19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

GOING TO BAT FOR MURPHY
Sir:
Please thank your newcomer Rick Reilly for an absolutely enjoyable story on Dale Murphy (So Good, He's Scary, June 3). Atlanta may not have the best team in baseball, but we sure have the best man in baseball.
JAN WOOD
ANN WOOD
Tucker, Ga.

Sir:
We sent the wrong Georgian to the White House. Dale Murphy for president in '88.
DOUGLAS J. WALLACE
Charlottesville, Va.

Sir:
Great article on the Mighty Murph. Of course, Lou Gehrig was another baseball hero who was a great example for kids. I once heard someone ask, "Where is the Lou Gehrig of today?" The simple answer is, "In Atlanta."
TOM CARLSON
Twin Falls, Idaho

Sir:
The article by Rick Reilly was the best I have ever read in SI.
DAVID ROWLANDS
Lodi, Calif.

Sir:
I'm a Braves fan and an eighth-grader who thoroughly enjoyed the Dale Murphy story. I also realized that sometimes we expect too much of our heroes, whether they are our fathers, favorite ballplayers or others we look up to. We must remember that they are human, too.
JODY HENRY
Decatur, Tenn.

Sir:
Dale Murphy is indeed the superstar you paint him to be. However, I cannot sympathize with him. Sure, it must be a pain to be hounded for autographs every time you set foot out of your house.

But the price of superstardom is steep. Dale Murphy is no different from the Julius Ervings, Dan Marinos and Wayne Gretzkys of the sports world. These stars share the same responsibility to the fans. After all, were it not for the fans, the stars certainly would not shine.
WAYNE KREGER
Miami

GO NORTH, YOUNG MAN
Sir:
I enjoyed the two articles on the Stanley Cup (Yes, Philadelphia Can Stop Gretzky and But Edmonton Isn't A One-Man Band, May 27). Both E.M. Swift and Jack Falla are fine writers. But I hope that from now on, Swift stays away from predicting the outcome of sporting events.

His comments downplaying Edmonton's chances of repeating as Stanley Cup champions were laughable. Falla, who recognized in his story that Edmonton had a host of good players to complement Wayne Gretzky's considerable skills, was right on in his remarks. I hope he had a wager on the outcome of the series: Oilers four games to one.
JOEL S. HICKMAN
Boise, Idaho

BEANTOWN DANNY
Sir:
I was a senior at North Eugene (Ore.) High School when Danny Ainge (At Last, The Kid's A Big Hit, June 3) was a freshman, and I have followed his career with interest. One thing I have noticed is that he's rarely the instigator in his confrontations with others. Look at the replays of his recent altercations, and you'll notice he rarely starts them.