19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

PIRACY
Sir:
Happy days are here again in Pittsburgh and you have finally come to your senses and put the Pirates on the cover (It's Hard to Pass the Bucs, May 30). It's been worth the wait.
BRAD ARBUTINA
Pittsburgh

Sir:
I liked the cover picture of Dave Parker. It's good to see someone besides the overrated Reggie Jackson on the cover of a national sports magazine.
JOHN PATRIE
Maiden, Mass.

Sir:
Your article on the Lumber and Lightning Gang from Pittsburgh hit many of the Pirates' bright spots but missed Bill Robinson, who is very versatile and always seems ready.
JOHN HARPER
Wardfordsburg, Pa.

Sir:
Every team has its unsung heroes and the Bucs are no exception. Look at Duffy Dyer and Phil Garner. "The Duff" has been a pleasant surprise and, though platooning with Ed Ott, has been a steady catcher and is hitting in the .300s. As for "Scrap Iron," as Garner is called in the Steel City, his batting average may be low, but his great hustle and fielding ability aid the team as much as Dave Parker's liners.
DINO MARSILI
Greensburg, Pa.

Sir:
My father has been a Cub fan all his life, as have my three brothers, my sister and myself. My father hasn't seen a World Series on the North Side since 1945 and we have never seen one. The closest we came was in '69 when the Cubs pulled the "el foldo."

My father is a good, honest citizen who pays his taxes and gives to a number of charities. This year he will be 50 years old. As a favor to me and my family, please do not do any cover stories on the Cubs until they win the World Series. Jinx or no jinx, I'm taking no chances.
STEVEN PETER SCHRAGER
Fresno, Calif.

Sir:
You showed the Pirates to be unpassable, and we Cub fans despaired for the upcoming Cubs-Pirates series. Well, it seems the Cubs didn't read your article. They swept the series, not only passing the Bucs, but pushing them out of town and out of first place.
RICK CUMMINGS
Oak Park, Ill.

Sir:
I'd like to know the age of the Chicago columnist who called the Madlock-Murcer trade "the worst in Chicago history" (Cubs Join the Club—Maybe, May 30).

He must not date back to 1964, when the Cubs traded Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio. Broglio went on to win a total of seven games in 1964, 1965 and 1966 for the Cubs before fading out of baseball. The last time I heard of Brock he was still with St. Louis and gaining some fame.

That's the worst trade in history—and not just Chicago history.
BOB MCVAY
King City, Calif.