19TH HOLE: THE READERS TAKE OVER
ROYAL CROWN, CARDINAL THORNS
Sir:
Ron Fimrite did an excellent job on the Royals' World Series win (K.C. Had A Blast, Nov. 4), Curry Kirkpatrick's sidebar on the fall of the Cards was a classic, and the superb photography caught all the action from many different angles. If St. Louis could have handled Game 7 as classily as SI did, it would have been a really great Series.
MATT SODERSTRUM
Story City, Iowa
Sir:
Thanks to Kirkpatrick for a correct call in his sidebar "The Nuthouse Gang Takes A Classic Fall In The Fall Classic." The Cardinals are a fine ball club. They should not allow themselves to be diminished by blaming their defeat on an umpire's bad call. They should take a cue from the Royals, who have lost gracefully for years. Let's put sportsmanship back into baseball.
HELEN WEIL
Charleston, S.C.
Sir:
Jack Clark's ineptitude on Steve Balboni's foul pop was as important to the Cardinals' demise as was Don Denkinger's missed call. Their inability to overcome one bad call is evidence that the Cardinals lack the heart necessary to make a team a true world champion.
GREG SINDAD
St. Augustine, Fla.
Sir:
In his sidebar Curry Kirkpatrick showed less class than the Cardinals did in Game 7. As a true Royal Blue fan, I am upset that SI tarnished a Royal victory by needlessly sensationalizing the frustrated reactions of a fine team like the Cardinals.
KEVIN BYRNE
Kansas City, Mo.
Sir:
To call the Cardinals the "Nuthouse Gang" (among many other derogatory labels) was unbelievably crass. SI, I'm disappointed in you.
LESLIE HEICK
Mount Vernon, Ill.
Sir:
The actions of the Cardinals—Whitey Herzog and Joaquin Andujar in particular—were certainly not sportsmanlike or classy, but they were performed in the heat of a very competitive situation. Neither the organization nor the individuals should be condemned for that.
MARTY SIPPLE
Lincoln, Neb.
Sir:
Kirkpatrick's statement "...it was as if no umpire in World Series history had ever missed one before" is incredible. The Cardinals were only three outs from winning the Series. It took them 108 victories to get into that position, and an umpire who didn't do anything to get there took it away from them. No big deal, just another bad call. Sure.
WILLIAM V. PONTELLO
Chesterfield, Mo.
THE GLENVILLE SPIRIT
Sir:
I just finished reading William Nack's article on Glenville, Minn. and its high school football team's long losing streak ("Like Being Slugged In The Gut," Nov. 4), and my heart goes out to the kids in the football program. Nack has given us a very good insight into family life and Minnesota farm living. An excellent piece of writing.
DENNIS M. EMERY
Metamora, Mich.
Sir:
My compliments to Nack for a superb description of the rural farm crisis and its effect on young people. As a high school football coach in small-town Iowa, I, too, am aware of its impact on the young men I work with and of the perspective it adds to a losing program. There are lessons to be learned here from football that may apply to later life. Sport and life both represent a headlong struggle, and many times the real winners aren't determined by any type of score.
DAVE MILLIS
Edgewood, Iowa
THE "REN" COLLECTION
Sir:
As an avid art collector and baseball fan, I thoroughly enjoyed Rick Telander's ART TALK (Oct. 28) on the Renaissance Society's Chicago White Sox baseball-card project. However, I was disappointed that you didn't reproduce any of the cards. I enclose a set in the hope that you can share at least Harold Baines's card with your readers. Perhaps the "Ren" will continue bringing art to the fans by doing the Cubs next year.
GAY H. ROBERTS
Chicago
•For a look at the Baines card and five others from the collection, see above.—ED.
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
HAROLD BAINES
ED PASCHKE
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
TOM PACIOREK
ROBERT DONLEY
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
FLOYD BANNISTER
MARK JACKSON
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
TOM SEAVER
ELLEN LANYON
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
CARLTON FISK
RICHARD HULL
ILLUSTRATION
© THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY
RICHARD DOTSON
PAUL LA MANTIA
Letters should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer and be addressed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y. 10020.
