19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

THE CUP
Sir:
I am a proud New York Islander fan of eight long, frustrating, beautiful years' standing. Tears of joy came to my eyes when I watched Denis Potvin and Clark Gillies hoist the Stanley Cup (Putting the Hammer to the Old Bugaboo, June 2). But then tears of disappointment came to my eyes when Johnny Rutherford's picture appeared on the cover of your magazine.
HAL B. PARTON
Massapequa Park, N.Y.

Sir:
I was shocked to see that the Stanley Cup champions, the New York Islanders, weren't on your June 2 cover. Instead, Johnny Rutherford was featured for having won a truly boring (and one of the slowest) Indy 500s in years. Shame on you!
LISA SIDOR
Clifton, N.J.

Sir:
Congratulations, SI! Before this year's hockey season, you predicted that the Islanders would win the Stanley Cup. Needless to say, you were right. So for this great effort go out and have a beer on Bill Torrey.
PETER SISKIND
New York City

Sir:
Philadelphia Flyer fans are sure to be angry over the controversial "missed" offsides call by the linesman in the final Stanley Cup game against the Islanders. Rarely does an error by an official have such an immediate and devastating result (the Islanders scored a goal).

Both Stanley Cup contenders benefited from some "missed" calls during the playoffs. I never heard them complain when it was in their favor.

The perennial call by fans for electronic officiating can only serve to slow up the momentum of probably the fastest-paced game in all of sports.
HORST MANN
Editor
Detroit Monitor
Warren, Mich.

BAKC TALK
Sir:
If SI finally wrote something good about the Mets, the magic must be bake. As a loyal fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the article by Steve Wulf in your June 2 issue. Everyone takes cheap shots at the Mets. But us loyal fans, who have stuck it out for three long years in the cellar, will have the last laugh.
MIKE KRINICK
Bridgewater, N.J.

Sir:
Reading Wulf's article on the hapless Mets did everything but bring tears to the eyes of my Saint Bernard. I live in sight of Shea Stadium, but when it comes to spending a night out at a ball park, I may travel across town to a place less safe than Iran but more exciting than being held hostage by the unmagic Mets.
STEVE MORTATI
Flushing, N.Y.

Sir:
We have reached the following conclusion: Lee Mazzilli is a perfect 10, and Bucky Dent is a 9.999. How come New York gets them both?
DIANE WANCHIC
MARY HADOBAS
KAREN FINNEGAN
Mingo Junction, Ohio
Weirton, W. Va.

Sir:
The Mets really blew it when they hired Jerry Della Femina to do their promotional work. They should have hired that master catcher and public relations man John Stearns, who longs for the day when "50,000 idiots" are in Shea Stadium again rooting for the Mets.