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What about other sports...
...especially baseball?
Memories still in the making
Better served by honoring the troops
Open access to the non-digital
A warped hoax
Another useless article
Thank you, Ms. Meagher
'Ouch' is right!
Mistaken identity, part 2


What about other sports...

In reading the article about the dedication and commitment of the parents of Hopkins athletes ["Home Team," April], I can't help but wonder why Dale Keiger chose to single out the parents of the men's lacrosse team. Certainly an article focusing on this topic should have been expanded to include parents of all the student athletes. The story would have been much the same — dedicated parents transporting their sons and daughters frequently and over long distances to games, meets, practices, etc., throughout much of their young lives.

If you think the men's lacrosse parents are unique, come by the baseball field (and I suspect football, basketball, and other venues as well) on a weekend — at home or away games. Not only do parents attend from near and far, but they supply lunches between double-headers, fresh-baked cookies, and holiday treats — all at their own expense! Oh yes, speaking of expense — let's remember that none of the student athletes, except the men's lacrosse team, are attending on athletic scholarships.

Here's hoping for more equitable coverage in the future.

Karen Gotimer, Baseball Parent '08
Katonah, New York


...especially baseball?

After reading the article written by Dale Keiger, I am offended that you chose to single out lacrosse athletes and parents. Did you not complete your research? If you had, you would know that the baseball team and their parents alone raised more than $14,000 the last two years for "The Race for the Cure," as the team has had three of its players/families affected with cancer. One of these players had to take off a year from baseball, but has since returned to play without aid of a scholarship. These players are also extremely dedicated to their school, their coach, each other, and their parents.

Kathy Steffee, Baseball Parent '08
Wentzville, Missouri


Memories still in the making

Simply stated, I loved Dale Keiger's article about the parents of Hopkins lacrosse players. Although my parents are now divorced, one of the great joys I experienced in my four years at JHU was seeing how much fun they had watching me play lacrosse for the Blue Jays. Some of my closest friends today are my former teammates. What amazes me more are the friendships my parents still maintain with my teammates' moms and dads.

There wasn't a greater feeling than knowing my parents were proud that I donned a JHU jersey. [I have] memories of my mother yelling at me to "shoot the @*&%$# ball!"; hugging my father after a championship game; my mother sitting in between Mrs. Rzempoluch clanging her cow bell and Mrs. Gunning rubbing her rosary beads; my dad slipping me a $20 bill for beers at PJ's after the game; and the tailgates with other fans and families.

So I ask: Who had more fun at Hopkins? Me? Or my mom & dad?

Patrick G. Russell, A&S '89
New Canaan, Connecticut


Better served by honoring the troops

As a former Hopkins player and the father of a Division I athlete, "Home Team" — chronicling the stress and demands of the parents of the men's lacrosse team — was discomforting and seemed rather inappropriate for the cover and lead story position in Johns Hopkins Magazine.

Several days later the Hopkins community was saddened to learn of the death in Iraq of U.S. Army Captain Jonathan Grassbaugh, a member of the class of 2003. He was but one of many of our recent ROTC graduates serving with distinction on active duty in our military.

Would we, the Hopkins community, have been better served had you chosen to honor these men and women and the sacrifices they and their families have made to serve our country? The war may be unpopular, but shouldn't we still support the troops?

"A lacrosse season is long, intense, and not for the emotionally frail" [Dale Keiger wrote]. So are military deployments to the war zone. After all, lacrosse, while a great one, is just a game.

Michael S. Riley, A&S '75
Towson, Maryland


Open access to the non-digital

Will university presses survive Open Access ["Big Question," April]? Kathleen Keane says, "The short answer is, 'Yes, of course.'" Many thanks for the enlightened observation. Hopefully, this will also apply to document collections donated to university libraries. Practice is revealing that "coveting" such documents is appearing to overrule "access," likely because they are not in digital format, which should not ever be an impediment.

Terry Smythe
Winnipeg, Canada


A warped hoax

Millions have enjoyed Norman Rockwell's prodigious artistic talents over decades of both good and bad times. [Richard] Halpern's retro-psychoanalysis of Mr. Rockwell's obviously suppressed "perversions" appears to have morphed conspicuously personal speculation into a warped hoax ["Neither Simple Nor Innocent," April]. Apparently none can escape "the oracle's" perspicacious lens on sexuality! This is vintage Halpern; how repugnant to see it contaminating the pages of a once respected journal.

Breathlessly, we now await oracle Halpern's "tell-all" re: George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Theodore Roosevelt, Sgt. Alvin York, Rocky Marciano, and John Wayne. Or are there some real surprises in store?

Oh, be still my beating heart!

Richard Bowers, Med '47
Sarasota, Florida


Another useless article

In reference to Debbie Meagher's letter "Disgusted" in the April 2007 issue of Johns Hopkins Magazine, I wholeheartedly agree with her expression of disgust with both the article ["The Number," February] and the blatant liberal bias of your magazine and the university in general.

The magazine's April issue reinforces my disgust by publishing yet another article of useless value. I refer to Maria Blackburn's piece on Richard Halpern's book — in which he takes the liberty to impose his own imaginings, of a perverse nature, on what was supposedly in the mind of Norman Rockwell, and for what purpose? Halpern's thoughts contribute nothing of worth to society and drag the good reputation of a highly respected person through the gutters of life. Has he nothing better to do with his time and the application of his brain?

The wholesomeness that Norman Rockwell portrayed so beautifully was the America that some of us have known. Rather than attack that noble image, we would do well to aspire to such values. It is regrettable that creative writing values controversy for the sake of controversy.

Douglas Creswell, Bus '65
Mount Airy, Maryland


Thank you, Ms. Meagher

I am so pleased by the fact that Johns Hopkins Magazine published a letter from someone who is NOT on the "liberal bent" train! Thank you, Ms. Meagher, for your well-written letter regarding the attitude of the "average" liberal person at JHU. Exactly, "what are a bunch of epidemiologists doing spending time and resources on this?" I, too, am tired of the "I Hate America" crowd who are always putting America down for its involvement in Iraq. Your questions of what COULD have been had we NOT gone into Iraq are perfect!

Susan Townsend, Nurs '81
Owings Mills, Maryland


'Ouch' is right!

On page 50 [April], just above the red quotation, there is a reference to John Hopkins. OUCH.

Mary Jean Scott Silk, A&S '58 (PhD)
Johannesburg, South Africa


Mistaken identity, part 2

As others will undoubtedly point out, the letter ["Mistaken Identity"] in the April issue pointing out an error in the article "To the Letter: Peabody Turns 150" itself contains an error: Admiral David Farragut was in the U.S. Navy, not the U.S. Army.

E. Anthony Newton, SAIS '61
Blue Hill, Maine

Return to June 2007 Table of Contents

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