Sports letters: Baseball joins everyone else in playing the waiting game
Oh, someday in this favored land the sun will again shine bright,
The band will play again, and hearts once more be light;
And someday men will laugh, and someday children shout,
But there is no joy in ballparks.
Baseball is struck out.
But you know what — there will be a new day, and eventually a new year. And when the upcoming winter gives way to spring, rest assured it will be time for Dodger baseball.
John Tabor
Torrance
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Bill Plaschke continues to nail story after story. After reading his take on this current crisis, I vote that Vin Scully should be on the coronavirus task force. Next time the president is thrown a softball question such as “What do you say to people who are scared”? Turn the mike over to Vinny, he’ll have us all “singing in the rain” and looking for our rainbow!
Robert Parra
Rowland Heights
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Wow. Wow. Wow. We can still treasure the words of a national treasure, Vin Scully at 92. He loves the great movie “Singing in the Rain” and he continues to rain sunshine on us. His description of goose bumps on opening day gives us goose bumps. Here’s to many more, Mr. Scully.
Robert Bubnovich
Irvine
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I congratulate Natalie Chou, a UCLA basketball player, for having the courage to urge people to stop referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus.” She points out that she has faced numerous acts of discrimination because of her ethnicity ever since the outbreak of the virus. Chou speaks for most of us who agree that the last thing we need is racism and hatred added to the difficulties we already face.
Ralph S. Brax
Lancaster
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I have been a Rose Bowl walker and a Bill Plaschke fan for quite a while, but he was unintentionally applauding dangerous behavior —that of being within at least six feet of other people for the time it takes to circle the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, people have been safely walking on the streets and sidewalks in neighborhoods and having conversations with friends from across the street.
Many infected folks are asymptomatic. If we want to stop the virus we’ve got to be more isolated.
John Hale
La Cañada
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Imagine this: You and your kid are at the Lakers-Nets game on March 10. At the end, your kid is lucky to be close enough to LeBron James to get a sweaty hand slap as the king leaves the court. He gets another from Danny Green. Your kid is ecstatic, vowing to never wash his hands again. And now, this existential threat. Two unidentified Lakers have the coronavirus but we don’t know who they are. Did they slap hands with any fans? Hug anyone? Doesn’t it seem like the public should know which players are infected, if only to warn those who may now be at risk? Seems like social responsibility to me.
Rhys Thomas
Valley Glen
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I am a huge sports fan. I am a seasoned citizen. I read the sports page every day, first. I was at the Forum for the Celtics’ victory with the Don Nelson Bounce. I was at Dodger Stadium for Kirk Gibson. Have had many friends who played sports professionally.
Excuse me for being the other perspective, but Bill Plaschke is overrating the effect of the coronavirus. After this crisis is vanquished people will understand what is important. My message would be sports better be ready for a steep decline in total interest. I stopped watching the NFL when the knee took the joy out of it. Baseball and its steroids were bad, but now the Astros and their lust for a World Series title has no doubt hurt its standing.
We are living without day-to-day distractions we refer to as games. People are getting used to it. Tom Brady and his plight are just not that big a deal in the societal landscape.
Maybe 20% of our population watch sports with interest. I bet only 10% are hard core. Our latest cultural impact will shrink the market even more. If I were a sports journalist, I would start interviewing casual sports fans. Get their perspectives. Like everything there is always a “silent majority”
Patrick K. Gallagher
Long Beach
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Melvin Gordon felt unwanted by a team that fulfilled its part of the multimillion-dollar contract both sides signed. Then he pouted like teenager, held out and hurt his team. Somebody needs to educate athletes that contracts are two-way streets. Now another malcontent, Eric Dickerson, says running backs are undervalued and Gordon has to settle for a paltry $16 million. The same week 80,000 people in California filed for unemployment and may face ruin. See you at the food bank, Melvin.
Jeff Heister
Chatsworth
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If we can have the “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,” why not the “2020 Tokyo Games of 2021?”
Ron Tom
Pasadena
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Don’t take away our Sports section. For many of us, sliding that section out of the paper is a bright spot in an otherwise dreary morning. Sure, there are no live events to write about at this time, but can’t we find something else? I’d rather read about a Caltech tennis player with a double biology major planning to fight infectious diseases or an NHL player helping his community in Canada — there are thousands of sports-related human interest stories out there — especially now.
Your readers can appreciate more than just a recap of last night’s games. Maybe this is an opportunity for writers and editors to be innovative, creative, to stretch the journalistic wings. Eliminating the Sports section is only another reminder that things aren’t as they should be. And doing so is another win for the virus and loss for us.
Brian Gotta
San Diego
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Is there any truth to the rumor that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, while playing poker with his kids, gives up on his hands too early and picks the wrong card to win each game time and time again?
Allan Kandel
Los Angeles
Money talks
Once again, the Los Angeles Times has published inaccurate information on horse racing. On March 23 it was reported that “The $12-million Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest purse in horse racing, will be postponed until next year.” Did you forget that less than a month ago The Times reported on the $20-million Saudi Cup?
Betsy Stoeven
Port Hueneme
Horns of a dilemma
I love the new L.A. logo with the “C”-shaped lightning bolt! The Chargers did a fantastic job!
Danny Sanchez
Westminster
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“That’s what our fans want,” the Rams’ Kevin Demoff said in unveiling the new logos for the Rams. Was there anything wrong with the classic Rams horns logo? Please keep Demoff away from turning Dodger blue to Chavez Ravine purple. Let’s turn him on to the Yankees, those pinstripes are soooo boring.
Wayne Avrashow
Sherman Oaks
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Considering the unparalleled importance of selecting a new Rams logo, Mr. Plaschke should get the deciding vote.
David Marshall
Santa Monica
Roll with it
If COVID-19 extends beyond the summer, does USC get a “W” for its game against Alabama when the game gets canceled?
The “W” would be for whew!!
Brian Adams
Malibu
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