A stellar athlete who was also a true gentleman
Whiting, N.J.: Willie Mays was the greatest all-around baseball player of all time. But rather than focus on his career achievements, I want to mention ways that Willie’s character on and off the field influenced my life positively since I was 5 (I’m nearing 70 now).
In early May 1964, Willie was named the first Black captain of a major league team. Some whites thought he did not deserve the honor, but to my knowledge, Willie never responded verbally. Rather, the San Francisco Giants played a doubleheader against the Mets and Willie appeared both at his normal center field position and, unusually, played a few innings at shortstop for the first time. As the center fielder is the “captain of the outfield” and shortstop is “captain of the infield,” Mays was asserting his deservedness to lead the Giants as captain without saying a word.
Mays brought people together! People of all races appreciated his hitting exploits (for average and for power), his prowess on the field (fielding and throwing) and his exciting baserunning. He was a peacemaker, never more obvious than when he stopped teammate Juan Marichal from beating Dodger Johnny Roseboro over the head with a baseball bat. Willie’s example was always one of non-violence. And he lived such a clean life — he wasn’t a drinker or womanizer, he was scandal-free and controversy-free. He was a tremendous example to a young man like myself regarding staying out of trouble.
There is a gaping void in our nation from losing Willie Howard Mays. I don’t know where he is now, except that he’s in my heart and in the hearts of millions like myself. Chet Jelinski
None better
Massapequa Park, L.I.: I grew up in Brooklyn during the ’50s and we would argue about who was the best player — Duke Snider, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays. Being a Dodgers fan, I would always say that the Duke was the best but of course, deep down, we knew that the “Say Hey Kid” was the best of all. God bless him and the other two. Frank Mullahey
Top-notch
Bronx: Rest in peace, Willie Mays, one of the greatest ever to play the game. Now we can say the outfield in heaven is completely covered — Mays, Mickey Mantle and Duke Snider, just three of the all-time greats to play baseball are there, where they truly belong. Guys who played for the love of the game, not like some of today’s players who are money-grubbers and on some days can’t play because they don’t feel good or have a tummy ache. Willie, Mickey and the Duke played every game, no matter the aches or pains they may have had. True heroes of a “kid’s game,” baseball. Jimmy Durda
More Mets space
New Haven, Conn.: The New York Times sports section doesn’t even acknowledge that there is a baseball season going on. Recently, for three days in a row — June 11, 12 and 13 — there was not a word about baseball in the paper, but lots of football! So, on the advice of a friend, I’m now reading the Daily News. But on Tuesday, there were four and a half pages on the Yankees and a half-page on the Mets. Is there no justice? Sid Harris
Clarification needed
Bronx: Shout-out to my boss, whose understanding of Juneteenth was to let me work a full eight-hour shift, then tell me that I actually had the day off! Sandy Harris
She served us
Manhattan: I think former councilman, now Comptroller Brad Lander is planning to run for governor (“Lander goes after Hochul,” June 19). Why else would he attempt to attack our governor? The congestion pricing plan, as proposed, would have been a disaster for those of us living in the affected area. I live in a development near the South Street Seaport, where many of our approximately 5,000 residents have incomes so low they are not required to file tax returns. And, as the adage goes, “corporations don’t pay taxes, consumers do,” meaning all of our purchases of products and services would cost more. Thankfully, the governor stopped the toll plan. Hopefully, the many lawsuits filed against it will prevail. John Ost
Transformative acting
Manhattan: Donald Sutherland was all-in on the characters he portrayed. You never thought, “Oh, he’s the actor who did…” while watching his movie character in action. The mischievous rascal he portrayed in “M*A*S*H” made me grin. The beguiling, slick rascal he portrayed in “Eye of the Needle” gave me goosebumps. My heartfelt condolences to Sutherland’s family upon his passing. Susan A. Stark
Over-advertised
Ballston Spa, N.Y.: To Voicer Nancy Macri Kennedy: You were spot-on about all those commercials trying to sell body products. But let me take this to a higher level: I am so freaking tired of being advertised to death. It’s getting out of control. I am so sick of hearing about Navage and Anderson windows that I could scream. And now YouTube not letting you watch a video unless you disable your ad blocker is ludicrous. You people who have cable must be going crazy. Me and my girl counted no fewer than 15 commercials between skits on one program, and that was a two-hour movie! It’s ridiculous. Daniel Simard
Criminal elite
Manhattan: There are no two ways about it, what Christian Inga did was beyond horrible (“He recorded rape of girl, 13: police,” June 20). He should be locked away forever. And congratulations to the heroic people in the neighborhood who captured him. But in my mind, what miscreants like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, etc. will do is describe all migrants as being like Inga. Asylum seekers are just trying to start a better life and do not deserve to be lumped in with the few criminals. We should remind racists like MTG, Johnson and Trump that there are criminals in every group — one has even been found guilty of 34 felonies. I’d take a bunch of migrants trying to make their way in this new world over Trump and his cronies any day. Joie Anderson
Didn’t do jack
West Orange, N.J.: My answer to Voicer Arthur Bressler’s question: What did Trump accomplish to surpass the efforts of Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson? Nothing! Lonnie Bond
While Rome burns
Brooklyn: To Voicer Saul Rothenberg regarding his reply to Voicer Scott R. Hammond: If you don’t see the state the country is in under former Vice President Joe Biden, then you’re living in “The Twilight Zone”! In his letter, Hammond isn’t anti-foreign aid. He’s against enriching the military-industrial complex at the expense of America and its citizens. The example given is the war in Ukraine, which was engineered by Russia-hating neocon Victoria Nuland in singular pursuit of her own ideological interests. And, Mr. Rothenberg, you might want to Google “Midtown Manhattan junkie bent over and catatonic in broad daylight with a needle sticking out of his arm” to shed some clarifying light on reality in America — it’s a few stories below your ivory tower. Robert Erving
Gun guy
Brooklyn: So, Sen. Lindsey Graham is calling President Biden a felon? What a crock! This from the man who has blood on his hands every time innocent men, women and especially children are murdered in gun massacres. That’s a stain that one can never wash off. Graham’s consistent votes against assault weapons, high-capacity magazines and other gun bans, as well as those of his scummy Rat-ublican colleagues, denies him or them from being considered human beings. As Stormy Daniels was to DT, Lindsey is to the NRA, though Stormy got a bigger payday from the Orange Turd than Lindsey ever earns in blood money from the NRA. I guess he’s just a cheaper trick than either Stormy or his fellow Rats! Kevin Hanley
Untoward tender
Ozone Park: Rep. Paul Gosar wants to issue $500-denomination bills with Trump’s smiling mug on them. He thinks they will have collector status. I did not know anyone collected toilet paper. Ray Hackinson
