Letters

Although your article on Scotty Bowman was well-written, it would have been nice to have seen him and Steve Yzerman holding the Stanley Cup on the cover.
—Jerry Muzar, Norman, Okla.

The Power of Poetry
Kudos to Steve Rushin for his clever stanzas about the 112 players who have manned the hot corner for the New York Mets (The Ballad of Joe Moock, June 29).
David Hartman, Rye Brook, N.Y.

His ballad was funny
And right on the money
And full of inherent meanness,
But I've just got to say,
I'll take more any day
'Cause Steve Rushin is simply a genius.
Craig Ostroff, Bensalem, Pa.

The writer Steve Rushin
I couldn't stand his fussin'
About all the Mets third sackers.
SI as a mag
Has turned into a rag,
And writers like Rushin are hackers.
Marc Eiger, Wantagh, N.Y.

Four decades of Mets
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED lets
Get berated to death.
The five pages of drivel
Put my head on a swivel.
It was more painful than reading
Macbeth.
Rodney Wedig, Almond, Wis.

I was unamused. Wayne Garrett, Hubie Brooks and Ray Knight were mainstays at the hot corner. Here's hoping that Steve Rushin hangs up the title of Poet Laureate of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.
Jason Borelli, Staten Island, N.Y.

Members of the Losers' Club
I was disappointed that Jeff Pearlman's story on the 20-loss club (INSIDE BASEBALL, June 29) made no mention of the feats (or defeats) of Wilbur Wood, who not only lost 20 games twice in his career but also compiled an astonishing 24 wins and 20 losses for the White Sox in 1973.
Bill Kummer, Chester, Nova Scotia

I was disturbed to read that Brian Kingman would celebrate another player's injury ( Mark Gubicza's) because it preserved his place in the history books as the last 20-game loser in the major leagues. Kingman doesn't have to worry about his mark as a loser. It is forever etched in stone.
Brian Elliott, Canton, Mich.

Slammin' Sammy
It's about time that Sammy Sosa got the recognition that he deserves (The Education of Sammy Sosa, June 29). Aside from his monstrous power numbers, it is a pleasure to watch someone who loves the game and the fans as much as he does.
Joseph Bubman, Los Angeles

Sammy Sosa is a joy to watch, and I wish more players played the game with the same passion.
Peter DeYoung, Winnetka, Ill.