Letters

Definition of Hero

I applaud the selflessness and generosity of soccer player
George Weah (A Good Man in Africa, April 16). If our baseball,
NBA and NFL superstars had half the heart that Weah does, the
world would be a much better place. Weah is an inspiration to
children everywhere.
MARTIN SIMCHOWITZ, Houston

Weah gets my vote for Sportsman of the Year. Better yet,
nominate Weah for the Nobel Peace Prize.
ARTURO M. ROBLES
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

I was in Liberia in the summer of 1997 to observe the election
and witnessed the impact that Weah has had on all aspects of his
country's war-torn society. Weah's commitment to and passion for
Liberia, as captured in S.L. Price's writing and Simon Bruty's
photos, moved me.
L. BROOKS ENTWISTLE, Hong Kong

Since attending Arthur Ashe's funeral eight years ago, I have
wondered if the world would ever see again an athlete with such
a combination of athletic ability, leadership skills, compassion
and good will. Enter Weah.
BRENT RICHARDSON, Cincinnati

Master of All He Surveys

The burning question is not whether Jack Nicklaus's record total
of major victories is in jeopardy (Four-gone Conclusion, April
16). It's not an issue anymore. Tiger has to win only one a year
for the next 13 years to break it. Plus at that point he'll have
12 years before he goes on the geezer tour. He not only will
remain the youngest to win the Masters, but also around 2023
he'll become the oldest! The burning question? What's Tiger
going to have served at next year's champions banquet, since
Vijay Singh went with Thai food this year and Tiger chose
cheeseburgers the year after his first victory, in 1997?
HERB COCKCROFT, San Francisco

Knowing Tiger's uncanny ability to hear the firing of a camera
shutter from miles away, exactly how did photographer Fred Vuich
get his cover photo on April 16?
BRENT SCHUETTPELZ, Appleton, Wis.

--Vuich used a Mamiya 7 range-finder camera with a wide-angle
lens. It has a silent electromagnetic shutter. He was standing on
a photographers' tower that was 10 yards behind the tee box on
the 18th hole. --ED.

Rick Reilly calls it in Ain't It Grand! (THE LIFE OF REILLY,
April 16). He's not afraid to point out a special heavenly body
in the universe of sports: Tiger is the comet that flashes by,
while ordinary stars, though bright, get lost in its tail.
JOHN G. PAPANIKOLAS, Salt Lake City

Yes, Tiger holds all four major titles at one time. However,
there were other terrific performance at the Masters, like those
of Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Mark Calcavecchia and Chris
DiMarco. These pros also have extraordinary talent and stories
to tell. I'm a little sick of reading only about Tiger and
seeing his image on your cover.
PETER CLARK, Cooperstown, N.Y.

Myth of Invincibility

Thanks to E.M. Swift for his heartfelt piece on Bill Johnson
(Last Run, April 16). In today's world of sports, chockful of
seemingly bionic men like Tiger Woods and Shane Battier, it's
important, albeit painful, to be reminded that our heroes are
still human beings.
BRIAN W. PECK, New York City

Sweet Whiff of Spring

After reading Steve Rushin's article A Hall of an Opening Day
(AIR AND SPACE, April 16), I found it much easier to look past
baseball's blemishes, like outrageous salaries and whiny
players, and remember why our national pastime is still so
magical.
MATT ELDER
Watertown, Mass.

Pops Is Tops

I was disappointed to see only a LEADING OFF photo and half a
page of text (SCORECARD, April 16) dedicated to Willie Stargell.
Pops was a legend in one of the best sports cities in America.
He is the only player to win league MVP, playoff MVP and World
Series MVP in the same season; one of only 17 players to be
inducted in the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility;
and one of the best people associated with the sport. Stargell
deserved a little more recognition.
CHAD BOURNE, Richmond

Stacked Deck?

You said that Mark Cuban won the Mavericks' NCAA office pool
(INSIDE THE NBA, April 16). Knowing how much he hates to lose, I
wonder if he bought all the chances?
CASEY RANDALL, Elk Grove, Calif.

COLOR PHOTO: MANNY MILLAN

How Soon We Forget

With all the talk about how Tiger Woods's winning four major
championships in a row over two years is an incomparable
achievement, Steffi Graf (right) must feel forgotten. In 1988
Graf won not only the Grand Slam of tennis but also the Olympic
gold medal in Seoul.
MICHAEL BARBOZA, Clearwater, Fla.