Look in a Winning Fight, Aug. 14), BUT ISN'T ONE OF THE BASIC RULES OF GOOD JOURNALISM TO TELL "WHERE"? WHAT HAPPENED TO OGDEN, UTAH?
BERNIE R. DIAMOND
MANAGER, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OGDEN, UTAH

SCORE'S SCORE
Sirs:
Herb had all the greatness of a Walter Johnson and a Dizzy Dean until that unfortunate incident tarnished his quest for equal recognition (The Private Ordeal of Herb Score, Aug. 7). You have paid great tribute to a gracious young ballplayer who by all means should be embittered against the very art that he served so well.
RICHARD WATSON
Key West, Fla.

Sirs:
Watched one of the better ball games of my life last night (Aug. 2)—Herb Score went all the way against Spokane, 7-2. There were no hits off Score until the seventh. The total: 6 strikeouts, 4 hits, 3 walks.

Was Herb wild? No, but the fans were.
JOHN H. STEINEMANN
San Diego

OH, FUDGE!
Sirs:
In his article on Herb Score, Jack Olsen referred to the "all-purpose four-letter words" being used "whenever soldiers and ballplayers get together in their underclothes." I have just completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army as an officer, and I also was a varsity athlete at the University of Pittsburgh for three years. I feel your statement casts a distasteful light on both soldiers and athletes, which would include myself in both cases.

It's a darn shame you stooped so low.
JAMES M. DONAHUE
Pittsburgh

PLACE COLLECTORS
Sirs:
Your park ranger, Don Moser, underestimates the capabilities of the camera to capture the scene (Ah, Wilderness! Your Joys Are Wasted, Aug. 7). I treasure my movies of the parks more than any incidental facts provided by rangers.
SIDNEY A. KANE
Beaver Falls, Pa.

Sirs:
Don Moser has the American Place Collector well-pegged. As a ranger at the entrance to Sequoia National Park, I notice an increasing number of visitors who ask, "How long does it take?" Partly to blame for this are scheduled vacations. The automobile clubs and oil companies furnish maps to their customers with little green lines drawn through as many points of interest as possible. Consequently the tourist doesn't have time to visit Crescent Meadow, Moro Rock or Crystal Cave because he is "behind schedule" and still has to drive through Yosemite in the afternoon.
K. B. SEYDEL
Three Rivers, Calif.

PLEASURE FLYING
Sirs:
It was with considerable dismay that I read Rendezvous with an Unknown Field (July 31). It seemed misplaced in your fine publication. You have distorted the true picture of private flying. You have scared your readers.

Any magazine can write a scare story. No—not SPORTS ILLUSTRATED!
RICHARD D. RAYMOND
Strafford, Pa.

•To conceal the risks of flying is as misleading as to say that no swimmer ever drowns. Pilot Knauth believes that any aspirant to flight should know its dangers as well as its rewards, and he has yet to find an experienced flier who will not admit to having sometimes been afraid.—ED.

Sirs:
As a private pilot since 1941, I certainly enjoyed Percy Knauth's story. It brought to mind one of Edgar Bergen's inimitable cracks: "Flying is safe but eventful!" And it recalled from my own experiences not a few sweaty incidents. Perhaps one of the most memorable joys of flying is that feeling of being solidly on ground again. At any rate, there's nothing like flying for keeping you young!
GEORGE V. CAESAR
Harbor Beach, Mich.

SKIING: POTENT AND POOR
Sirs:
I have been appalled by the lack of knowledge among the sportsmen of this country concerning the Fédération Internationale de Ski championship to be held at Chamonix, France, next winter (Feb. 18-25) and its importance in world skiing. This FIS championship, which is held every four years, probably means more to the European winter sports enthusiast than the Olympics, yet here in the U.S. very few people, including the average skiing enthusiasts, arc even aware this great world event exists.

At present the U.S. FIS team is in a very sad financial position because of this lack of knowledge. Fifty-five thousand dollars is needed to send only a skeleton team—not even considering a full-fledged squad—to Europe this next year, and in the last nine months only about $10,000 of this has been raised.

As I am writing this, 40 track athletes have been sent to Europe to compete, not particularly for any world's championship, but just for meets with other countries. My guess is that the expense of this trip is around $88,000 to $100,000. Where does this money come from? And why is it available at this time to track when teams of other sports need financial backing for a world's championship?

Three years from now, when the Olympic winter sports events will again be held, the U.S. can have the finest ski team it has ever had, if European training and competition can be obtained this year and next year. Never have we had as high a caliber of skier in the U.S. as now. Thus it is essential to have an organized group this winter in Europe competing officially and gaining valuable experience for the future.
WILLIAM P. CLOUGH JR., M.D.
Director, Eastern Amateur Ski Assn.
New London, N.H.

PHOTO

UMP AS CAUGHT BY CAMERA, CRITICS