Letters

If only a few more people were like Coach Jones, this world would be a better place for everybody.
TODD M. MOORE, MILWAUKEE

Radio Man
Thanks for the touching article about James Robert (Radio) Kennedy (Someone to Lean On, Dec. 16). I live in one of the worst areas of Philadelphia and come across individuals who suffer from many of the same problems Radio has. Unfortunately, many of these people do end up mumbling through the streets, ragged and gaunt. It fills my heart with hope to know that in at least one case someone took it upon himself to make a difference. Coach Harold Jones and all of Anderson, S.C., have my respect and admiration.
TYLER J. HODGES, Philadelphia

Coach Jones shows us once again that the true measure of a human being is how he treats and helps others, not the size of his paycheck, the number of slam dunks or touchdowns he produces or how much publicity he receives.
ERICH R. BELL, Houston

My older brother John has Down's syndrome. He would love nothing more than to be in Radio's shoes. Thank you, people of Anderson, for what you have done for a fellow human being.
GARY F. KEPHART, Colorado Springs

In this high-tech age, it amazes me how much people can learn from a 50-year-old Radio.
ROD KURTZ, Lynnfield, Mass.

Belle's Contract
It's no wonder that Frank Thomas enthusiastically endorsed the White Sox's acquisition of Albert Belle (Double Play, Dec. 2). With Belle following Thomas in the batting order, White Sox opponents will no longer be able to pitch around Thomas. He'll dramatically increase his already phenomenal home run and RBI totals. Meanwhile, Belle might get his share of homers, but his RBI totals will suffer. When it comes time to sign his next contract, Thomas will be the one laughing all the way to the bank.
VICKIE CHAPMAN, Euclid, Ohio

I find it appalling that you give Jerry Reinsdorf so much credit for the new baseball labor agreement. Granted, his signing of Albert Belle served as a catalyst for this sudden agreement, but Bud Selig worked for months behind the scenes getting the two sides to come together, albeit at a glacial pace. He deserves credit for this hard work.
JOHN L. HOH JR., Mauston, Wis.

Black Coaches
William F. Reed's opinion piece (SCORECARD, Dec. 16), which interprets Alabama's and Kentucky's hiring of white football coaches as indicative of the backwardness of those institutions and the American South, is troubling in its hypocrisy. In the past two years Colorado, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, UCLA and many other schools outside the South have hired white coaches. In 1996 there were only seven black head football coaches in all of Division I-A.

Racism pervades the entire country, and to pretend that it is neatly parceled into a particular region is just as prejudiced as judging a man by the color of his skin.
ROBERT GRAY, East Lansing, Mich.

Racism is rooted in dangerous generalizations, like the one Reed made about the SEC and the South. He did little more than offer Sherman Lewis a forum in which to ferment his sour grapes over not getting the Kentucky coaching job. Considering Kentucky's football history, Wildcat boosters would welcome a three-headed, purple-and-orange coach if they thought he would bring respect and success to the program.