Regarding John Saltas’ “Team Play,” [Private Eye, July 23, City Weekly], some years ago, while prepping for a library reading/discussion program I was to do in Louisiana, I did some reading on early 20th-century immigration to the United States, particularly letters and diaries of immigrants. I Noticed some of them, men only, talking about going to professional baseball games. The general theme was that standing in the crowd behind the ropes across the outfield, watching the game, they felt like Americans for the first time. They fit in. If you were yelling for the right team with everyone else, no one cared if you were from what you called “the old country.” I was reminded of that when I read Saltas’ column this week.

Good column. Chewy. But chances of breaking down the church-based youth leagues are, I’m afraid, slim to none.

ROBERT A. BECKER
Ogden