Letters

L'Etoile du Nord

If my inability to find the Aug. 7 issue at Twin Cities newsstands is any indication, Joe Mauer has arrived (The Perfect Catch). Batting titles aside, he is destined for success as long as his health is good and fame doesn't go to his head. The Twins should secure him with a long-term contract and reserve space for a statue at the new stadium slated to open in 2010.
Brent Brommer, Woodbury , Minn.

Not only is Mauer setting new standards of play for major league catchers, he is creating a new standard of conduct for all professional athletes. It is refreshing to see a player who, despite his enormous success, has not lost his pure passion for the game of baseball.
Zach Schneider, Duluth

Don't forget what Sparky Anderson said at the end of the 1976 World Series: "I don't want to embarrass any other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench ."
Ed Meier, Mason, Ohio

Going Negative

As a scientist and a sports fan, I believe the current doping scandals compromise science as much as sports (Scorecard, Aug. 7). The tests are performed by entities motivated by and funded to achieve the goal of detecting cheaters; their objectivity is suspect. Also, it is a scientific fact that there will be positive tests even when there are no cheaters. From my perspective, the puzzle is not the occasional positive test, but why there aren't a great many more. The system is broken, and I fear it is not always due to cheating athletes.
Brandon Gaut, Irvine , Calif.

You may criticize what is going on in cycling, but if we applied cycling's drug rules to American sports, entire teams' worth of players would be banned. At least cycling doesn't stick its head in the sand.
Von Campbell, Colorado Springs

Big John

Thank you for the excerpt about Johnny Unitas (The Unitas Factor, Aug. 7). He was a true quarterback, studying the defense and calling the plays. Most quarterbacks since Unitas have merely been throwers, not field generals. If he played today--with the rules that protect the quarterback and the receivers--I can only imagine what he and Raymond Berry might accomplish. It wouldn't be fair to the defenses.
Cliff Kroski, Kansas City , Mo.

The wonderful book excerpt brought back so many great memories for a guy raised in Baltimore in the 1960s. Our heroes were Unitas, Berry, Gino Marchetti , Lenny Moore and the rest of those guys--all of whom were part of the community in a way that is probably lost forever.
L.G. Connor, Ellicott City , Md.