Letters

The Playoffs
I would like to commend Tim Kurkjian on his article about the Pittsburgh Pirates' last-inning loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series (The Crudest Game, Oct. 26). I saw the Braves' unforgettable comeback and celebration, but I could only wonder about the Pirates and their faithful supporters.

The Braves were great winners, certainly, but the Pirates demonstrated to a win-at-all-costs country how to lose gracefully.
TOM MACLEAN
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Kurkjian writes that the Pirates' loss "was worse than the infamous collapse of the Boston Red Sox in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series to the New York Mets." Were Pittsburgh fans carrying the baggage of 68 years of failure? At least Pirate fans have three dramatic Game 7 World Series victories—in 1960, '71 and '79—to warm their memories. (Pittsburgh's two other championships, in 1909 and '25, also came in seven games.)

Kurkjian suggests that sympathy for the '86 Red Sox should be tempered by the knowledge that 1) the Red Sox were arrogant and unlikable and 2) there was still Game 7 to be played.

The Red Sox were arrogant? Bear in mind that they were playing the Carter-Strawberry-Hernandez Mets, and that they were playing in New York, the font of arrogance.
BRUCE L. CARMEN
Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Staying Up Late
Jane Bachman Wulf's POINT AFTER (Oct. 26) hit me right between the eyes. I have two Little Leaguers who love to watch baseball, buy mountains of baseball cards and surprise me with their knowledge of the sport, but they can't stay awake late enough to watch the World Series. Baseball is losing a whole generation of fans who will never know the excitement of the World Series, and some of us "older kids" must catch the score in the morning because we have that annoying distraction—a job. Major League Baseball should find a way to give future fans a peek at the most exciting games of the national pastime.
FRANK QUARTARONE
Natick, Mass.

This 54-year-old kid has to rise at 4:30 every morning. By the fifth or sixth inning in one of these playoff or World Series games, it's past my bedtime. Am I in the minority? I think not. CBS and baseball are losing the eastern-time-zone crowd in the later innings with their so-called prime-time broadcasts.
DAVID K. WEAVER
Oakton, Va.

New Telephone Number
I am delighted to inform you that Alexander Wolff's profile of Golden State Warrior guard Sarunas Marciulionis ("I Have To Open Other People's Eyes, "Nov. 9) has indeed opened other people's eyes. Your readers have so overwhelmed the Grateful Dead's fan hotline with requests for tie-dyed Lithuanian Olympic Team T-shirts that we have had to enlist the support of TicketMaster outlets across America. People are now encouraged to call 800-225-2277 (510-762-2277 in California) to order their shirts, for $30 each.

Of course, all the profits will continue to go Marciulionis's Lithuanian Children's Fund. On behalf of the children of Lithuania, please thank your readers for joining with Marciulionis to give these children a reason to believe in their big dreams.
RICHARD ROGERS
Senior Vice-President
Golden State Warriors
Oakland

Massive Line
In INSIDE COLLEGE FOOTBALL (Oct. 12), William F. Reed writes, "The biggest offensive line in the nation? It no doubt belongs to Ellsworth Community College of Iowa Falls, Iowa. The starters average 6'5" and 354 pounds." Could you please print a photograph of these young men?
READ NORTON
Colorado Springs

PHOTO

DOUG WELLS/THE DES MOINES REGISTER

At 200 pounds, tailback Raymond Taylor leans heavily on (from left): Matt Johnson, 325 pounds; Ghaton Ross, 330; Ryan Conover, 330; Herb McMath, 365; and Charles Murphy, 420.

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.