LETTERS

Your story on the Guerrero family was very disturbing. That's
not what family love is supposed to be about.
STEVE CHRONISTER, Bellingham, Wash.

CIRCUS FAMILY

Your story on the Guerrero family (A Delicate Balance, June 9)
was the most powerful article I have read in a long time. It
amazes me that through all their family troubles the Guerreros
can still perform such astonishing feats together.
NIYUM GANDHI, State College, Pa.

You are to be commended for reaching beyond the bounds of your
normal coverage to write about something that teaches us more
about life than the average sporting event does.
JON BUSHARD, Bloomington, Minn.

The article on the "amazing" Guerreros didn't leave me feeling
that they are amazing in a positive sense. I can't understand
why these obsessed, negligent parents are worthy of praise.
RICHARD ARVEY, Seattle

OUT OF UNIFORM

Your May 8, l978, cover, which served as the illustration for
your update on Elvin Hayes (CATCHING UP WITH... , June 9), shows
in the background San Antonio Spurs guard Mike Gale wearing a
non-San Antonio uniform. Gale's regular uniform was lost in a
baggage mix-up, and, this being the NBA of the late '70s (and
the Spurs being the Spurs), there was no replacement. The
solution? Gale was decked out in a road uniform of the host
Washington Bullets, worn inside out.
CARL P. LAVIN, Allston, Mass.

CUP CLASH

In preparation for writing his POINT AFTER (Let This Cup Pass,
June 2), Steve Lopez never interviewed the umpire, Steve
Schneider, who was looking out for the child's well-being. Did
he ever stop to wonder who would have been held liable had she
gotten hurt? Melissa's family might have sued the league and
blamed the umpire for not following the rule book.

Second, Melissa's coach, who should know the rules, should have
had Melissa purchase the proper equipment made especially for
females. Isn't it a shame that a mother would encourage her
daughter to disobey a rule that was made to protect the child.

This was not harassment, this was not discrimination, this was
the umpire doing his job right and following the rules.

And now on a more personal note, yes he has gotten to first
base, and no he doesn't sleep with the rule book under his pillow.
DIANE RIVERA SCHNEIDER, Boca Raton, Fla.

During my youth, I never heard an ump ask any of us boys if we
were wearing a cup. That would have been embarrassing. I can
only imagine how Melissa must have felt being mortified in
public. Fortunately, the media are quick to react to a story
like this, and I believe it's the ump who is humiliated now.
BARRY E. BURUD, Minneapolis

I wanted to tell Melissa Raglin that there is a thing called a
"pelvic protector" for women who play ice hockey. I was
wondering if she could use that. Cooper makes them, and they can
be ordered from a hockey-merchandise catalog.
TARA GARNHUM, Chelmsford, Mass.

Steve Lopez condemns an umpire who did his job by enforcing the
rule and then glorifies an umpire who knowingly did not do his
job by looking the other way. The article encourages the idea
that it is O.K. for an official to decide which rule to enforce
and which rule not to enforce.
RICK ORWIG, St. George, Utah

THE BILLS

Attendance in Buffalo is not a problem (the Bills were second
only to the Kansas City Chiefs in home attendance last year),
but as you noted, season-ticket sales are (SCORECARD, June 9).
The Bills recently did away with long-standing season-ticket
holder incentives, so it now costs more to be a season-ticket
holder than it does to buy tickets to eight games individually.
The economy in Buffalo is no worse now--in fact, it's possibly
better--than it was in 1992, when the Bills sold a record 57,132
season tickets. Owner Ralph Wilson is creating an excuse for
moving the Bills, which he needs because of his past raging
against the relocating of franchises. He has made ridiculous
demands. For example, he wants Erie County to guarantee a
minimal amount of revenue from ticket sales or luxury-box
leases. This is a joke.
D. CHARLES ROBERTS JR., Buffalo

COLOR PHOTO: MANNY MILLAN Here's San Antonio's Gale in his inside-out Bullets uniform. [Mike Gale and other in game]