Letters To The Editor

Parker’s license not suspended

I am writing to point out inaccuracies in your reporting of Darren Parker’s involvement in the alleged Playfair race-fixing scheme (April 12 and April 13, The Spokesman-Review). Darren Parker merely agreed to surrender his license and not seek relicensure from the Washington State Horse Racing Commission. His license was not suspended, revoked, canceled, nor did he agree that he was ineligible for licensing. Simply to avoid the expense of what we anticipated at that time to be a probable four-week trial, Darren surrendered his license. He did not stipulate to, and in fact denied any involvement in, the alleged race fixing scheme.

It is my understanding that in the April 12 newspaper report of the hearing, you reported that Mr. Parker’s license was suspended. In the April 13 edition, you reported that Scott Bergsrud, Tim Masters, Darren Parker and Jeff Jones have had their licenses revoked for allegedly agreeing to keep their horses out of the top three in certain trifecta races at the Spokane track in 1993. I am not intimately familiar with the outcome of Mr. Masters’ or Mr. Jones’ licenses, but it is my general understanding that those, in fact, have been revoked.

However, I want to again specifically point out that Mr. Parker’s license at no time has been revoked, suspended or canceled. Darren is obviously concerned about the inferences that are being created by erroneously reporting that his license has been either suspended or revoked. Therefore, I wanted to bring this immediately to your attention and request that in future newspaper articles you accurately report that Mr. Parker denied any participation in the alleged scheme, merely surrendered his license and agreed not to seek relicensure. Carl J. Oreskovich Spokane

Editor’s note: The executive secretary of the Washington Horse Racing Commission, Bruce Batson, says Parker “agrees to surrender his jockey’s license and agrees never to seek relicensure” in the state of Washington. Agreeing never to seek a license is not a suspension, but the effect is the same.

Embarrassing times at Eastern

John Blanchette’s scathing attack on EWU’s athletic program capped two weeks during which Eastern came under criticism and ridicule on several fronts.

First, was the article criticizing raises to many of Eastern’s administrators. Eastern president Mark Drummond justified the raises with the anemic claim that administrators’ workloads had increased. He neglected to point out that staff workloads had increased because of layoffs, yet staff did not get a raise. He also neglected to mention that if he had not given raises and bonuses to administrators and faculty (despite a state-imposed freeze), Eastern would have virtually no budget deficit this biennium.

Second, came the embarrassing 800 number episode. The responsibility for that little peccadillo lies directly at the feet of the vice president for special programs, Dr. Robert Herold, a Drummond disciple. The incident reflects the continuing lack of quality management under Dr. Drummond’s rein. Individuals receive promotions without any consideration for their competence to perform. This trend will no doubt continue.

Finally, came Blanchette’s article. While the criticism is directed at the athletic department, the responsibility for this fiasco is in the hands of Dr. Drummond. Once again, his meddling has brought embarrassment to the institution. Worse, Drummond’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering has put Eastern athletic director John Johnson on the spot as the bad guy. That is a shameful act. John Johnson’s fault in this incident is that he is a sincere and honorable man caught in the machinations of an uncaring administration. Tom McArthur Spokane

Sandpoint coach deserved honor

After seeing the picks for the All-North Idaho wrestling team, I can’t help but wonder - how can Dan Taylor (of Sandpoint) not be coach of the year?

Sandpoint wins state two years in a row, has three state champions, places four wrestlers on the All-North Idaho wrestling first team, and three on the second. What do people think this guy is doing, driving the bus?

I don’t have anything to do with the wrestling program. My boys don’t wrestle, and I wouldn’t know Dan Taylor if I saw him on the street. But there’s no way he should not have been voted coach of the year. Jim Deane Sandpoint

Let’s outlaw baseball

Baseball! The so-called “Great-American Pastime,” where the players grab themselves often, spit tobacco more often and run around sliding in the dirt, mouthing off at the umpires and “gesturing” to the fans. Where the over-estimated, over-paid and under-worked “Prima Donnas” rant and rave when they do not get their way and spit and grab even more! Well, enough is enough! It has gone on too long!

