Mighty Martin

To the Editors:

It's incredible that baseball's Wild Bill Martin of the Oakland A's [May 11] keeps winning. It is even more astounding that he is everyone's hero. The only explanation for this pale wrinkled fighter having so many fans is that he has managed almost every team in the league. He captured me when he gave new birth to my Minnesota Twins.

(The Rev.) Don E. Hutchings

Russellville, Ark.

It is true that Billy Martin has proved to be one of the best managers in baseball by producing winners in Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, New York and now Oakland. However, the supreme test of his managerial mettle still lies ahead of him: the challenge of making a winner of the Chicago Cubs.

James Fredian

Arlington Heights, Ill.

Arrogant, aggressive and always amusing, the A's approach adversary after adversary with assurance. Will they annihilate their antagonists? Will they achieve their aspirations? Are the A's authentic? Absolutely!

Robert Rotsch

Staunton, III.

With so many people participating in active sports, like running, rather than being mere spectators, the only thing incredible about baseball is that anybody is still interested.

Jerry Kassanchuk

Golden Valley, Minn.

You honor Billy Martin, who encourages brawls on the field and participates in them when as a leader he should be stopping them, the man who ambles through life with the finesse of a bull looking for the nearest red cape.

Many of us were brought up to believe that fair play, respect for authority and self-discipline are manly virtues. With his behavior, Billy Martin instills the exact opposite in this traditional American sport.

Paul J. Kemmy

Minnetonka, Minn.

You referred to Lance Parrish as the third baseman for the Montreal Expos. Lance is a catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Larry, of course, is the real third baseman for the Expos.

Pierre Laxa

Orchard Lake, Mich.

Lament for Lebanon

Your story about the discord in Lebanon [May 11] fails to emphasize one basic fact: the conflict is primarily over Lebanon's sovereignty. It is not a "civil war" between Lebanese Christians and Muslims. The P.L.O. has usurped power in order to have a base for attacking Israel. The Syrians have set up their defenses in our country to prevent a linkup between the Lebanese Christians. The Syrians act as if it were a crime for our people to try to remove the Syrian-Palestinian wedge separating the country.

Adonis El-Arz, Director News and Information Canadian Lebanese Association

Mississauga, Ont.

The war is not between Muslims and Christians. It is between a Christian group, the Phalangists, on one side and other factions that include Christians and Muslims. The non-Lebanese who are fueling the war are the Israelis. Why are the Palestinians in Lebanon? Is it not because they were expelled from their homeland by Israel's military aggression?

Ahmad Katnani

Madison, Wis.

I am Lebanese and Christian. I hurt when I read of the dreadful events in the home of my ancestors. I feel an obligation to Lebanon, but attempting to choose a side whose ideals are worth supporting is impossible. Will there be a Lebanon when this is over?

Richard Neju Aswad II

Binghamton, N. Y.

Joy of Working

It's nice that Lance Morrow can wax poetic about work [May 11]. He says workers are like "citizens" of their companies, almost. Citizens, however, participate in making decisions. We don't want paternal warmth; we want to exercise control over our lives. You have only to tour a Chinatown sweatshop or a coal mine to know why.

Leah Beth Ward

East Providence, R.I.

I have been working for 50 years, and am still at it. Most of the time, I loved what I was doing but hated having to do it. Since I spent most of the proceeds on having fun, I can say that I am, on balance, content.

Ransom Taylor

Milwaukee

In the opening of the Essay, you blame the Creator for something that, in the light of Judaeo-Christian Scriptures, is our fault, not his. According to the first chapter of Genesis, God established work as a blessed part of human life. It is only in the third chapter, after the "fall into sin and rebellion," that work now becomes toil. Work was not the Creator's punishment, toil was. In addition, the frustration that comes from meaningless work was not part of God's original plan.

(The Rev.) Ray R. Kringel

Santa Maria, Calif.

Billie Jean

Billie Jean King is Billie Jean King[May 11]--a superstar. Why should it even matter where she hangs her racquet!

Judith Knecht

Ridgewood, N. Y.

The night Billie Jean King walloped Bobby Riggs I became her fan for life. I can see no reason to change now.

Margaret J. Buchholzer

Albuquerque

Whether or not King has contributed much to the game of tennis is a moot point. To preserve the integrity of women's tennis, King should promptly resign or be fired as the president of the Women's Tennis Association.

Berman E. Deffenbaugh Jr., President Robert E. Lee Tennis Hackers

San Antonio

Why all the racket about Billie Jean King? Amid the hype that superstardom creates and the pedestal the public puts celebrities on, stands a woman who admits to being human.

Marjorie Harwood

Detroit

The support for Billie Jean King shocks me. I guess public opinion rules, and not what is moral and just.

Sastry Kodavatiganti

Wheeling, Ill.

Terrorists and Martyrdom

Terrorists don't usually care how they die, just as long as they are able to get a good headline. Bobby Sands [May 18] knew and hoped that his death would inspire violence among his own people. He's no martyr.

Dan Chang

Seattle

Margaret Thatcher believes that crime is crime is crime. The Irish believe that Ireland is Ireland is Ireland. The fact is the British have no more legitimate claim to Northern Ireland than they do to North Dakota, North Carolina or North America.

R. Michael Regan

North Mankato, Minn.

Sands was a victim of terrorism. But is terrorism the only means to achieve the goal? Assuming that Ireland is one day united, will the killing stop? I think not. The diseased terrorist will find other reasons to kill and maim. The sickness will continue to exist and spread as it is doing almost daily.

Ron Gray

Garland, Texas

The misty-eyed American politicians of Irish extraction who have deplored Britain's steadfast condemnation of Sands should take the time to listen to Mrs. Thatcher. She denounces all organizations in Northern Ireland, and anywhere else in the world, which try to impose their will through terrorism.

While going about their business, innocent Englishmen and Irishmen have been killed and disfigured by terrorists.

Alfred K. Stone

London

No one forced Bobby Sands to fast to death. It was his own choice. Before long, murderers and rapists will be declaring themselves a special class of prisoners, and will be demanding concessions. They are all criminals, and as such should be punished.

Jacqueline Thompson

Nottingham, England

Southward Ho!

As a member of that rare breed, the native Texan, I have watched with much horror the Yankee reinvasion of the state [May 11], particularly in Dallas and Houston. Our streets are becoming congested and our resources scarce. The Northerners are trying to destroy our cities, as they have their own. We will fight to keep the unions out of here and to prevent Texas from becoming a socialistic welfare state.

Sydney Busch

Dallas

It's too bad that some Michiganders are giving up and returning to Michigan after trying to find a better life only in Houston. Don't they realize that there are plenty of other thriving Sunbelt cities to choose from? The Horkenbachs aren't the only people who don't care for Houston; many Texans would never want to live there either.

Dave Gantt

Bryan, Texas

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.