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Show Dear Editor: When competition is involved, controversy will arise. We therefore will appreciate your printing this rebuttal to the letter by Mark Lane printed July 20 in the Clipper. Two of our boys participated in the Mueller Park Baseball League this year. We are very appreciative of the many efforts put forth by those who are officers and coaches. We have an excellent baseball program in Mueller Park, and those who have worked so hard to make it successful deserve our praise and thanks, not condemnation. Our comments will roughly follow the same format used by Mr. Lane in his criticism of the Mueller Park Baseball League, to which he refers as Bountiful Little League. The photograph situation was indeed unfortunate. The photographer decided to quit at the last minute, and the league was left holding the bag. This was not a good situation, but was hardly the fault of the league officers. What would Mr. Lane have done in this situation? situa-tion? All the coaches were told that they had to provide their own scorekeepers. Mr. Lane failed to do so. The person who Mr. Lane refers to as a "league official" offered to keep score for his team in that game, but she was refused because she did not have a boy playing on his team. However, she did not have a son playing on the other team, either. The other team had a scorekeeper, and kept score in a real scorebook, not just a "running tally." Of course the scorebook was accepted as accurate. Mr. Lane complained about the sprinkling system coming on during a game. This has been a recurring problem for years, and the league has tried to work with Bountiful City to correct the problem, but it still exists to some extent. However, the timing of the sprinklers is determined by the city, not by Mueller Park Baseball. League officials are hardly responsible for that. A volunteer could perhaps help the league here by working with the city to prevent this problem. Umpires in baseball have always been harassed by coaches, parents and others since baseball began, and they always will be. It is part of baseball. There is no way to stop it completely, but the Mueller Park Baseball league has done much to improve the situation. The umpires were required to take a course to qualify, and they were taught how to handle those situations. On more than one occasion, coaches or parents were ejected from the game by these "boys acting as umpires." Overall, we thought there were less problems this year than there have been in the past, and from what we have seen in tournament play, certainly less problem at Mueller Park than in some other leagues. Copies of the league rules (19 copies were prepared for this purpose) were made available to all the coaches. All they had to do was call their league vice president or other officer at home. They were also told where they could obtain copies of official baseball rules. The same thing applied to the umpires. If Mr. Lane didn't have a copy of the rules, it's not the fault of the league. Not having a copy of the rules, how can he state that 'other coaches made rule changes? Also, how can he condemn the league for umpire harassment in one sentence, and then O mplain in another sentence against a rule prohibiting certain , pes of harassment of opposing teams? Nomination for all-stars does not mean automatic all-star status. The boys on Mr. Lane's team should not have been told they were nominated for all-stars until the final selection had been made. We don't know who made the final selection of the all-star teams from those nominated by the coaches, but we do know that somebody had to make the decision, and the decision should have been based on which were the best players. Mr. Lane doesn't state that the "more worthy" coach who had five players on the all-star team also took first place in league play. He also doesn't state that those five players were on the second all-star team, not the first. He also doesn't state that two of the five were sons of the coaches who always are entitled to include their own boys on their teams after the selection has been made. Not all the boys nominated for the all-star team, including Mr. Lane's son, could be picked for a team. That is part of the controversy of competition not only in baseball, but in all sports, all auditions and all elections. The only valid point raised in Mr. Lane's letter was in regards to an accounting for the funds of the league. We think that would be a good idea, and would like to suggest that someone qualified donate the time and effort to do an audit of the records of Mueller Park Baseball, and prepare a statement for distribution to the participants in the league. There are very definite ways Mr. Lane can help his son play in a well run, organized league without driving to Centerville. Enough volunteer hours might even place him on the "good old boy" level in the eyes of first year coaches. We are very proud of the job done by Mueller Park Baseball. We have an excellent program for our boys. Nick Cash, as president of the league, as well as all the members of the executive execu-tive committee and all the other volunteers whose names are too numerous to mention, are to be commended for a job well done. There will always be problems of some kind in a program like this with 550 participants, but overall we have a very fine baseball program. We owe our heartfelt thanks to all those who have donated so much time and effort. G. Mark Dover Merrillyn L. Dover Dear Editor: i It would be nice if the residents of Bountiful were reminded of the correct procedure to follow when driving through four-way intersections with no stop signs, of which there are several in our town. The car at the right has the right-of-way. I am amazed at how few observe this rule, making these intersections very dangerous. Karen Belliston Dear Editor: I was upset and puzzled by Leigh Englebrecht's letter to the editor about bullfighting which appeared in the July 27 Clipper. Disturbed by the inaccuracies credited as facts by Mrs. Engleb-recht, Engleb-recht, and at the same time wondering what had provoked her letter? Bullfighting Latin American style has never been practiced prac-ticed in Utah, at least not in recent times. Mrs. Englebrecht's blithe ignorance of the subject of bullfighting