19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

FIXING LINE
Sirs:
In your article and editorial on the basketball fixes you refer to "a tremendous amount of betting on all sports" (The Facts About the Fixes, March 27).

One fact that I think contributes tremendously to the betting volume is the obvious availability of betting facilities. Even a newspaper as respectable as the New York Herald Tribune has carried on its sports pages for the past year or so an item entitled "Betting Line." Here for everybody to see and think about are the point spreads on the college invitation basketball games, the professional basketball playoffs, etc., etc.

I consider it somewhat sickening that newspapers should wring their hands editorially about fixes and then publicize information to encourage betting, which is the basic reason for a fix.
JOHN R. HOWELL
Stamford, Conn.

HAVOC AND HOUSTON
Sirs:
Zany Zinsser is a yawper and a yelper (The Fan Cries Havoc, March 20).

Who is he to tell us that baseball should never be played big league except in the East? Who is he to say that no one, ever again, can become attached to a certain ballplayer or team? Who is he to say that this great game should not be played in Minneapolis, San Francisco or Houston?

The facts are that we in the Midwest are ready for big-league ball, and we will show him just how much when the season is finished.
ERNEST A. SILBER
Mankato, Minn.

Sirs:
Baseball must make room for all the great new young talent and, most important of all, for all the new people who want to see it.
RONALD GRISWOLD
Corning, N.Y.

Sirs:
For years I have survived on box scores and statistics based on two eight-team leagues.

Alas! What now?
D. R. DANIELS
Hamilton, Ont.

Sirs:
Alas, only the best of our loyal baseball aggregation know how well Mr. Zinsser hit the nail on the head. Indeed, our national pastime has become a financial farce.
BOB BAINTER
St. Louis