Letters

Double Whammy

Living on the Mason-Dixon line between Yankees and Red Sox fans, I was thrilled to open my mailbox to see Mark Bellhorn poised on your cover like a graceful, floating Spider-Man, proudly and defiantly hovering under the image of Babe Ruth (Nov. 1). Two curses killed for the price of one.
Alice Morrin Vernon, Conn.

The Red Sock

The curse was real. It swallowed great teams. It was broken in the way that all curses are broken. There needed to be some symbolic, possibly supernatural, event (and I'm not talking about the lunar eclipse). To break this curse, it took a player willing to sacrifice all to lead the Red Sox to victory. Curt Schilling (Blood and Guts, Nov. 1) stained his sock red with his own blood in a selfless--and successful--attempt to lead them to a championship.
Mark Larson, Des Moines

Curt Schilling, the anti-Kobe.
Miki Bailey, Wickford, R.I.

My wife, who suffered from ALS, passed away last month. Thanks to one man's ankle injury, the world got to see a shoe with the message k als inscribed on it. Curt Schilling and your photo showing his shoe have done more to advance ALS awareness than I could do in my lifetime. Let's strike out ALS.
Harry Bomberger, Lewisville, Texas

The Babe has left the building.
Al Meyerhoff, Studio City, Calif.

Our Fathers, Our Selves

Of all that I have inherited from my parents and passed along in turn to my children, the thing I cherish the most is my membership in Red Sox Nation. Like Francisco Goldman (Father and Son ... Boston, Nov. 1), when I was young I listened to my father berate the Sox for every bad trade, every crummy at bat, every season-ending heartbreak. My own kids grew up hearing much of the same, and now that they are young adults, I am thankful for the bond that brings us together. Being a Sox fan is all about the shared passion that closes generation gaps. Curse of the Bambino? To me, it's always been a blessing in disguise.
Phyllis Severance-Phillips, Williston, Vt.

My dad was born in the Bronx in 1918 and lived his entire life in New York City. As an avid, lifelong Yankees fan, he hoped he'd never see the Red Sox win a World Series. Dad passed away in November 2003. On the night he died, I realized that at least that dream had come true for him. While I miss Dad dearly, this lifelong Yankees fan takes some solace in realizing my father was spared the pain of living through this postseason.
Mike Altieri, Prairie Village, Kans.