Letters To The Editor

Baseball had better days

I am probably one of those baseball fans that teams pray everyone will become. Short of being able to attend major league games on a regular basis due to proximity, I avidly follow my team, wear its logo and watch every game on television. This has been my hobby for close to forty years. I am originally from Atlanta and my team is, and has always been, the Braves. Thanks to Henry Aaron that fascination began while the team still played out of County Stadium in Milwaukee.

While I do not remember Jackie Robinson’s entry into the game, the game that I remember as a child was his direct responsibility. I cannot imagine a game where the best were not allowed to play. The concept of segregation seemed odd even to me at that age. Being from the South, though of another race, nothing else appeared so needless, yet so pervasive. Even into the ‘70s the shadow of that hatred followed Henry Aaron on his quest to better Babe Ruth’s records. We could feel it in the stands, but only Henry could know the true extent of it and still be able to endure the threats and jeers just as Jackie Robinson had twentyfive years earlier.

Henry Aaron’s observations, on a well-placed front page commentary, while true, are equally sad. That this giant in the history of the game, both as a player and as a man, would willingly distance himself from the game because of the attitudes of today’s stars says volumes. The game that I love needs a slap in the face, owners and players alike. And perhaps the fans, too, need to re-evaluate why they admire the game and its players. And then look through those same eyes at the other sports that seem so important to us. As my mother used to tell me after yet another Braves loss, “It’s only a game; they can’t win them all.” I now see what she meant. Fathers, and mothers, do know best. Larry Henderson Spokane

Robinson wasn’t first

The widespread recognition for Jackie Robinson ignores and obscures the historical fact that Robinson was not the first black player in major league baseball.

Blacks had played in the major leagues in the nineteenth century, but by 1889 whites had forced them out. The stigma of racial inferiority hung on successful African-Americans by racist Euro-Americans at the turn of the century made white folks crazy from dissonance. By 1911, the Kentucky Derby had eliminated black jockeys after they won fifteen of the first 28 derbies.

The fact that Robinson - one of my childhood radio heroes with sidekick PeeWee Reese - was not the first black to play in the major leagues reveals how we’ve been lied to by history teachers, particularly in high school, where the job of classroom teaching often falls on an unprepared, often racist, athletic coach. Many of us finished these classes bored with history because if all seems ordained, a simple narrative, no real problems, manifest destiny, expanding west, freeing slaves, reconstruction.

Consequently, it’s difficult for angry white men to believe their own great-grandparents actually posed for the camera around the tortured, burning body of a black at the turn of the century. It is almost unimaginable how racist the United States became during the years 1890-1920, the nadir of race relations in this country. It was unchecked white violence during this time which is hidden from young minds in high school where, instead, we learn that everything we do is good; we’re making constant progress; all is well.

The acclaim for Robinson and the in-your-face play of Tiger Woods remind one of new possibilities for a diseased, needy U.S.A. Chuck Armsbury Greenacres

Blown out of proportion

Fuzzy Zoeller’s comments about chicken and greens being served at the Masters golf banquet next year if Tiger Woods were victorious was unacceptable, but are we too sensitive about remarks made about one ethnic group? Now if his playing partner Constantino Rocca had posted the low score would there have been an outrage at serving linguini and the appearance at the old clubhouse of 100 Dominos Pizza trucks? Let’s suppose Jumbo Osaki had prevailed, would we be glaring at sushi on each plate? Ernie Els and Greg Norman’s win may have meant we would be chewing on mutton and shrimp on the barby. Seve Ballesteros was also a potential victor and that may have provided next year’s banquet with gutburning tacos and some sour creamtopped burritos. I don’t know what they eat in Fiji so that lets Vijay Singh off the hook for comments. Nick Price or Faldo could have met the cuisine criteria for that snobby Masters joint by serving tea and crumpets to all of the folks. Lastly, if I was handy with the sticks with my last name or my fellow countryman Jesper Parnevik had won the green jacket, guess what? They would have to keep the windows open in that fancy clubhouse with the aroma of lutefisk! Those who have followed the happy-go-lucky great golfer Fuzzy know he’s not a racist or is he mean spirited. Lighten up press, Kmart, all Americans and ships at sea! Jonathan Swanstrom Spokane

WHL coverage

I have looked in vain for any coverage of the Westen Hockey League since the Chiefs were humiliated by the upstart Prince George team. At least you are including the progress of the playoffs in the statistics - if one has a magnifying glass to read the fine print.

Is there a connection between the elimination of the Chiefs and the absence of additional coverage?

We readers are used to being subjected to pages of chatter about the meaningless opening games of the baseball season - including stories about cancelled games - and minimal coverage of the National Hockey League. But ignoring the WHL during their playoffs is petty at best.

Grow up S-R sports writers (I say writers rather than reporters deliberately)! Rise above your sulk over the Chiefs’ demise and tell us about the rest of the WHL. R.W. Stark Sandpoint

Editor’s note: It is our policy to publish Associated Press game stories from the WHL playoffs. In most cases, WHL playoff coverage is not available for publication in time to meet our deadlines.