Foreign Winner Didn’t Diminish 500

Generally I don’t read the sports page, and I’m not what you would classify as a sports fan, but nonetheless, today I read Jim Murray’s column on the Indy 500 race (May 28). And I must take exception to his comments.

It seems that the Indy race is supposed to be won only by Americans. The fact that foreigners have captured first place for the last two years seems to go against Murray’s Americanism, and somehow the race seems to have been less pleasing to him because of this.

What a shame! As I said earlier, I am not a sports fan. In fact, I dodge most games and events successfully. But this time, my 16-year-old daughter told me that it was selfish for me to say no to accept my husband’s invitation to the Indy 500.

So it was that I attended the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in Indianapolis. And I now believe that Jim Murray had it all wrong by mourning the absence of an American winner. On the contrary, my experience showed me that this race is all about being the best, and national boundaries have no place there. The winner’s nationality was worthy of no more than a footnote in the summary of the 74th Indy 500.

I think this is because, like me, many of the race-goers were first-timers who were there to experience the spectacle as well as the sport, and recognized the winner as the composite of the very best. Driver, equipment and crew, it came together for Arie Luyendyk.

The fact that my winner wasn’t American won’t make any difference to the dream at all. Being the best and believing in possibilities is not an American exclusive. So try to be more generous with the rest of the world, Mr. Murray, and stop whining.

NANCY PALMTAG, San Diego