Polyester They’re NotFirst came Haggar slacks, a...

Polyester They’re Not

First came Haggar slacks, a mid-priced line popular with the golf set.

Now heavy-metal icon Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame is launching his own line of men’s clothing named after himself--but not called Hagar.

Dubbed “Red Rocker Hyper-Active Wear,” the title plays off the singer’s nickname (The Red Rocker) and his high-energy image.

“Anyone who has ever seen Sammy’s show can attest that movement is what Hagar is all about,” according to an announcement of the new, moderately priced collection, which will debut Tuesday at the Action Sports Retailer Convention in San Diego.

“Luckily, we have never succumbed to the customary leather clothes that are stereotype ‘heavy metal gear.’ ” Hagar said in the statement. “We have always been able to express ourselves in what we wear and we picked clothing that you can walk down the street in.”

Rock on.

A Language Barrier in Check

In an effort to appeal to the Latino community, Bank of America is introducing a check series printed in English and Spanish that will depict five family scenes.

Ennio Quevedo-Garcia, BofA group product manager for the Special Markets Group, said the bank chose to use Spanish and English in the check series “to convey an important message that says, ‘We respect the Latino culture and we want to do business with you.’ ”

The series, painted by San Francisco artist Carmen Lomas Garza, is called “Imagenes Familiares” (Family Images). Portraits include a grandfather tending corn and a mother teaching her children the traditional art of paper cutouts.

Mike’s Pen Pals

An article on this page last Tuesday prompted a remarkable number of phone calls from readers. The piece was about the favorable letters written on behalf of Michael Milken to the federal judge who will sentence him.

Most were irate that public figures such as Police Chief Daryl F. Gates and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Bill Honig had written to Judge Kimba M. Wood lavishly praising the former Drexel Burnham Lambert junk bond king. Many of these callers asserted that Milken deserves a life sentence--or worse. A smaller number phoned in support of Milken. Most asked for Wood’s address.

People interested in writing to the judge about Milken before he is sentenced Oct. 1 can write to: U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood, U.S. Courthouse, 40 Centre St., New York, N.Y. 10007.