19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

KING ARTHUR'S COURT
Sirs:
As one who has followed tennis rather closely, I watched with interest the career of the first Negro to attain topflight ability, Althea Gibson, two-time winner at both Wimbledon and Forest Hills, and I cannot say which impressed me more, her brilliant game or her exemplary demeanor. And now I see those same qualities being displayed by Arthur Ashe, the first Negro to gain high ranking in the men's division. Frank Deford's article, Service, but First a Smile (Aug. 29), reinforces my favorable impression of Ashe. May his career carry forward.
G.M.W. KOBB�
New York City

Sirs:
I'm glad you put Arthur Ashe where he belongs—on the cover!
PATRICIA STOCKER
Fair Haven, N.J.

INFLATION
Sirs:
While I found Edwin Shrake's article, The Fabulous Brodie Caper (Aug. 29), very informative, I cannot help but object to his seeming attempt to glorify the financial escapades of just another pro football player. Who is John Riley Brodie? Surely not another Johnny Unitas or even a Y. A. Tittle! In spite of his statistical accomplishments in 1965 can he be compared to Frank Ryan or Bart Starr? Or Sid Luckman or Sammy Baugh? He is, in short, just a football player who, through legal maneuvering which probably outdoes his field generalship, has managed to gain an inordinate amount of remuneration for his services.
CLEMENT M. BOVIO
North Plainfield, N.J.

Sirs:
If John Brodie can get $921,000 on the basis of his past record, there is not enough money in all the world to pay Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain.
CHARLIE ZWILLING
North Bergen, N.J.

Sirs:
The Fabulous Brodie Caper is probably the biggest sports story, pro football or otherwise, I've read in six years. But Edwin Shrake's lead was all wrong. It should have gone something like this: "Long, long ago, Columbus set sail to discover a land where any young lad may grow up to be President or a millionaire—with a few breaks."
BOB PAPE
Monroe, N.Y.

MOLDY MACKINAWS
Sirs:
I am the mayor of what Mr. Dan Jenkins referred to as "moldy Peekskill" (Locks vs. Boom Boom, Aug. 22) and I am convinced that Mr. Jenkins' brain is moldy. Some people regard history as moldy. Some people regard sports as moldy. Others use the words tradition, time-honored and the like. Mr. Jenkins probably never heard of those words, since they involve more than two syllables and a man of his obvious powers of observation and perspicacity would not come up to that level.

Please be kind enough to tell your man that moldy Peekskill has provided the Jets with a great measure of cordiality and warmth of welcome, without going into the fact that Peekskill is one of our older communities in American history and is steeped in American historical traditions. Mr. Jenkins should be so steeped.
WILLIAM J. MURDEN
Peekskill, N.Y.

Sirs:
While Dan Jenkins' story on our million-dollar rookies was quite good, his references to Green Bay were very slanderous. First of all, Green Bay, visited in 1634 by Jean Nicolet, is a world port city lying by the banks of Green Bay, not Holzer's Drug Store—where-ever that is. Second, Green Bay is not the last stop to the Arctic and no one wears a mackinaw. Third, there are no colorful native costumes; Green Bay people dress no differently from the people of the rest of the country.

And so, Dan Jenkins, just because you're not lucky enough to live here, don't knock it.
BRIAN SCHULTZ
Green Bay, Wis.

Sirs:
I was very hurt! As a lifetime resident of Green Bay I have been in Holzer's Drug Store only once. I do not own a mackinaw, and I don't know anyone who does.
FRED MOHR
Green Bay, Wis.