Letters

Growing Pains?
I know nothing about the Vikings' Keith Millard other than what I read in Jill Lieber's story Deep Scars (July 29). There can be no excuse for the self-centered behavior she describes. If we are to believe her, Millard isolated himself from friends and family, lashed out at the medical professionals who tried to help him, and became drug-dependent, all because he might not be able to play football for a living. This is not the behavior of a man. This is behavior I would not accept (or expect) from my nine-year-old daughter. If Lieber's portrayal of Millard is accurate, how can we hope that a 29-year-old child prone to temper tantrums can raise children of his own?
JOHN O'MALLEY
Springfield, Va.

If Millard thinks he had it hard, he should think again. I had the same surgery on my knee four months before I graduated from high school. Supposedly the best year of my life was spent on crutches, trying to get to class on time. While all my friends went out to play basketball and soccer, I sat inside waiting for the knee to get better. I had to do all of my rehabilitation on my own, spurred by my doctor's threat that if I didn't do the exercises, I would limp the rest of my life. I had enough mental toughness to want to get better. As a result, I was out of the hospital in three days and off all prescription drugs in five days.

For such a big, tough football player, I'd say Millard has a lot of growing up to do.
ERIC M. OLSON
Portland, Ore.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deep Scars. When I watch Millard play this fall, I will have a greater understanding of why he rants and raves. What a sad childhood! May he have a winning season and good physical and emotional health.
LAURA SCHMITZ
Ionia, Iowa

Misusing the Appalachian Trail
I was disappointed that you chose to report David Horton's "achievement" of completing the Appalachian Trail in record time (SCORECARD, July 22). His trip epitomizes everything that the people who hike the trail detest. Athough it is an amazing feat to finish the trail in such a short time, it is wrong to encourage people to run on hiking trails. The natural beauty of his surroundings was undoubtedly missed by Horton during his run. He also put other hikers at risk. With all of the trail's twists and turns, I imagine others had to jump out of the way so that this maniac could go by. Probably Horton's most heinous crime was putting undue stress on an already overused trail.
EUGENE SONN
Carlisle, Mass.

Relating to Eamonn
It was refreshing to see Eamonn Darcy mentioned in Rick Reilly's article on the British Open (Watch the Birdies, July 29). With his unorthodox swing, Darcy is a golfer to whom we duffers can relate, and we can take pride that he finished tied for fourth place in one of golf's most prestigious events.
EAMON ROONEY
Paterson, N.J.

We Eamonns have not had a hero like Darcy to cheer for since his fellow Irishman Eamonn Coghlan, who broke the world indoor mark for the mile in 1983, passed from the track and field scene. What a thrill it was to hear our name pronounced and spelled correctly for two days on national TV and in prestigious sports articles.

I had hoped Eamonn Darcy would win the British Open so that I could read catchy headlines like AMEN, EAMONN celebrating his victory, but it was not to be. Thanks anyway, Eamonn, for getting us back in the spotlight.
EAMONN J. VIZE
Norristown, Pa.

Broadcaster Jon Miller
Thanks for the terrific TELEVISION article about Oriole and ESPN baseball broadcaster Jon Miller (July 22). I had the opportunity to work with Miller at WITS-AM in Boston during the 1981 baseball strike. To fill time allocated to Red Sox broadcasts and to satisfy our advertisers, the station aired the play-by-play of Strat-O-Matic board games. Standing in the studio and watching Miller and Ken Coleman recreate these games was quite a thrill.

I still have a tape of Miller's call of a game pitting the '67 Red Sox against the '81 Red Sox. Yaz flying out to Yaz has to be one of the great play-by-play calls of all time. Miller is a genius and Coleman could pinch-hit for comedian Bob Newhart any time.

I hope Miller realizes the joy his work brings to baseball fans.
MIKE FABER
Albuquerque

Lest We Forget
In your July 29 SCORECARD replay box, recalling 10 years ago in SI, you noted that before Rocket Ismail, the biggest name to play in the Canadian Football League was Vince Ferragamo. How could you forget Warren Moon, who guided the Edmonton Eskimos to five Grey Cup championships in six years before joining the Houston Oilers? And he's still playing.
HELEN VARGA
Houston

PHOTO

CANAPRESS PHOTO SERVICE/BRIAN GAVRILOFF

Moon led the Eskimos to five Grey Cup wins.

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.