Letters

SEPTEMBER REVISITED
Thank you for Peter Gammons's article on pennant races of the past (Septembers to Remember, Sept. 14). The only thing missing from the story of the Cardinals' drive toward the pennant in 1934 was Dizzy Dean's reaction to brother Paul's no-hitter.

As Gammons points out, Paul pitched his no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader against the Dodgers, after Dizzy had won the opener with a three-hit shutout. Following Paul's performance, Dizzy said, "If I'd known Paul was going to pitch a no-hitter. I'd've pitched one too."
JEFF GENECOV, D.D.S.
Dallas

Peter Gammons's baseball reports are so consistently excellent that I feel guilty writing to you to point out an error in his article Septembers to Remember. Pete Rose got 51 hits in September 1979 all right, but not as a Red. He got them as a first-year Philadelphia Phillie, on a team that was mired in fourth place.

That September was a prelude to the future, however, because under new manager Dallas Green, the Phillies started to put together the team that would win it all in 1980—behind, as Gammons noted, Most Valuable Player Mike Schmidt and one-year-wonder Marty Bystrom. Rose saved his best for October that season, grabbing the foul ball that popped out of catcher Bob Boone's glove for the penultimate out of the World Series.

Rose's five years in Philadelphia won't be soon forgotten by Phillies fans, most of whom he converted from Pete-haters to Pete-lovers. Let's hope there are enough Pete-lovers among the Hall of Fame voters to make Rose the first unanimous selection for 1992.
DAVID ZIMMERMAN
Baton Rouge

In the box accompanying the article, under "Best Player Pickups," you claim that Woodie Fryman went 10-3 for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1972. Not so. Fryman went 10-3—with a sparkling 2.05 ERA—for the Detroit Tigers in '72. He was one of the main reasons the Tigers were able to beat the Yankees, the Orioles and the Red Sox for the division title in a season shortened 13 games.
THOMAS A. BUHR
Winter Springs, Fla.

TORONTO'S BELL
If Blue Jay outfielder George Bell lived in an unbiased media world, he would be fast approaching legendary status ( Toronto's Big Brass Bell, Sept. 7). As it is, Bell is chastised and branded. What a shame. Bell is a great player putting up MVP numbers. I should know—he has carried my Rotisserie League team from the leftfield slot all year.
DENNIS MANOLOFF
Bay Village, Ohio

My son John and I read with great enthusiasm your article about John's favorite player, George Bell. However, after traveling to Anaheim to watch Bell play, we found it hard to believe that the story was about the same person we went to see.

Before the game began, Bell came over to chat with the kids in the seats near third base, where we were sitting. Although we didn't get an autograph, we were treated to lots of small talk, smiles, practical jokes and the overall feeling that Bell is a man who really enjoys the game of baseball.
JOLENE RICH
Lakeside, Calif.

BOB WATERS'S BATTLE
Your excellent article (The Battle of His Life, Aug. 24) on Western Carolina coach and former San Francisco 49er Bob Waters and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was inspiring, to say the least. Just one criticism: You listed a number of famous victims of this dread disease but failed to mention one of the most compelling cases of all, that of William (Bill) Keough Jr.—an intramural basketball player at Boston College, educator and hostage in Iran—who died the day before Thanksgiving 1985. That he survived the ordeal in Teheran only to be struck down by ALS was the cruelest of ironies. Those of us who were privileged to know him. however, were in awe of his resolute outlook on his life following the diagnosis.
CHARLES W. BRODHEAD
Ithaca, N. Y.