Unfortunately, There’s Still a Spot on FloJo’s Memory

My sense is that it was as painful for Randy Harvey to write his Sept. 22 column on the death of Florence Griffith Joyner as it was painful for me to read it. Mr. Harvey’s column was necessary, as these issues need to be discussed and dealt with. I sincerely hope that she never used any banned substances to enhance her performance, but given the circumstances, the sports world can’t be blamed for seriously questioning whether she did so.

The sad fact is that any world-class athlete determined to use banned substances, such as human growth hormone, can evade detection even by random testing if they know how to mix them with other substances and time their use. So the fact that she never failed a drug test doesn’t mean much in determining the truth. Whether or not her husband has any knowledge of such drug use, I hope he reads this article.

ROGER HAWKINS

Los Angeles

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I’m deeply saddened by the harmful “rush to judgment” by some of Florence Griffith Joyner’s so-called athletic peers--and the fact that it may tarnish her legacy. I had the opportunity to work with her and her husband Al several years ago. She was a woman of great dignity, spirit, creativity and love. Our private conversations mostly drifted to her young daughter Mary, and Florence’s concerns about giving her the right upbringing--one that emphasized setting and achieving meaningful goals in life. Publicly, whenever she could, Florence addressed her key “hot button” issue, the scandalous decline of physical fitness in today’s youth.

Remarkably talented in so many ways, a devoted mother and wife, she was modest about her gifts and never forgot where she came from. May this rare human being rest in peace.

NINA STERN McCULLAUGH

Sherman Oaks

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For Randy Harvey to end his article on a dare for her husband to come forward and tell the truth in regards to FloJo’s alleged drug use was beyond the pale.

A beautiful champion, wife and mother died the day before under very sad circumstances and to add to the family’s grief by highlighting the rumors and making them more important than her accomplishments was an insensitive travesty and quite cruel to say the least.

How about giving FloJo the benefit of the doubt by celebrating the special human being she was.

TONI CERVANTES

Venice

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After reading Randy Harvey’s accusatory article about Florence Griffith Joyner, two observations can be made.

1. It is great to know that all The Times’ self-righteous sports columnists have never imbibed alcohol, smoked tobacco, or taken any drugs, legal or otherwise. And I am sure they all keep themselves in top physical shape.

2. Since the death of Jim Murray, there is not a single sports columnist in The Times worth reading.

GLENN LANGDON

Garden Grove

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In 1989, several months after the Seoul Olympics, our family had a birthday celebration at a popular Marina del Rey restaurant. Midway through our meal, my sister had to make a call and went to the front of the establishment. A few moments later she returned quite excitedly, telling everyone that she had just met “FloJo”! Some of us left the table in a rush to meet the track phenom. What I saw was a very elegant, attractive, gracious woman. We all introduced ourselves and congratulated her for the gold medals she had won. The most intriguing thing was that FloJo (probably the most famous woman in the world at that time) was waiting with her husband, Al Joyner, to be seated. There was no huge entourage present to whisk her to a secluded table ahead of everyone else.

When I received the news of Florence’s death, this Bible verse came to mind from 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Rest in peace, Florence. We’ll all miss you.

CHARLES L. REED

Long Beach

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Thursday’s Morning Briefing quotes Bernie Lincicome of the Chicago Tribune as he described Florence Griffith Joyner’s running style: “None of them [other runners] seem to glide without effort, as if feet and earth are whispering love to each other.”

Well, before we canonize FloJo, let us remember that Ben Johnson ran like that too, before he got busted for steroid use.

BRIAN KOWALCHUK

Los Angeles