What Alcohol and Drugs Can Do to Sports

I was moved to tears by Sunday’s article about Maury Wills’ newfound success with the Dodgers, his touching mentoring relationship with Dave Roberts, and his victory over addiction.

I too have been on that long, hard road as a recovering alcoholic. While it was not explicitly mentioned in the article, I was doubly touched that another recovering alcoholic--Don Newcombe--was so instrumental in bringing Wills back to sanity. One can only wonder at how many (present company included) have found inspiration in the courage and brave action that he took in blazing a trail for us to follow at a time when addiction was not discussed in polite company.

While the Maury Wills story is a wonderful story of redemption born out of despair, without the bravery of men like Don Newcombe and the “tough love” of men like Fred Claire, it could have ended much differently than it did.

Fred Anson

Aliso Viejo

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I knew Kansas City Royal first base coach Tom Gamboa quite well in college. I remember him being a sweetheart of a guy who had no life outside of his passion for baseball. He didn’t drink, smoke or party, like most of the other ballplayers I knew back then. So I didn’t buy the story that he had provoked the attack that night by making an obscene gesture at the two idiots who assaulted him.

Since then, various commentators have blamed everything from fan anger about potential baseball labor problems to the unsportsmanlike behavior of some professional athletes in general for the incident. The fact is, alcohol is the primary cause and I am appalled that nobody appears to be addressing this obvious problem. My family stopped going to sporting events years ago, when fan behavior became downright dangerous in the stands, not to mention the drive home after the game. The sooner pro sports gets a handle on this issue, the sooner families will return to the parks and arenas, and the less frequently we’ll see incidents like the one that happened to Tom Gamboa.

John R. Johnson

Encino

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While I sympathize with the Darr and Johnson families on their losses [“Friends to the End,” Sept. 25], I hope I’m not the only one who noticed that Mike Darr’s blood-alcohol level was 0.11 and that neither young man was using his seat belt.

I have questions. Were Duane Johnson and Ben Howard sober? And if they were, why didn’t one of them get behind the wheel? Didn’t anyone say to Darr, “You’ve had a few drinks? Shouldn’t we all, at least, buckle up?” What if Darr had hit another vehicle?

When will we learn?

Preston Spickler

Studio City