To the editor,
I loved Ed Shakespeare’s recent catch-all column (“Nobody asked me, but…,” Sept. 1). I totally agree with his comments about the officiating at Cyclone games. Some of the umps’ calls have cost us big time.
As the season comes to an end, I would like to say that my son, Jason Jacobs, has truly enjoyed playing with the Cyclones this year and told me what a great chemistry the team has had. I think that has definitely been one of the contributing factors to their success this year.
Last but not least, I must acknowledge the talents and guidance of [manager] Edgar Alfonzo and [pitching coach] Hector Berrios. They have taught these boys to be better players, and I want to personally thank them for their positive influence on this team.
Georgia Jacobs, Florida
The writer is mother of the Cyclones’ home run and RBI leader. Without her, the team might not be competing for the championship this year.
• • •
To the editor,
I enjoy Ed Shakespeare’s columns on the Cyclones. His knowledge and love of the game come through.
But I’d like to take exception to his jest about how the clock at Keyspan Park has “Horace Clarke hands” (i.e. none). It’s simply not true that Horace Clarke (New York Yankees, 1965-1973) had no hands.
Check it out: Clarke’s fielding percentage at second base was consistently above the league average (.983 lifetime vs. .978 for the league). The one year it wasn’t, 1973, it was off by .001.
The one knock on him in the field is that he didn’t turn the double play when runners were bearing down on him. But that’s something different.
If you want to make “no hands” jokes, go with Curt Blefary! As Phil Pepe said a few years ago, enough with the Horace Clarke bashing.
Rory Costello, Brooklyn Heights
The writer runs Baseball in the Virgin Islands, a Web site devoted to Clarke’s birthplace.
Openness at Gibran
To the editor,
I think what really bothers me about this Arabic school is that they do not want to show anyone what they are teaching (“Media descends on Gibran as Arabic school opens,” Sept. 8). I know that if I moved to the neighborhood, I would want to know what were the school is like and what they are teaching.
Under the circumstances, they need to be transparent about their staff and the curriculum. Darrell [Name withheld],
Rio Linda, Calif.
Trip and fall
To the editor,
After visiting Coney Island today, I left with two impressions: The beach was clean and peaceful. The Boardwalk, however, was in shambles.
Is the city looking for lawsuits? It is quite easy to injure oneself because many boards are loose, sticking up, and jagged. What is up with that?
C’mon, Coney Island, fix your Boardwalk!
Marc Hochberg, Newark, N.J.
Sitt on it!
To the editor,
Coney Island’s would-be developer Joe Sitt promised us a world of flashing color lights, late night music and year-round beach parties — New York’s very own Las Vegas, catering to both roller-coaster–hungry children and late-night partygoers. But while the starry-eyed developer plans to renovate Coney Island, locals are packing their bags with nowhere to go.
Your editorial “Why Not Thor” (Aug. 11) neglected the working class, who are usually given voice by your fine paper. You failed to mention that Sitt has begun mass evictions in the community.
In October, tenants of the Henderson building were assured that evictions wouldn’t begin for a year. Days later, they received vacate orders.
We need to shake the image of Coney Island dressed in fluorescence, and focus on local businesses being shut down.
Theirs are the stories you should tell instead.
Katherine Konecky, Park Slope
Duffield milkmaids
To the editor
The new buildings proposed for Duffield Street will look a lot better — and be a lot better for — the revitalization of Downtown Brooklyn (“Down on Duffield,” Sept. 8).
The existing buildings are a blight on the area! The owners never took care of those eyesores anyway, giving that entire block a “Wild West” feeling. Now, the owners are just trying to milk the cow.
Al Pankin, Downtown
Pool party
To the editor,
I’m very disturbed by Tom Gilbert’s column, “The real story of an old pool,” (Williamsburg edition and online, Sept. 8).
I’m a lifelong resident of Greenpoint. My family is racially mixed. I’m a witness to the prejudice in this neighborhood. I’m a witness and victim to the racial wars in Greenpoint throughout the 1970s and ’80s.
I’m white and had my butt kicked many times for walking down to Franklin Street to visit my Puerto Rican friends. Gilbert’s story is a clear effort to eliminate the responsibility of folks and politicians who halted the reopening of McCarren Pool for racial and prejudicial reasons.
Even now, racism is alive and well in the community. Ask the 94th Precinct captain and review the notes from the last Community Council meeting, where folks again began to object to the reopening of the pool.
I clearly heard the words “those people” used at the meeting.
Please do not minimize the racist motives that are still around, otherwise you will be responsible for condoning the past activity and giving racism a vehicle for raising its ugly head again.
Laura Hofmann, Greenpoint
Tree lady
To the editor,
You received a rather harsh letter in the last issue that suggested that Park Slope “Yuppies” are committing “environmental murder” because they use fresh, rather than artificial Christmas trees (“Gersh’s push for green angers some Slopers,” Sept. 8).
As you can see on page 13 of my book, “How to Trim Your Christmas Tree,” the “majority of trees sold for holiday decoration have been grown on farms specifically for that purpose. Buying a tree is not a blow to birds & forest creatures. … In fact, tree farms are an important agricultural niche for many small land owners.”
R. K. Dillon, Park Slope
Regal man
To the editor,
I saw your article about artist Mark Reigelman’s art installation at Borough Hall (“Grab a table-thingy,” Sept. 1) and had to say that his stair square project is a simple and great idea! Please leave this amazing concept on the steps of Borough Hall. PLEASE!
Christian Igel, Williamsburg
Editor’s note: It wasn’t up to us, but the stair project has been dismantled.
