Some Cardinal Fans Take Their Swings From the Mailbag

The St. Louis Cardinals may be dead, but their fans are alive and kicking. Let’s check the mailbag.

Mr. Jackass:

Just read your column concerning the St. Louis Cardinals and the World Series. You must be a very sick, pathetic individual. What’s wrong? Can’t get over the idea that the Cardinals beat the biggest crybabies of all times--the Los Angeles Dodgers, of course led by Lasorda.

--Paul L. Gordon (illegible city, Mo.)

Hey, Paul, this is an informal column. Just call me Jack.

I would like to take exception with your article on the Cardinals being a disgrace. True Andujar and Herzog’s behavior was reprehensible and Tudor’s left something to be desired. However, I saw nothing but professional behavior from the rest of the team. Why should gentlemen such as Darrell Porter, Tom Herr, and Ozzie Smith be tarred by your brush?

--Carol Johnson (San Diego)

All you San Diego people, you’re always griping!

I just read your blistering attack on the 1985 Cardinals and I am furious. They deserve to be commended for the outstanding year they had. They had a year any team would be proud of.

Yes, as a Cardinal fan, I was embarrassed by that last World Series game. But after seeing how they fought to get there, I can understand their frustration and forgive them. But I can’t forgive you for your tirade against them.

--Lorraine Lefkowitz (Mar Vista)

OK, OK, the Cardinals had a swell season. But the only team that could be proud of the way the Cards finished would be the tag team of Rowdy Roddy Piper and the Iron Sheik.

And speaking of frustration, Lorraine, how about the frustration of cranking out classic sports page literature every day and winding up with a mailbag like this? Huh?

(Ostler’s) horrible blasting of the Cards for losing the World Series is a classic piece of vitriolic writing at its best!! Who is Scott Ostler to demand absolute perfection for every given moment in a team’s performance?

(Your) column was written in the poorest of taste! You compare (the Cardinals) to the Black Sox of ’19. You had the gall to compare an honest team, trying to do its best, to a gang of crooks who knowingly cheated!

Penning thoughts such as you did, makes me ill. I can recall you stinking up the paper a few times with some poor efforts of your own.

--Mace Fuhr (West L.A.)

Mace? Say, are you the guy who originated the sports expression, “In your face”?

You’re right, though, Mace. It’s not fair to compare the 1985 Cards and the 1919 Sox. Sorry, Sox .

You made it seem as though Whitey Herzog is less than a quality manager. His achievements speak for him. Ironically, The Times ran a story, on the same day, that said he was voted AP manager of the year (of both leagues). Of course the voters may not be as well informed as you.

L.A. was beaten by a class team, a team that deserves your respect. Did you have 101 winners this year?

--Bob Woodroof (Cypress)

No, but by weird coincidence, I did bowl a 101 game recently .

It’s real big of The Times’ sportswriters to kick the St. Louis Cardinals when they’re down.

Can’t you guys understand why Andujar and Herzog blew a little cool. They were ripped off the day before and took the opportunity to express themselves to (umpire Don) Denkinger. Didn’t you guys ever play baseball? I suppose you did. You probably played right field for two innings, wet your pants when your turn at bat came up and then rushed home to practice your typing because you knew it was your only ticket into professional sports.

(You) even take a cheap shot at Whitey’s haircut, Ostler. But I bet you wouldn’t say it to his face. My father wears a flat top and he’s twice the man you’ll ever be and so’s Herzog.

--A.B. James (Chatsworth)

This is weird. Suddenly I have an uncontrollable urge to go jump off a tall building.

Why don’t you write how the umpires lost the Series for St. Louis in Game 6. Everyone getting on St. Louis but everyone going past the real cause of all the trouble. Let’s be fair about it. (Umpire Don Denkinger) lost the Series for St. Louis.

--(illegible first name) Walts (La Palma)

I would have written about that very subject, but I was scooped by a well read supermarket tabloid, which revealed in a copyrighted story how the umpires are really aliens from another planet who have assumed the form of umpires and other citizens. They can be identified only by their poor safe-out judgment, and by their inability to use the verb is when writing letters.

Scott Ostler’s story was a masterpiece.

--Luciano Aguiar (Tulare)

You were referring to a completely unrelated column, Luciano, but I thought your comments showed keen insight and were worth sharing.