19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

As a closing note I would like to mention that there are no such words in curling terminology as "bend" or "curve," which the writer used frequently to refer to the curl of the rock.

Anyone for tiddledywinks?
T. J. SARGEANT
Gimli, Man.

Sirs:
Your coverage of the 1965 curling matches in Seattle and Scotland was superb, as were the photos of the rinks in action. For a long time we American curlers have had to bear with the condescending smiles and amused tolerance of our noncurling friends. Now we can smile right back at them. SI takes us seriously!
LESLIE HATHAWAY
Seattle

CAPITAL GAINS
Sirs:
In recent weeks various readers have sung the praises of New York, Los Angeles or St. Louis as America's sports capital. But the real sports capital of America has been completely overlooked. It is Chicago.

James Thompson (19TH HOLE, March 22) talks about the fine play and excitement of the St. Louis teams. In Chicago we can (and do) proudly boast the hockey Black Hawks, the football Bears, plus the baseball Cubs and White Sox. As for broadcasting, Vin Scully and Harry Caray put together couldn't plug in a microphone for the great Jack Brickhouse.
BRAD SHAM
Glenview, Ill.

Sirs:
The sports Mecca of the U.S. is either St. Louis or Baltimore. Los Angeles is a close third, New York is fourth and San Francisco is a distant fifth.
WILLIAM KELLY
Long Island City, N. Y.

Sirs:
I must stand up for the glorious city of Minneapolis. However, contrary to previous letters, I do not consider Minneapolis the Mecca of sports; rather, it is the Black Hole of Calcutta.

We have a baseball team unfit to be in any major league, even the National! We have a poor pro football team, a worse hockey team and no basketball team. If it were not for the Golden Gophers, Minneapolis would be without sport at all.
DAVID C. LEIGHTON
Minneapolis

SUPERFAN
Sirs:
The recent, wonderful article by William Leggett on the Philadelphia Phillies (An Epic that Ended as a Tragedy, March 1) contains one of the understatements of the year. In describing Ruben Amaro's father, Santos Amaro, Leggett said that he is "a longtime baseball fan." True enough, but Santos Amaro was, and is, quite a bit more than just a fan. He was one of the greatest players that I have ever seen, and if in 1964 he did not manage a team in the Mexican League, that must have been the first year in about 40 that he has been out of baseball.

In his prime Santos Amaro could have played on any ball club anywhere in the world. There was one reason he did not: he was black. Other Cubans had played in the majors, but they were always light in color.