LUMBERMEN
Sir:
There are three major reasons why the New York Islanders lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL playoffs (Battered Into Submission, May 8). The first, of course, was Lanny McDonald's overtime goal in Game 7. The second, as Mark Mulvoy emphasized, was the Islanders' lack of aggressiveness compared with Toronto's. And the third, which Mulvoy failed to play up enough, was Goal-tender Mike Palmateer. He was brilliant, making spectacular clutch saves for the Leafs. Unfortunately for Toronto, the Leafs could have Montreal's Ken Dryden in goal and still not beat the Canadiens.
BRIAN HEYMAN
Ossining, N.Y.
Sir:
Without a police record? The Toronto Maple Leafs? Maybe. But Mark Mulvoy ought to have consulted the records of the Flyer-Leaf playoff series of '76. It takes two to tangle. Canada's lumbermen are not in the woods, but on the ice in Maple Leaf uniforms.
ROBERT DILLON
Westfield, N.J.
Sir:
In the '76 and '77 quarterfinals against Buffalo, the Islanders knew that their chances of winning would be greatly enhanced if they intimidated the Sabres. They proceeded to do so very effectively. Now they in turn are intimidated by Toronto, and they and Mark Mulvoy cry "Foul!" For shame!
STEPHEN KARNATH
Buffalo
Sir:
It was comforting to read your accurate account of the Islander-Maple Leaf confrontation. It was disquieting, though, to read about "one general manager's" eye-for-an-eye approach to playing. What he was admitting is that his team has no room for a high-caliber professional hockey player unless that player is willing and able to retaliate on the ice. With these misdirected values, we can look forward to seeing more players like Mike Bossy needlessly hurt, when what the sport really needs is more players like Denis Potvin who turn and skate away!
ARTIE NEGRI
College Park, Md.
Sir:
One night in Chicago eight years ago, I saw Bobby Hull get crushed into the boards and then turn away from a senseless fight. He spent the rest of the night giving hockey lessons to fans and players alike. Now that was intimidation! It was a lesson in hockey and in life I never forgot. Why don't the NHL and WHA enforce the rules of hockey and let our youngsters learn the law of the jungle by watching old Tarzan movies?
DENNIS C. RAUSCH, D.D.S.
West Bend, Wis.
THE MASTERS AND THE PRESS
Sir:
I would like to set the record straight about the SCORECARD item (April 17) concerning the Masters and the barring of the press from the locker room each day until the last pair had teed off.
This was not a decision made by me and Will Grimsley of the Associated Press the week of the Masters, but one that had been carefully studied for some years. In recent years the locker room and the adjacent grillroom have been vastly enlarged to accommodate both the players and the press. In fact, the grillroom was open to the press before tee-off, and the players had to walk through it to reach the locker room. The press could also request players to come into the grillroom for interviews. Further, the matter was submitted to the Golf Writers Association by Grimsley at its meeting last summer, and the writers voiced no strong objection to it on a trial basis.
The Masters recognizes—and always will recognize—that it was the news media that built this tournament, but it also feels that it can adequately accommodate both players and the news prior to tee-off.
Let me emphasize that there was no collusion between Will Grimsley and me in this matter.
WILLIAM H. LANE
Chairman
Masters Tournament
Augusta
SKATEBOARDERS
Sir:
In reply to a SCORECARD item in your April 24 issue, the "first" intercollegiate skateboard championships that I am aware of were held at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. on a glorious Saturday afternoon in May 1967. These included downhill, slalom, giant slalom and freestyle competitions.
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