19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

LEE
Sirs:
Congratulations for giving your Sportsman of the Year award to Lee Trevino (A Common Man with an Uncommon Touch, Dec. 20). SuperMex typifies the American ideology that anyone can be successful if he works to attain his goal.

After winning three tournaments in one month, the only thing Lee could do to top that feat would be to part the Red Sea with a nine-iron.
BEN PISCITELLI
Fairmont, W. Va.

Sirs:
Hurrah for your choice of Lee Trevino. Terrific!
MARY ANN ANDERSON
Detroit

Sirs:
I am totally appalled at your selection for Sportsman of the Year. I have the utmost respect for Lee Trevino as a golfer and for his ability to spread his charisma from Pebble Beach to Oakmont. But Lee will have to play many more years of golf to reach the peak that Roberto Clemente has achieved in a sport that requires every God-given ability. No sporting event holds the public interest as does the World Series, and I am sure you will agree that Roberto completely dominated the Series in 1971.
JOHN McCALLOUGH
Carnegie, Pa.

Sirs:
You people are unbelievable! What does it take for a harness-racing driver to get the recognition due him, namely SI's Sportsman of the Year award? Herve Filion has totally dominated his sport as no other person has done, breaking his own world records year after year. And this year, proving his skill against the "big boys" at Yonkers and Roosevelt, he has extended his domination.

Lee Trevino is a fine competitor and has contributed much to the excitement of golf. But if your criteria for selecting the Sportsman of the Year include not only excitement but also domination, total mastery and fantastic popular support and recognition within one's sport, then it is inconceivable for you to have ignored Filion.

Finally, this testimony comes not only from an avid sports fan in general, but from one whose family owns a horse that has been raced against—and beaten by—Filion. This love-hate relationship established, my vote goes to Filion.
DANIEL KURTZER
Elizabeth, N.J.

Sirs:
How come your Sportsman of the Year is another professional? According to Webster's dictionary, a sport is something done for diversion, therefore professional athletes do not engage in sport. Professional athletics is big business, as the fans in cities like New York and Washington discover when their favorite teams move out because profits are down.

It is our feeling that sportsmen, and sportswomen, of the year should be chosen from the ranks of swimmers and distance runners. These athletes not only expend more time and energy in training than any other athletes, but they have no hope of commercializing on their skills. These are the true sportsmen. If you must recognize outstanding professional athletes, call them Big Businessmen of the Year.
CHUCK VAN DE ZANDE
DOUG VAN DE ZANDE
LaGrangeville, N.Y.

Sirs:
Thank you for making Lee Trevino your Sportsman of the Year. Along with millions of other citizens, I have pulled for this man ever since he won his first U.S. Open and challenged the golfing greats on the pro tour.