19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

NOW COMES THE BELMONT
Sirs:
Even this not too discerning reader found the answer to Whitney Tower 's question Can Anyone Beat Needles? (SI, May 21). By pointing out that the Preakness is 110 yards shorter than the Derby run and that Needles was trailing Fabius by one length 110 yards from the Derby finish line, Mr. Tower served up a nice, though cautious, bit of touting.

Now comes the Belmont at a mile and a half. It is my confident prediction that this one will go to Needles in the tradition of Twenty Grand and Middleground. All three horses were winning Derby favorites, ran second in the Preakness but made (or will make) the Belmont distance handily.

What does Mr. Tower say?
FREDERICK B. LONIGAN
San Fernando , Calif.

?See SI, June 18.—ED.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Sirs:
I was surprised to see by your Triple Crown chart (SI, May 21) that Johnstown , the great '39 Derby winner, failed in the Preakness. I have always believed he ran third. What happened in that race?
H. J. HEIDENREICH
New York

? Johnstown , owned by William Woodward Sr. , led the pack to the top of the stretch on a muddy track, then faded badly to come in next to last in a field of six. Challedon was the winner, with Gilded Knight second. Said Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons , who in part judges a horse's greatness by his ability to win over any kind of track: " Johnstown came back tired, so I guess he can't run on a slow track."—ED.

CHANGE FOR THE WORSE
Sirs:
I think it is a pity that W. Smithson Broadhead chose to remove Mr. and Mrs. Woodward from his magnificent canvas of Nashua , Mr. Fitz and Eddie Arcaro (SI, May 28). This seems in keeping with some of the silly talk that Nashua brought "bad luck" to the Woodward family. Mr. Woodward 's devotion to and handling of Nashua is a shining chapter in the history of the turf and to me it seems a piece of tasteless banality to treat him in this cavalier fashion.
C. C. WHEAT
Lexington, Ky.

CORVETTE AT CUMBERLAND
SIRS:
IN CUMBERLAND SCCA WRITE-UP (SI, MAY 28) I WAS DISAPPOINTED YOU FAILED TO MENTION THE IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE OF THE 1956 CORVETTE IN THE SEVENTH RACE. TWO CORVETTES PRESSED THE LEADING MERCEDES ENTRIES FOR MOST OF THE RACE ONE ACTUALLY LED THE RACE BRIEFLY. THIS WAS THE EAST COAST DEBUT FOR THIS CAR. THE WINNING POTENTIAL OF THE CAR AGAINST ALL COMERS IN PRODUCTION CLASSES WAS DEMONSTRATED AND WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF CUMBERLAND .
J. KENNETH KNAUS
Washington, D.C.

?The Corvette 's winning potential should come as no surprise to SI 's readers, who have followed the development and performance of this car from Bring On the Hay Bales (SI, Jan. 16) to Leadfoot and Lightfoot (SI, April 2)—SI's report of the Corvette 's fine performance at Sebring. SI did not totally neglect the Corvette but the news this time (at Cumberland ) was made by Jaguar and Porsche .—ED.

SPELLING BEE
Sirs:
This is to inform you of the obvious misspelling (in your May 28 issue) of Frank (Trader) Lane . We, as Cardinal fans, feel that Frank (Traitor) Lane would be more appropriate.
F. T. FLEISCHER
C. ALEXANDER
Worcester , Mass.