19TH HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER
PHILADELPHIA STORY
Sirs:
Re: Let's Go, Phillies! (August 10): as a resident of a neighboring community, I can't blame Upper Darby. And certainly not Jack Olsen. Thanks for a fine job.
STEPHEN M. RIVKIN
Drexel Hill, Pa.
Sirs:
Phil fans have suffered through many dismal years with our boys and now are thrilled to have a contender. Sure we booed a lot, but who wouldn't if they rooted for a team that has finished first twice and last 21 times in this century?
If the New Yorker who "spent a week in Philadelphia yesterday" spends a few more days here in early October, he'll find it worthwhile. While Shea Stadium and Yankee Stadium are locked up, the Baltimore Orioles will be playing the Phils.
LEE MICHAELS
Philadelphia
Sirs:
Our Boston Red Sox may not be as high in the standings as are the Phillies, but I'll bet our utility man, Felix Mantilla, has a better average than the Phillies' Rojas at catching popcorn.
RICHARD R. FRASER
Walpole, Mass.
Sirs:
Yea, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED! At last someone has said something constructive about our great, "average," winning ball club. From one knowledgeable fan to another—thank you. Let's go, Phillies!
BARBARA DENNISTON
Wayne, Pa.
EVES OF TEXAS
Sirs:
Robert H. Boyle wrote an interesting account of the Pennsylvania-Texas high school grid clash in Beef, Bones and Hershey Bars (August 10). But he failed to mention that the real Texas all-stars were not in Hershey, Pa. at all, but some 1,300 miles away in Fort Worth. Hexing their muscles for the Texas High School Coaches' Association's annual North-South intrastate battle (in which the northern schoolboy stars upset their southern counterparts 23-14).
The young Texans making the trip to Pennsylvania were not the officially recognized "all stars" of their own state. That they were nevertheless potent enough to almost wreck Pennsylvania's Big 33 surprised no one in the Southwest. These fans have always maintained that their brand of football is unmatched.
SAM K. BLAIR
North Little Rock, Ark.
Sirs:
The Hershey bars taste like they were made from bittersweet chocolate besides being full of nuts. The prime college prospects stayed in Texas to participate in the all-star game.
PHIL ROBERTS
Oklahoma City
Sirs:
Your article on the recent football game between the Texas and Pennsylvania high school all-stars has helped me win an argument I have been conducting for many years with some out-of-state friends.
The question was whether Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio or Illinois provided college recruiters with the best football material. Now I know. Pennsylvania football means will to win.
JEFF PAPPAS
Northridge, Calif.
Sirs:
Pennsylvania is the true home of the bonker.
Bonk, bonk, bonk.
HAROLD K. WILLIAMS
Carlisle, Pa.
Sirs:
One might wonder what would have been the outcome of the game if Texas had been represented by its North and South all-star squads.
RICKEY HARMAN
Happy, Texas
FROM PUERTO RICO WITH LOVE
Sirs:
Hooray for Chi Chi Rodriguez (Little Chi Chi's Other Side, August 10). If there were more golf professionals like him, the professional tour would probably lose its reputation as a road company of gloomy introverts.
ANDREW HAYES
Springfield, Mass.
Sirs:
Every year professional golf seems to find new heroes to worship. Some become immortal, while others are forgotten quickly. I hope Chi Chi Rodriguez is not just another passing fad.
PAUL M. SIMON
Chicago
GOOD GRAVLAKS
Sirs:
Our western salmon fight just as hard as those Malangsfoss ones (The Best Single Salmon Pool Anywhere, August 17). Incase one doesn't get away, can we have the recipe for gravlaks?
ODETTE LEONARD
Seattle
•Catch a salmon weighing between 20 and 30 pounds. Use the center section of one side. Remove all bones but leave the skin on. Rub into the flesh a mixture of ‚Öî cup salt, ½ CUP sugar and 20 peppercorns, coarsely crushed. Cover the bottom of a pan with a layer of fresh dill, put in the salmon, skin side down, and sprinkle over it 6 tablespoons of brandy. Cover with more dill and place on top of it a plank heavy enough to put a slight pressure on the salmon. Refrigerate 24 hours (no longer). Cut fish into thick slices and serve with this dressing: Mix I tablespoon prepared mild mustard, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar and a little salt and pepper. Into this mixture beat 4 tablespoons salad oil. At the last moment add a few drops of lemon juice and more fresh dill, this time finely chopped.—ED.
BULL SESSION
Sirs:
I would like to compliment you on the article (Artistry in a Bullring Is not Enough, August 10) about the great Paco Camino and El Cordobés. I was quite surprised the article contained technical terms. Usually you have to use baby-type terms so the American public will understand. The color photo of Paco was fine. I wish you would sometime show a color portrait of El Cordobés, showing that mop hair of his.
MIKE GOODMAN
Fresno, Calif.
Sirs:
We overspent the family budget to see El Cordobés fight in the Nuevo Laredo bullring. The bloody, torpid, boring ordeal showed that even the best bulls and the best matadors can give a lackluster performance.
Needless to say no ears were cut, and we left the arena with the feeling that you had misled us.
MONTE SPIKES
Beeville, Texas
•Like hitters in baseball, toreros are fortunate to average .300, or about one good fight in three.—ED.
LEFTY ON DECK
Sirs:
Some years ago, you kindly printed a letter I wrote you about the late William (Sliding Billy) Hamilton, who played with Philadelphia and Boston from 1890 through 1901. Not long afterward Billy (along with Max Carey) was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame, becoming its 86th member. I like to think that yours truly with the help of your 19TH HOLE had something to do with Hamilton's deserved election.
Bulwarked with that confidence, I am now writing to you about another great, Lefty O'Doul (see below), long overdue for his well-deserved place in Cooperstown.
Frank O'Doul toiled 11 seasons in the majors. At first he was a southpaw pitcher, with New York and Boston of the American League. He came back to the Pacific Coast League after arm trouble ruined his mound effectiveness, became a clouting outfielder and was called up to the National League by the New York Giants.
He hit .319 his first season back in the majors and was shunted to Philadelphia. In 1929 O'Doul stroked a torrid .398 for the Phils to win the National League batting crown and set a record with 254 base hits. He followed with a .383 mark the next year, only to lose out to Bill Terry's .401 and was traded to Brooklyn. As a Dodger he captured a second title with a .368 figure in 1932 at the age of 35.
His .349 lifetime major league average makes Lefty the No. 1 batter now living.
CYRIL (PINKY) GREEN
Haywood, Calif.
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