Orioles fans unhappy with club announcers, Yanks on front page
I just received a copy of the Oct. 22 Sun. The front page features a photo titled "Mound of Celebration."
I live and work in New York but grew up in Baltimore and remain the most loyal of fans. I attended World Series games in 1979 and 1983 and the Cal Ripken 2131 game. Even living in New York, I got to see 12 games at Camden Yards this year and many of the games in Yankee Stadium when the O's were there. If there were a bigger Oriole fan, it would be my grandmother, Nancy Claster (you would know her as Miss Nancy, of "Romper Room").
What I can not figure out is, how this picture made its way to the cover of The Sun's sports section.
It's obvious Ken Rosenthal is not an Orioles fan (nor is he a popular figure in Baltimore), but for the entire paper (and, unfortunately, the only one in the city) to turn on the team is a disgraceful act. If I could obtain informative news on the Orioles from a source other than The Sun, I would. Unfortunately, I cannot.
This leaves me stuck reading a paper that patronizes a team other than its own, not to mention the fact that it's the New York Yankees. I'm also forced to read Mr. Rosenthal's column, which on a regular basis delivers a reader more Yankee glory than does Monument Park in Yankee Stadium.
Peter Angelos has done everything a fan can ask of an owner. He paid a record sum for the team and has consistently maintained one of baseball's highest payrolls to try to bring Baltimore another championship. Your paper should support his efforts.
By way of example, the focus of the stories on the new general manager has been on the fact that he participated in the dismantling of the Florida Marlins, not the fact that he was part of the team that built a world championship team from nowhere.
Joe C. Gelbard
New York
The most painful part of listening to the Orioles-less baseball playoffs was having to hear again just how good Jon Miller is and, worse, snippets of Mel Proctor's fine commentary and play by play. What a tremendous loss it was -- especially -- with all due respect, to their replacements.
My radio used to be standard equipment when I went anywhere during baseball season, and a standard part of my stadium bag: no longer -- I can't listen to this mediocrity any more.
The television guy -- Michael Reghi -- is so bad it's nearly humorous. He is truly the reincarnation of Ted Knight from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" of the '70s -- pompous, stilted and generally useless. His I-knew-it-already nod as Rick Cerrone explains things to him is just what Ted would have one. (You can keep Mr. Cerrone -- he's doing well.)
The Orioles, HTS and WBAL need to get us some real, bona fide play-by-play guys. In the meantime, the mediocre drivel we get on the air matches the team's performance perfectly. Or maybe that's the point.
Norm St. Landau
University Park
Congress's accomplishment was not spending money
The Sun actively promotes the Democrats' "do-nothing" label for the Republican-led Congress ("Republicans find success elusive on Capitol Hill," Oct. 17). What the Congress has done is to consistently defeat most of the Democrats' tax-and-spend agenda.
John M. Nelson III
Baltimore
Fatal child slayings make clear case for gun controls
Regarding the story "Brother, 4, fired shot that killed 2-year-old girl" (Oct. 17), do we need any more reason in Maryland, or anywhere, to immediately put in place gun safety lock requirements and gun and ammunition sales controls?
Louis Klaitman
Baltimore
In a recent letter to the editor, someone criticized Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposal to pass a law requiring smart guns in Maryland (" 'Smart guns' proposal another impractical, far-reaching measure," Oct. 14). These guns would not allow anyone but their owners to fire them.
While referring to the governor and anyone else who supports sensible gun laws as "the left-wing anti-gun crowd," the writer proposed allowing citizens to carry concealed handguns.
Like Sen. Trent Lott, he believes that the answer to the problem of gun violence in this country is a well-armed citizenry.
The next day, The Sun printed the story of a 5-year-old girl accidentally shot in the head in Iowa by another child her age. A proposal like Mr. Glendening's could have prevented this death because the child would not have been able to fire the gun.
Jack White
Baltimore
Nov. 3 and 2000 elections are about moral character
Notwithstanding the considerable debate over the impeachment of the president, there are several points of general agreement.
It seems that most reasonable people consider the president of the United States to be a liar. Also, he has admitted to conduct that reflects a low moral and ethical standard.
Whether or not his conduct is deemed to be an impeachable offense by Congress, it is my hope that each voter asks himself these questions before voting in the coming election as well as in the presidential election in 2000:
Do I want a liar of admitted low moral and ethical standards representing the United States of America in the world community?
Do I want to vote for these government officials who are willing to accept and even support someone of that caliber?
I believe that the answer to both will be a resounding "no."
Philip G. Enstice
Ellicott City
Public stadium investments score touchdowns and jobs
I take issue with Ronald D. Utt, who shows lack of common-sense concerning the public financing of new stadiums that we here in Baltimore have come to expect ("New sports facilities fall short of promises," Oct. 11, Perspective).
The premise is that building stadiums with tax money gives the illusion that it will create an economic boom through jobs and tax revenues, keep residents from fleeing to the suburbs and allow local businesses to profit. None of which, according to Mr. Utt, is true. Nonsense.
Mr. Utt uses statistics that show only 534 jobs were created in building the Ravens stadium. Only? Tell that to the people who have those jobs.
Also, Mr. Utt says that if folks don't spend their money at sporting events and surrounding businesses, they'll spend it doing something else. Maybe. But they won't be spending it in downtown Baltimore. They'll be spending it in the counties in which they live.
Finally, Mr. Utt ignores the concept of community spirit that big-time sports provide.
At Orioles and Ravens games, I see crowds of men and women of different races who, for a few blessed hours, can be unconcerned with racism, politics or whatever else happens to be afflicting the city.
Taxpayer money is wasted all the time. But taxpayer money is quite well-spent in building a baseball park or a football stadium.
Howard B. Caplan
Hampstead
Hero treatment is improper for traitor Jonathan Pollard
Jonathan Pollard is a self-confessed traitor to his country, who received "tens of thousand of dollars for his services." Pollard Please do not confuse his crime as support for a deeply held cause. He was paid like a prostitute for his acts of betrayal. His offense against this country is unforgiveable.
How dare Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu add insult to this most grievous offense by making Pollard's release a condition of the recent peace accord.
It is not surprising to see our morally challenged president willing to entertain such a perverse request in a last-ditch attempt to secure his place in history.
I owe no allegiance to my ancestral homeland. I owe no allegiance to the hierarchy of my church.
Citizens who violate that shared trust in country should be punished, not hailed as heroes by foreign nationals.
Alan Stubbs
Ellicott City
Pub Date: 10/28/98