19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

MORE MURRAY
Sir:
Thank you for the marvelous piece on Jim Murray (King Of The Sports Page, April 21). He's revered here, too, as the only conceivable reason to visit Los Angeles.
IAN WOOLDRIDGE
Sports columnist
Daily Mail
London

HOGAN'S TRIPLE
Sir:
Even a Jack Nicklaus partisan like me cannot permit Rick Reilly (Day Of Glory For A Golden Oldie, April 21) to give Jack credit for another "first" by winning three major titles in his 40s. Unless my arithmetic is faulty or Ben Hogan's birth date (Aug. 13, 1912) has changed, Hogan's unprecedented Triple Crown of 1953—he won the Masters, the U.S. Open and the British Open—would seem to have seniority over the Golden Bear.

But Reilly did a truly masterful job of capturing the moment at Augusta. Bravo!
RICHARD V. LEVIN
Akron

THE WIZARD'S BAT
Sir:
In your story on the St. Louis Cardinals (They're Having The First Laugh, April 28), I couldn't help noticing the photograph of shortstop Ozzie Smith holding what appears to be a well-used aluminum bat. Surely the major leagues have not yet permitted the use of these "metallic Wonderboys." Could this photo explain the recent "pop" in the Wizard's batting stroke?
JEFF PARNO
Rockaway, N.J.

?The bat is an aluminum Top Hand introduced this year by Switch Hitter Baseball School of La Mirada, Calif. and used in the majors for training and on-deck warming up. Designed to promote quick hands and improve specific hitting techniques, it is hollow with a sliding weight inside. When swung properly, it simulates the feel of a solid hit. Smith's batting average has jumped from .276 to .325 since he began using the Top Hand. Other users of the bat who are off to good starts: Reggie Jackson and Wally Joyner of the Angels and Darryl Strawberry of the Mets.—ED.