You Tiger fans can not even imagine the depth of hatred that Red Sox sufferers have for the Yankees. Slit-eyed hatred just doesn't measure up to the steely eyed, snarling, teeth grinding, drooling, fist banging, foot stopping, murderous hatred that a reference to that "corked bat using" Bucky F. Dent can engender in a true Red Sox fan.

But, what the heck, its just a game. In another couple of years I may be able to read about the 1978 season without an ambulance on call. I feel better now and can return to reading your excellent articles.

GRH
Wilmington DE

To the Editor:

I think what all the Kirby Puckett hubbub boils down to is this: Albert Goldman was right. Don't bother idolizing stars. They only turn out to be drunks, junkies, perverts, thieves, all-around schmucks or Michael Jackson. They can still win big games, or liberate Europe, or endure the most tremendous hell the 20th century had to offer and use the experience to create an Oscar-winning film, or change the course of history with music. In the end, they always reveal their true nature: Kirby the putz, Ike the philanderer, Polanski the rapist, and the trifecta: Elvis the addicted letch, Lennon the addicted letch and Spector the homicidal addicted letch (oh yeah, and Michael Jackson). If you must admire athletes, how about (newly-inducted) Uke?
But really, the guy who drives the Zamboni, he's the real hero.

Signed,
Irritable Mark

Max Blue enjoyed your well-aimed shots at Frank Deford, to say he had it coming is to state the obvious. I have always maintained that anybody who tries to get into the head of their athletic heroes is only asking for trouble - enjoy their game, not their life.

But Mudville Mag is terrific

Max

I just read the article on the Mudville Mag website about Kirby and for a few paragraphs thought about going Operation Free Iraq on the whole website, but after taking the Minnesota minute to realize the sarcasm and reading further I got the point and realized the sarcasm. Did you write this article? If so, good job.; If not, good job to whoever.

Chris

I admired Ted William as a ballplayer but they are all flawed human beings like the rest of us. It is a pity that people worship ball players but there are few other heroes in American life, either politicians, corporate executives,etc. AT LEAST Puckett didn't cheat millions. If the Twins beat out the Tigers so be it. Don't sportswriters have anything ELSE to write about?

Roger Hamburg

Terrific article on the baseball press and Puckett! You have to wonder, if all this had come out prior to his hall of fame selection, would it have nixed his chances? Or would the writers have decided well, Ty Cobb was a bastard, too, but he got in? (I am not convinced he was as much of a bastard as the thumbnail sketch of him tends to make out, but oversimplification is part of the mythologizing process...)

And hear hear on Take Me Out to the Ballgame. In my house we shout YAN-KEES! as loud as we can whenever the song comes around (and that includes when we're at home listening on the radio...)

Looking forward to another great season

-ctan