Letters

PENNSYLVANIA VS. FLORIDA
Last year I took issue with the cover story in your college football preview (Sept. 5, 1988) in which you stated that Florida had become the nation's No. 1 producer of football talent. At the time, I sent you my alltime all-Pennsylvania schoolboy team, which I believe is far stronger than the all-time all-Florida squad listed in the issue. You didn't deign to publish my team then, so I am resubmitting it for consideration—with this added as evidence of Pennsylvania's superiority: Notre Dame wide receiver Raghib Ismail and San Francisco 49er quarterback Joe Montana, who didn't even make my team, graced your Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, 1989. covers, respectively, and on Sept. 23 another Pennsylvanian, tailback Ricky Watters, was the star in the Irish victory over Michigan State.
NEALE X. TRANGUCCI
Berkeley Heights, N.J.

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DAN HAMPTON
Jill Lieber's article on Chicago defensive tackle Dan Hampton (Cool Hand Dan, Oct. 9) was welcome and revealing to Arkansas fans, to whom Hampton was something of an enigma during his college career. Hampton is best remembered as a member of the heroic aggregation that upset Oklahoma 31-6 in the 1978 Orange Bowl, even though coach Lou Holtz had suspended three key Arkansas players for disciplinary reasons. When reporters sought to needle Sooner coach Barry Switzer into predicting a rout, Switzer demonstrated his football knowledge by saying, "They've still got their defense." The bellwether of that defense was Hampton.
GRIFFIN SMITH
Little Rock, Ark.

I greatly admire Dan Hampton's spirit, courage and unselfishness. His commitment to his team, his teammates and the game is refreshing. But reading about Hampton's injuries gave me greater respect for the decision of former 49er tight end John Frank to walk away from football while he was still able to do so (No Bones About It, Aug. 28). Hampton's place in the Hall of Fame is assured. I only hope he doesn't have to attend the induction ceremonies in a wheelchair.
ERIC FISHER
San Antonio

ASTRONAUT CARTER
Ben Fong-Torres is to be commended for an excellent SPOTLIGHT (Sept. 25) on a unique athlete, Sonny Carter. I went to medical school with Sonny and served with him in the military on Okinawa. I have often told others of this exceptional Navy doctor-astronaut, and I will experience a special case of goosebumps when Discovery lifts off with him aboard on Nov. 19. Sonny deserves every accolade. Very few have the ability to climb so high on so many different mountains.
STEPHEN M. WILKS, M.D.
Lilburn, Ga.

SPORTSMAN (CONT.)
While suggestions of such idealistic candidates for Sportsman of the Year as Jim Abbott and Bart Giamatti are worthy (LETTERS, Oct. 16), the award should go to a person who, in terms of pure athletic prowess, is the most remarkable athlete of our time: Michael Jordan.
SETH J. ARKIN
Skokie, Ill.

TWO PHOTOS

AP

D. Jones (left) and Ditka are two of the Hall of Famers on these teams.

Letters to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer and should be addressed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y. 10020-1393.