Letters To The Editor

Hypocrites followed M’s

I am disgusted with the articles I have read about the Mariners the past two weeks.

The authors of these articles and the fans they are speaking of are all hypocrites! Why is it when the Mariners are winning they are everybody’s favorite team? You buy the T-shirts, hats, and tickets. You brag about them to your friends, and taunt all the “non-believers.” However, when the Mariners are losing, you are so quick to point fingers and blame them for blowing the game. You get angry at Lou Piniella, Randy Johnson and the entire bullpen. They are the same people you praised the night before.

You ride the wave of Ken Griffey’s pursuit of the home run record by watching him every night, to see if he hits one out. Then when he doesn’t, you get angry and doubt him. No one will ever hit 62 home runs if they have a city full of doubters! You stand up on every two-strike pitch, cheering Randy on for his 19th or 20th strikeout. Then turn around and say he stinks when he had an off-night - which he’s entitled to. Nobody’s perfect!

Make up your mind. If you call yourself a Mariners fan, then stay true to your team, regardless of who’s in the bullpen. No one likes a bandwagon fan. If you don’t like the way the Seattle Mariners play baseball, then I suggest you find a new team to follow. We don’t want you and we don’t need you! So please make up your mind! Alicia Riley Spokane

Where are the M’s?

Let me get this straight - the taxpayers in Washington are paying for stadiums for millionaire owners and players. Finally, the Seattle Mariners are in the playoffs; but do we get to see them play on any local stations in Eastern Washington? I wonder if the people on the West Side of the state were able to see Game Two on television without having to pay a cable company. Then to schedule the game at 1 in the afternoon when the working taxpayers are on the job! Go figure! Chuck Knight Spokane

We need more good guys

Last week, a man who pitched no-hit games back-to-back on June 11 and 15, 1938, Johnny Vander Meer, died. His record may never be broken because of the present-day starting pitcher and specialist bullpen mentality.

Over 20 years I had written to Johnny at his Florida home and he had signed many sports memorabilia items for me. Unlike many sports people, Johnny gave the fee I paid to an organization that took donated funds to assist infirm and destitute players when salaries were not substantial.

He was a gentleman and always sent me a note.

We look again to less than a month ago when Jay Buhner, right-fielder for the Seattle Mariners, gathered some of his teammates in a hall on a Saturday night after a game to sign autographs and auction memorabilia to help a friend and neighbor who lost an arm and leg in a motorcycle accident.

Even Jeff Nelson, a Yankees pitcher, took part. They raised more than $150,000 in 4 hours. It seems today that most stories reported by an excited press deal with criminal behavior by athletes when maybe a series of articles should be penned about the Johnny Vander Meers and Jay Buhners in this world. Jonathan Swanstrom Spokane