OPINION: Outlaw baseball. Yes, do away with the stupid game of active idleness! It was, is, and always will be the GREAT AMERICAN WASTE-TIME! Where else can one see more time, money and effort wasted in one day? Not to mention the obnoxious fans who cannot behave themselves after just a couple of beers! There are better things to do with one’s time. Let the owners turn their “Shrines” into centers of learning and special training for the disadvantaged in their communities. Oh, Heaven forbid! Then the owners might not continue to be the multi-millionaires they are now. Golly gee, look at all that TV revenue they would miss out on if they really became community-oriented with their expensive real estate. Oh well, it seems that greed and avarice still have their place and it seems to be in the arena of baseball. I say outlaw it and get on with life. Rehabilitate the players to become stock brokers and bankers! Or maybe tennis players or golfers, take your pick. C. Dean Mathers Coeur d’Alene

Good deeds too often go unnoticed

Fortunately, there is a counterbalance to the more visible negativism, and to discover it, one need look no further than in our own back yard. There are amateur and professional players and coaches alike who go about their caring and outreach, without fanfare, every day making a positive impact on our lives. For example:THIS IS A PARAPHRASE, BY CES The negative side of sports gets the headlines. But for a counterbalance, one needs look no farther than our own backyard. To wit:

Two years ago, a Washington State non-athlete student was paralyzed in an accident during an outing to the Copper Bowl. Because I know his family and because my own son is a WSU baseball player, I sent notes to the baseball, basketball and football teams in hopes of eliciting a few cards or letters of encouragement.

Within a week, a package arrived - through Mark Hendrickson, from coach Kelvin Sampson and the basketball team. Inside were several team T-shirts, a program and posters autographed by the players and staff and a card encouraging their “brother” in his therapy.

A few weeks later, I answered the phone in Seattle to a voice saying, “Hi Terry, this is Mike Price.” In the midst of a hectic recruiting and awards banquet schedule, Coach Price “made” time to spend with a non-athlete.

Equally notable was the appearance one day, unannounced, of then-head UW football coach Don James at the injured student’s therapy session.

Playing dumb that the student was a “Cougar,” James brought him a Husky hat. When informed he was a Cougar, Coach James said if he had known that, he would have brought an entire Husky sweat suit! Coach James offered to have the student view the spring scrimmage in person and offered the use of the athletic department academic tutors to complete the 12 remaining credits he needed to graduate. Husky helping Cougar.

Another example occurred last October, when a Seattle-area boy underwent the first heart transplant in the history of Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. In the publicity that followed, one article mentioned baseball was the boy’s favorite sport, and how he planned on being there to try out for Little League this year. A short time later, he was proud to receive contact from the WSU baseball program in the form of a card of encouragement, signed by players and staff, along with an autographed Pac-10 ball in a display case. That developed into coach Steve Farrington inviting the boy to be bat-boy last month in the Husky-Cougar game of the Kingdome Classic.

The young man returned home from that game with something far more valuable than the autographed T-shirt and program from the tournament. He is now turning out for Little League, like he promised.

These are just a few of the many less visible, yet far more meaningful, contributions that these fine people make in our daily lives. We hear little about them because these acts are hardly sensational. They don’t sell papers, but they improve lives, as the effects ripple beyond the acts themselves. They reflect how most of us would prefer to live, I believe, when we remember to. Terry Solomon Redmond, Wash.

Kudos to the Chiefs

Mike Babcock, I’ll remember the goal that won it.

I would like to take a little time and say thank you to the Spokane Chiefs. To come from the bottom of the league to the top was a very hard job. No one thought it could be done, but they did it. It’s now time to say goodbye to some of our players. We wish them all well and good luck. In my book, they are No. 1, all of them. We may not be the ones in Kamloops (in the WHL West playoff finals), but these young men can hold their heads high and walk very tall because they did a very good job. Some of us know who won. They are the best. Thank you again. Lova L. Smith Chattaroy