19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

While these statistics will continue to change, the ratios have been about the same all season. So let's call Stargell and Robertson the best 1-2 power package in either league.
BILL COYLE
Cumberland, Md.

JOHN MACKEY
Sirs:
Gwilym S. Brown's article on John Mackey ("I'm Going to Punish Them for Last Year" Aug. 30) reveals an intelligent person who happens to make a living at playing football. At a time when the struggle for power in society—any part of society—brings to the surface many and varied personalities, it is refreshing to see a level-headed, sincere person such as John Mackey step forward. The owners would be smart to meet Mackey at least halfway. He might be their only hope.

John Mackey, you are all right.
W. C. JONES
El Cerrito, Calif.

BORDER CROSSINGS
Sirs:
Your article on Canadian football (Dodging the Draft in Canada, Aug. 23) was an excellent one. However, I would like to dispute one point that author Mark Mulvoy brings up. He states that the combination of three downs and a larger field "force Canadian teams to play a wide-open, go-for-the-bomb style, rather than the ball-control, patterned attack employed by many U.S. pro teams." I would like to point out that in the Calgary Stampeder-B.C. Lion game of Aug. 24 two Stampeder backs each rushed for over 100 yards. The Calgary attack gained a total of 307 yards on the ground. Every year there are five or six backs in the CFL who carry the ball for more than 1,000 yards. Our game is not quite as wide open as implied.
GARY SEAMANS
Calgary, Alberta

Sirs:
With the arrival of more All-America talent in Canada, we are sure to see an improvement in the caliber of the Canadian game. If top-ranked U.S. college players continue to come north, I can foresee, in the not-too-distant future, Canadian football being on a par with that of the U.S. Who knows? Maybe within the next few decades the Super Bowl will be a tightly fought battle between the Miami Dolphins and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Undoubtedly the current American products are grateful for the sizable contracts and glory they are receiving in Canada, but more important, we, the CFL spectators, are very grateful for the contributions these U.S. boys are making to our game.
JIM CIMBA
Hamilton, Ontario

Sirs:
Thanks for the inside report that Jim Stillwagon has a Canadian flag tattooed on his derriere. That's getting to the bottom of a story! Stillwagon deserves a swift kick in the pants: but that, I presume, would now be considered unpatriotic.
JIM SHEARON
Radio Station CKOY
Ottawa

Sirs:
I would like to add my thanks for the article on Canadian football. It has settled a lot of arguments concerning the ability of our college idols such as Jim Stillwagon and Joe Theismann. Now wouldn't it be great if we could watch our boys in Canada on an American TV station?
RICHARD J. LOWE
Chula Vista, Calif.

According to Ralmar Sports Productions, Inc. ( Ralph Kiner, president), live telecasts of both the Nov. 20 CFL Eastern Conference playoff game and the Grey Cup game on Nov. 28 will be carried over some 200 TV stations to audiences in 90% of the U.S.—ED.

SHOT IN THE DARK
Sirs:
Pat Putnam's report on the Great Skunk Ape of South Florida (He's Big! He's Bashful! He Smells Bad! Aug. 30) is a fine expose of the shoot-first-ask-questions-later mentality. It would seem that man's IQ works in inverse proportion to the caliber of the gun carried.