19TH HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER

HUBIE
Sir:
Thank you for Bruce Newman's article on Coach Hubie Brown (The Gospel According to Hubie, Oct. 31). I have watched Brown closely ever since he arrived in Atlanta and turned a mediocre team into a winner. For the past two years I have observed him working enthusiastically with boys and girls at his camps, and I have heard him motivate executives at business meetings. Never has there been a man with more zeal for his work. He continually gives of himself to others and is a credit to the sport of basketball.

I find it particularly interesting that Michael Gearon, the Hawks' president, who put Brown "on the street," has seen fit to hire Hubie's disciple, Mike Fratello, as the teams head coach.
MICHAEL P. FLAHERTY
Norcross, Ga.

Sir:
Hubie Brown obviously did not have an easy life growing up, but how does he justify his holier-than-thou attitude when judging—and belittling—others, such as Bill Russell? As a fan from way back (1940s), I feel that CBS made a big mistake in replacing Russell on its NBA telecasts this season. History will show who goes down as contributing more to mankind and basketball, Brown or Russell.
RODD BUCK
Toledo

Sir:
I am appalled by the gall of Hubie Brown in attempting to discredit all that Bill Russell has done for the game of basketball and to compound that with his utterly tasteless remark concerning Russell's character.

Russell needs no one to defend him. His contribution to the sport is unparalleled. More than that, his positive influence as a strong-minded, intelligent and extremely articulate person stands as the epitome of a class athlete and a class individual.

I am proud to know Bill Russell and to count him as a friend.
NANCY AUERBACH
Washington

Sir:
Bill Russell's 11 NBA championships, two NCAA titles and Olympic gold medal will be remembered and admired long after the pejorative bleats of a career loser fade away.
JOHN TOWNLEY
North Dartmouth, Mass.

Sir:
Brown teaches people to be positive thinkers, yet he appears to be a very negative person, always saying negative things about fellow coaches and players. I guess his philosophy is "Do as I say, not as I do."
THE REV. H. WILLIAM DAMBACH
Upper Buffalo Presbyterian Church
Washington, Pa.

RALPH & CO.
Sir:
In his article on Ralph Sampson (It's Just a Matter of Time, Oct. 31) Anthony Cotton asks. "Will Sampson be the big man of the '80s? Or will he be another Chamberlain, with gaudy numbers but little to show for them?"

Wilt Chamberlain has plenty to show for all his numbers. He was one of the most outstanding athletes of all time. Most of Chamberlain's career came during the Bill Russell era, and Wilt and his inferior teams always had to play second fiddle to Russell and the Celtics. Given that circumstance, Chamberlain needn't take a backseat to anyone. He was the best. For Sampson's sake I hope he can do half as well as Chamberlain.
BILL MUCHNICK
Olivette, Mo.

"MONDAY NIGHT" QUARTERBACKS
Sir:
Thanks for the article on Monday Night Football and its latest Hop announcer, O.J. Simpson (TV/RADIO, Oct. 31). Watching the Juice perform as an NFL player was one of the most entertaining activities imaginable, but listening to him stumble over words while broadcasting a football game is less interesting than watching paint dry. After Fran Tarkenton bit the dust, I thought ABC would realize that just because a player used to put fans in the stands, it doesn't mean his voice is going to put them in front of a TV screen.
PETE BARTA
St. Paul

Sir:
In my opinion O.J. Simpson adds to the game of football and makes watching it more enjoyable. But if ABC wants higher ratings, it should turn out the lights on Don Meredith. He has the kind of charm and personality only a mother could love. Also Howard Cosell. He knows his trivia, and he knows the language, but he just doesn't grow on you.
CARY STANDRIDGE
Little Rock, Ark.

Sir:
Why the slide? It's simple. Until the NFL and ABC change the starting time of the game from 9 p.m. to 8 p.m., the ratings will continue to decline. Some of the games last past 12:30 a.m., and at that hour I never hear Don Meredith sing Turn Out the Lights, because my lights are already out.
LARRY ROWLAND
Ypsilanti, Mich.

Sir:
My wife and I are typical take-it-or-leave-it Monday Night Football viewers. With O.J. added to Gifford and Meredith, we'll take it. With the continuously pontificating Cosell, we'll leave it. For us, it's that simple.
RICK AND JULIE SWENSON
St. Paul

HITS AND ERRORS
Sir:
As an outfielder for the Philadelphia A's from 1925 through 1929, I can assure your readers that it is not unusual for baseball storekeepers to change their rulings from errors to hits and hits to errors after the game. Bob Fulton's letter (19TH HOLE, Oct. 31) on Ernie Koob's 1917 no-hitter brought to mind a game between the A's and the Senators, with Walter Johnson pitching for Washington. A's Shortstop Chick Galloway had been awarded a hit on a ball that Washington Third Baseman Ossie Bluege could not handle. That was our only hit until the ninth inning, when I sent a ball to deep short and beat it out for a clean single. When I reached first base, Joe Judge said, "If you hadn't got that hit, the chief scorer was going to give Bluege an error so that Walter would be credited with a no-hit game." Johnson was a favorite in Washington.

We never knew the number of hits and errors sent in by the scorer until the next day.
WALTER E. FRENCH
Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (ret.)
La Selva Beach, Calif.

RICH FILLY
Sir:
In his tribute to Kelso (SCORECARD, Oct. 31) Franz Lidz stated that Kelso's earnings were exceeded only by those of Spectacular Bid, John Henry, Affirmed and Trinycarol. Who the devil is or was Trinycarol? I've followed horses since the time of Zev and Earl Sande, but I must confess that's a new one on me.
DAVE VAN SWEARINGEN
Walkerville, Mont.

•Trinycarol, Venezuela's Horse of the Year last season, is the leading money-winning female horse of all time. The 4-year-old daughter of Velvet Cap and Ormera has won 18 of 26 career starts for a total of $2,644,516. Until last summer, when she arrived in this country, Trinycarol had raced solely in Venezuela, which is why her record is unfamiliar to many U.S. racegoers. To be included on the list of top earners, a horse must have started at least once in North America. Trinycarol now has two North American starts to her credit. On Sept 25 she ended up fifth and last in the first race—a 1-mile overnight handicap—at New York's Belmont Park. And on Oct. 23 she was eased up and didn't finish the eighth race—the 1‚⅛-mile Las Palmas Handicap—at California's Santa Anita Park, where she's currently stabled.—ED.

PHOTO

Now No. 4 on the 1983 money list, Trinycarol came home last in her first U.S. race.

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