Letters

The court should allow Andrew Long to hit Jesse Boulerice in the
face with his stick traveling between 50 and 75 mph.
--KEVIN O'CALLAGHAN, Millis, Mass.

A BLOW STRUCK IN ANGER

After reading your article (Less than Murder, March 22) and
watching the video of the incident on your Web site about a
hundred times, I would not hesitate to ban Jesse Boulerice for
life from playing hockey. The guy plainly paused for a moment
after the tussle, shifted his weight and slammed his stick into
Andrew Long's face like a man out for blood. I don't buy into
the justification that life is hard on young men trying to make
it to the big show in hockey.
BRIAN K. RUSSELL, Huntington, W.Va.

Although Canada's youth leagues do teach kids to score goals and
play defense, it is clear that they don't teach youngsters how
to deal with their emotions. It is surprising that violent acts
such as this one are not more common.
JON SWARD, Glorieta, N.Mex.

The insinuation that what caused Boulerice to take his hockey
stick to the face of Long had more to do with the pressure of
succeeding at Canada's national pastime and less to do about the
reckless behavior of a violent young man is clearly ridiculous.
JEFF SEXTON, Dyersburg, Tenn.

Boulerice is as much a victim in this incident as Long.
Boulerice is a victim of the preconception of what has always
been acceptable in hockey. Pressing charges is just a tactic to
seek revenge. Boulerice certainly doesn't deserve to go to jail
or serve out an extensive probation. He doesn't deserve to have
his 10-year dream of playing in the NHL dashed by a split-second
decision.
BECKY REED, Dallas

WHAT ABOUT LOFTON?

I disagree with your statement about Pat Listach's being the
overwhelming choice for American League Rookie of the Year in
1992 (INSIDE BASEBALL, March 22). Kenny Lofton finished second
that year with 85 points to Listach's 122. A better choice of
words would have been, "Listach beat out Lofton in one of the
closest American League Rookie of the Year votes in the past 10
years."
MIKE STADULIS, Pataskala, Ohio

SECRET WEAPON

I enjoyed your article about the newly blazing Portland Trail
Blazers, but you left out a key ingredient in their success,
assistant coach Tim Grgurich (Egoless Trip, March 22). Grgurich
spent the last several years with the Seattle SuperSonics, for
whom he provided the glue to hold a fragile team together. The
Blazers are cohesive and winning. The difference is Grgurich.
KEN BOYER, Redmond, Wash.

INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE?

While I enjoyed your analysis of the Sweet 16 (Sweet 'n' Low,
March 22), you should have chosen Iowa point guard Dean Oliver's
using his father, who is in prison on drug charges, as his
greatest inspiration for your This Week's Sign That the
Apocalypse Is Upon Us, instead of as a Field of Dreams father-son
moment.
JAMES MILLER, Oviedo, Fla.

HE'S NOT MY HERO

Your article by S.L. Price on Jose Canseco was disgusting (Life
Is Beautiful, March 22). Why do sports publications glorify
athletes, no matter how much abuse and heartbreak they inflict on
their families? You mention Canseco's clashes with the law over
gun possession and speeding, his alleged steroid use and, oh, by
the way, spousal abuse of not one but two wives! There are many
athletes who deserve recognition on your pages, instead of this
crude animal.
J.H. BERRY, New Orleans

CRITICAL SCORES

I find it ludicrous that anyone could think the SAT test is
racially biased (SCORECARD, March 22). If a high school senior
cannot achieve a score of 700 or 820, that player doesn't
deserve to go to college.
ADAM LANGLEY, Glenview, Ill.

Regardless of age, sex or race, you should either make the
scores or not get admitted. College should not be a place where
you go to earn a pro contract.
RODNEY MASENGALE, Bradenton, Fla.

B/W PHOTO: NATIONAL BASEBALL LIBRARY HALL OF FAME

Sluggers Before and After the War

The table Back to the 40s in the Jose Canseco article about the
longest stretch between 40 home run seasons is misleading in the
cases of Hank Greenberg (above) and Johnny Mize, because they
didn't suffer dry spells at the plate but were serving in World
War II. Mize missed the 1943, '44 and '45 seasons. By '47 he had
regained his home run touch. Although there were six years
between his 40-plus homer years, he played in only three of
them. Greenberg's feat was more startling. He joined the Army in
1941, missing most of that season, all of '42, '43 and '44 and
part of '45. In '46 he hit 44 home runs, not missing a beat
after an almost five-year absence.
PETER J. NEUSPIEL, Media, Pa.