Letters

High Heel
As a Tar Heels fan for more than 40 years, I have watched some of the best college players ever at North Carolina. But I have never seen anyone with the tenacity and "will not quit" attitude of Tyler Hansbrough. Not only does he play with fierce determination, but he does it cleanly. What a fine example for young people to emulate.
Michael Ayers, Greenville, S.C.

I find it hard to believe that you'd give player of the year honors to "Psycho-T" (March Madman, March 10), a one-dimensional role player who can't dribble, stroke the three or mid-range jumper and is not a deft passer. He is definitely top 10, but his supporting cast has more to do with Carolina's record than Hansbrough. Swap him for Kansas State's Michael Beasley and arguably UNC goes perfect, while KSU's record flattens further.
Dennis Luber, St. Louis

Grunt Work
Your Sign of the Apocalypse (PLAYERS, March 10) stated that "a nine-year-old girl in Australia has been banned from her tennis club for grunting too loudly when she hits the ball." Perhaps the Australian rules differ, but Article 36 of the USTA Code says that "a player should avoid grunting and making other loud noises. Grunting and other loud noises may bother not only opponents but also players on adjacent courts." Is enforcement of rules of conduct really an apocalyptic act?
Glen Robert Carson, Simpsonville, S.C.

I attended a local USTA junior tournament recently, and a hog-calling contest broke out! Congratulations to the Australian tennis club; as a coach and ex-college player, I only wish the USTA would follow suit.
Dan Ryan, Plymouth, Mich.

Myron Cope
Thanks for your tribute to the late broadcaster Myron Cope (PLAYERS, March 10). No discussion of his career is complete unless it includes his pioneering work as a sports talk radio host. Myron raised the sports call-in show to the level of art, long before national media moguls recognized the potential of the genre. In the 1970s Pittsburgh fans earned a reputation as the most knowledgeable in the nation, and I would argue that Myron's work on his call-in show is what set us apart.
Patrick M. Livingston, Pittsburgh

The Terrible Towel was something special, but most people outside Pittsburgh don't know that since 1996 Mr. Cope donated all royalties from the Towel to a school that treats developmental problems and at which his son, Danny, resides.
John Welsh, Pittsburgh

Negro Leagues
Kadir Nelson's paintings of Negro leagues baseball (The Pride of the Game, March 10) brought me back to my childhood in Puerto Rico, when I became fascinated with the black players who participated in our winter league and whose skills and demeanor gave us fans such pleasure. I knew then that someday I too would become a ballplayer. Thanks to Jackie Robinson, I had that opportunity—and had a cup of coffee with the New York Yankees in 1965.
Arturo Lopez, Bowie, Md.

Pound for Pound
Many of today's sports stars are defined by their statistics. That's why I enjoyed Michael Farber's piece on Mike Komisarek (Big Banger, March 10) of the Montreal Canadiens. He is one of the workhorses of the league, a player who may not put up points but who puts up a fight.
Chris Peissel, Montreal

I hope the next time you run an article entitled "Big Banger," it opens with picture of a large English sausage and not a 6'4", 240-pound guy mashing a 5'7", 175-pound opponent.
Aaron Toews, San Jose

Shannon Veal
S.L. Price's story on the death of Louisiana high school basketball player Shannon Veal (POINT AFTER, March 10) touched me, as two of my brothers, Mark (age 12) and David (age 17), also died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), in the 1970s. Their deaths inspired me to pursue a career in medicine, specifically cardiology. We need to promote CPR for all adults. It's simple, and it can save a life. Also, AEDs (automatic external defibrillators) should be mandated at all sporting venues. Finally, people should know that a myriad of tests are available for HCM, including genetic testing, and that family history remains a strong predictor. We can make these nightmarish deaths a thing of the past.
W. Scott Sheldon, Elyria, Ohio