PINS AND NEEDLES
Sirs:
Your story The Big Yankee Turnabout (June 20) is the first good explanation I have seen of why the Yankees failed under Keane and won under Houk.
BOB UTTER
Denton, Texas
Sirs:
Ordinarily it is bad practice for a recently successful manager to become a general manager. His association with the players is too recent, so they tend to turn to him, actively or wistfully, for solutions to problems. This negates the authority of the field manager, because the players don't really feel the need to answer to him. Discipline becomes shoddy.
Also, being human, this general manager will, more subconsciously than otherwise, obstruct the new manager. As an example, wasn't Houk quoted far more than is normal on items usually left for field managers to comment upon?
Houk is an excellent field manager. But, he did fail as a general manager.
CHARLES BRONZ
Eastchester, N.Y.
Sirs:
Houk is no miracle worker, and the Yankee organization is still hurting. In fact, it is in deep trouble. Mantle, Howard, Ford and Maris are mere shadows of their former selves, and where are the replacements? The blame should rest with the front office and its blunders, not with Keane. With baseball's current draft plan it will be much harder for the Yankees to build another dynasty and dominate the American League as they did in the past. The pin stripes do not strike fear in the hearts of the ex-cousins of the Bombers anymore. The National League champions of recent years first exposed the fallacy of Yankee supremacy, and now all the junior circuit clubs have the message.
JOHN W. RICHMOND
Whittier, Calif.
Sirs:
Hogwash! No matter who replaced Keane it was almost a certainty that the team would be psychologically rejuvenated enough to win some games. Leonard Koppett makes Houk seem like a superman, when actually Houk has proved nothing as yet. He has the same problems that Johnny Keane was plagued with: a team that, on paper, is no better than fifth- or sixth-place, a pitching staff that is only fair at best and lacks depth, hitting that is woefully weak and a once-mighty Yankee bench that is now virtually nonexistent. The Old Guard players such as Mantle, Maris and Howard are near the end of their careers, and the once-proud Yankee farm system has become unproductive and unable to fill the gaps.
Of course, superego Houk arrogantly predicts that the Yankees will win the pennant. But deep in our hearts we know he's wrong.
GARY HILLER
Rochester, N.Y.
BIG DEAL
Sirs:
After reading your story of the NFL-AFL merger (Here's How It Happened, June 20), I have come to these conclusions: 1) the deal was made for the good of the owners, 2) the merger helps television in that it gives TV a "real" championship, which in turn further pads the owners' pocketbooks, 3) although rookie bonuses were getting a bit on the foolishly high side, the owners will now have to pay little or no money for players, and 4) with one league, there will be no competition for fans or for players.
ROBERT MACKAY
Torrington, Conn.
Sirs:
It's beyond me as to why the AFL would downgrade itself by joining that league.
MIKE FORD
Denver
WHITE WASH
Sirs:
Thank you for Jack Olsen's brilliant article about Jim Ryun (Ready for the "Goal," June 20). There is no doubt that he is the finest runner in the world. It is true that Tommie Smith might outrun Jim in the century or furlong, Theron Lewis or Mike Larrabee might be rated even odds against him in the 440 and Ron Clarke might be a shade stronger in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, but at all distances in between, beware! Whether he anchors KU's mile relay with sub-46.0 clockings or outkicks his opposition at one or two miles, Ryun is the world's best all-round runner. Now if he would only decide to take up the pole vault, shotput and high jump....
MITCHELL ORFUSS
New York City
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