Letter: Now Blanchette needs to apologize

My dad taught me a trick about how to read the newspaper and not get overwhelmed by all the death, destruction and despair that qualify for news. He says to always start with the sports page, since those stories are often uplifting and bring us hope and happiness to start the day.

John Blanchette ruined that strategy (July 13) with his article criticizing the Spokane Indians’ apology for their ridiculous brawl at Monday’s game and calling for more fights at games with his endline, “How about an encore?”

Justifying the fight by saying the major leaguers do it, it’s common in hockey, some fans cheered and took pictures, or that it got the Indians on YouTube is just a ridiculously bad call. The only thing I can agree with in Blanchette’s article is that “sucker punch specialist Matt West – who blindsided not one but two Canadians catchers – doesn’t just need to be suspended for six games, but needs to be on a bus out of here in about six minutes.”

Blanchette may need to wear the hair shirt he mentions in his article, or maybe even say a few Hail Marys. And let’s definitely keep him away from the kids’ games since he says the only way for youth teams to win a sportsmanship award is to keep the adults away. 

Kudos to (Indians senior vice president) Otto Klein for making the right call on this event. To Matt West: Don’t let the bus doors slam on your way out of town.

Lynn Meyers

Spokane