I am the mother of a high school baseball player who has a bright future. He will graduate this year from Indian Rocks Christian School and has accepted a scholarship to pitch at a northern university.
John Romano's column on Josh Hamilton (Talent realized or tossed aside? Your move, Josh, Wednesday) brought me to tears. I have followed Josh's career with delight as we moved here from North Carolina, not too far from his hometown. As I read Romano's article, I felt a mother's pain and sympathy for this young man. I will cut the article out and insist my son read it, as a word of warning of what he could become. I will also give it to his varsity baseball coach, who I am sure will share it with the team.
Romano's column is excellently written and should be posted on the door of every high school baseball locker room.
-- Toni Gross, Oldsmar
Thomas was this man's friend
A friend of mine has passed away. He did not know my name, nor could he pick my face out of a crowd. Yet he was such a good friend that the news of his passing made me pull off to the side of the road, so I could compose myself. Yes, the sad news brought this 53-year-old man to tears when Chris Thomas died.
Having moved from Massachusetts and being new to the area in 1995 I searched the local TV channels for news and sports. The deciding factor in choosing Channel 8 was the sports reporting of Chris Thomas. Unique, funny, yet to the point. I loved it when he would take a stand on an issue and Channel 8 would flash "Commentary" on the bottom of the screen! This man had chutzpah!
My job consists of 8-9 hours a day of driving around central Pinellas County for a health-care company, so talk shows are a big part of my day. When Chris was on the air, I never missed his show. He was my constant companion from 10-12 every day. He was instrumental in my switching allegiances to the Bucs, Lightning, and, yes, the Devil Rays. When he preached "unity in the community," I was converted to one of his disciples.
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Chris at one of his seminars at Tampa Bay Downs, his love affair with horse racing was contagious.
I know I lost a good friend, a man who made me laugh, made me think, made me glad to be alive, made me thankful to be an American. Today he made me cry, yet I'm a better man for knowing him.
-- Jerry Glavin, Largo
Stop whining about the Yankees
Ah, the boys of summer are returning. All the signs are here: the calendar, the ESPN reports, pictures of Lou, and of course the whining by the St. Petersburg Times sports writers about the Yankees. Some day when the Rays have an owner who really wants to win and a general manager who can put a winning team together, we'll all celebrate Yankees-type moves here and the sports writers' jealous whines will turn to praise.
-- Daniel Favero, St. Petersburg
Selig must act if steroids taint game
When it is proven, and it will be, that Barry Bonds and others have taken performance enhancing drugs, will Major League Baseball (and commissioner Bud Selig) do the right thing? Suspend, take away records and awards, and punish those for what they have done to the integrity of the game. This is far worse than what Pete Rose ever thought of doing.
-- Dave Rodman, Dunedin
Earnhardt, Daly make excellent day
What a great Sunday afternoon for sports fans. First we get a win by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Daytona 500, then we get to see Big John Daly win a golf tournament. Both wins were great for the fans. The only thing that would have made it a better year would have been a second Super Bowl for the Bucs.
-- Woodie Gray, Holiday
How to contact us
FAX: (727) 893-8782. Include name, address, phone number
E-MAIL: sptsnews@sptimes.com text only. Include e-mail address, name, mailing address, phone number
