19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

TOPSPIN
Sir:
Thank you for the fine article on Forest Hills (A Duel of Pace and Power, Sept. 20). But isn't the race for No. 1 decided? Since when does one Forest Hills victory on clay for Jimmy Connors equal three victories-on grass at Wimbledon, on clay in the U.S. Pro Championship and indoors in the WCT-for Bjorn Borg?
ALICE DENICE
Pittsburgh

Sir:
Why is it time to "break up Chris Evert"? If Chris is to be "broken up," let it be by some young girl who is willing to stay on the practice court a little longer than Chris did and make a few more sacrifices. That may break up Chris, but Billie Jean King coming out of retirement won't do it.
LANCE DREYER
Shreveport, La.

MISCONDUCT
Sir:
In SCORECARD (Sept. 20) a tennis fan proposed that a simple system of point penalties be instituted to control player misconduct such as that of Ilie Nastase in the U.S. Open. Since 1973 the USTA has authorized point penalties for court misconduct. The rule provides for point and game penalties for game delay, swearing, racket throwing, unseemly gestures, etc. In Baltimore this system is used extensively in amateur tournaments, and in April we used it for the first time in a pro tournament. Once the ILTF gives its approval, we hope to use it as a regular means of deterring improper behavior on the court.
JIM CUMMINGS
Member
USTA Umpires Committee
Baltimore

Sir:
I'm with Nastase. The officials were wrong. Hans-Jurgen Pohmann should have been defaulted for delaying the match.
STEVE DUNCAN
Indianapolis

GREENING THE BLACK PITS
Sir:
J. D. Reed's article Healing the Wounded Earth (Sept. 20) was excellent. My home is in the coal regions of northeastern Pennsylvania, and I have witnessed the "enormous and enduring ugliness" left behind by strip-mine operators. The huge piles of overburden and black pits ruin the beauty of the Pennsylvania mountainsides. But people accept them as a consequence of the coal production vital to the state economy. William E. Guckert has shown that there is an effective and feasible solution.
NEALE X. TRANGUCH
Lewisburg, Pa.

Sir:
I grew up near Hazleton, Pa. during the 1950s, when people feared being bombed by the Russians. My geography teacher used to say, "Don't worry, the Russian pilots will take one look, assume someone else has already bombed here and keep going."

Coming from a long line of miners, lumbermen and farmers, I well know there are two sides to every issue. But thank God for the Bill Guckerts whose sense of responsibility outweighs the rip-off of quick profits. By all means let's have progress. But let's have it with foresight!
KAREN DAVIS THOMPSON
St. Paul

Sir:
Now that J. D. Reed and artist Don Moss have painted a nice picture of the Pennsylvania state mine reclamation director, the inspectors and the big coal companies, why not have them try their luck with a follow-up article about property owners adjoining these coal operations? We are probably the most fortunate. All we have to do is turn on the faucet to get all the mine drainage water we don't want. Someday someone just might come up with a use for mine drainage water; then we will be sitting on a gold mine.
LELAND P. MAINES
Clearfield, Pa.

Sir:
J. D. Reed's article attests to the power that a private citizen may wield.
JERRY MCMAHON
Washington, D.C.
WORKING THE COWS

Sir:
Pulitzers for Mason Smith and Lane Stewart (Cutting Up a Storm in Texas, Sept. 20). The whole sports world now has an idea of the ultimate thrill of a cutting-horse competition. Heretofore that feeling was reserved only for those of us who ride and compete.
GEORGE S. WALLEN
Wadmalaw Island, S.C.