bull-fighting was made clear in her opening sentence when she referred to bullfighters as "toreadors", a word credited to operatic oper-atic composer Georges Bizet, for use in his opera "Carmen." Bullfighters in general are known as "toreros" and the man who kills the bull is a "matador." Typical of the erroneous statement appearing in the Englebrecht letter is the following: (bulls are) "hand fed and treated almost like a pet, he is trusting and unafraid as he is led into the arena." The fighting bull is only distantly related to the animal which is reared for beef in other countries. It is a practically wild animal whose chief instinct is to fight, and it is one of the fiercest and bravest animals on earth. Fighting bulls today are descen-dents descen-dents of famous blood lines known for their fighting qualities which modern scientific breeding has blended to ensure strength, courage and ferocity in the breed, just as other cattle have been bred to give a maximum quantity of milk, or race .horses have been .bred for speed, and endurance. To see a "brave" bull raging and fighting mad thunder into an arena will numb half of a spectator's humanitarian instincts. You will feel that you would as soon be locked in a cage with an angry tiger as down there in the arena. A few years ago newspapers reported an encounter between an escaped fighting bull and a passing automobile that took place in the vicinity of Sevilla, Spain: "The bull turned over the passenger car with one jerk of its powerful neck muscle, then repeatedly drove its sharp horns through the car's metal body. "The terrified driver, seeking to escape, scrambled out and sprinted for the protection of a nearby cottage. The bull overtook over-took him before he could slam the door and crashed into the house with the victim spiked on one horn. The only occupant of the house, an old woman, was also killed by the bull before the Guardia Civil shot the animal through a window." Fighting bulls are the products of ranches devoted exclusively exclusive-ly to this purpose, and must be registered with the government. Animals from unregistered ranches cannot be used in bullfighting. bull-fighting. Because the marketability of the bulls raised is directly dependent de-pendent upon their performance in the arena, of necessity, great care is taken by ranches raising fighting bulls to make certain that the animals bearing their brands and colors into the bull ring are in the peak of condition when they make their first and only appearance before the public. There are many safeguards to assure that the atrocities suggested in the Englebrecht letter cannot be perpetrated on fighting bulls, some of these are: Each bull before it is accepted for a fight must be certified as being well and healthy by a number of interested groups, prominent prom-inent among which are veterinarians, representatives of the bull ring, representatives of the bullfighters, representatives of the government agency governing bullfighting, and generally at least two qualified bullfight fans. Economics is the greatest deterrent to the alleged abuse of fighting bulls described in the Englebrecht letter. Surely the breeder whose brand, colors, and reputation are carried into the arena by a bull from his ranch, would be vehemently opposed to anything that would make his animals appear in a poor light. The management of the arena whose income is directly related as to how well the public is pleased with the fights presented would stand to lose a great deal because of the poor presentations, so would the bullfighters whose incomes and reputations are on the line each time they take part in a fight. The fans or aficionados as they are generally known who would riot or attempt to burn down a bullring before they would countenance a poor or a "rigged" performance. In Latin America bullfighting is a serious business and one which is not to be tampered with. Such things as stuffing newspapers and cotton into a bull's ears and nostrils or the other ways of abusing them suggested by the Englebrecht letter are ridiculous. There is more "bull" in this letter than in all of Latin America! I am not a devotee or fan of bullfighting. My reason for writing is to call the Clipper's readers' attention to the patently absurd statements which appeared in the Englebrecht letter. If there is anything "factual" contained in this letter it has so far eluded me. In addition to personal experience, the references I cite are: "Manual del Toreo, (official rules of bullfighting) Ediciones Moderna, Mexico D.F.; "Bulls and Their Fighters," Rafael Solana and Alexander Glyka, Turist Publications, Mexico, D.F.; "La Fiesta Brava," The Art of the Bullring, Barnaby Conrad, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston; "Juan Belmonte: Killer of Bulls," Manuel Chaves, translated by Leslie Charteris, Dou-bleday Dou-bleday and Company Inc. George W. Tripp Bountiful Dear Editor: Many claim that rock music is harmless and a passive result rather than a critical cause of decadence in our society. Yet, with the rise of rock music in the 1960s, there was a corresponding rise in drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, social violence, and rebellion against society and its values. This came as no surprise to those who understood the power of sound, words and music. Historically, music can be recognized as having the ability to create or destroy order, beauty and the progress of society. Aristotle believed that all music for the young should be regulated reg-ulated by law. Confucius did not want any foreign performers in China because he did not know the kind of music they would play. In ancient China, the emperor checked on the state of his society by finding out if the musicians kept to perfect tones. Both Hinduism and Christianity assert that creation began with sound. Hinduism has long understood the power inherent in sound to physically create and to change matter. Its devotees use mantras or chants to raise consciousness, to heal, to become one with God. The effect of sound on matter has been carefully documented as has the negative and insidious effect that the rock beat has on the human body. It works directly against the diastolic-systolic rhythm of the body and, although harmful, can also be addicting. addict-ing. Plants will thrive or die depending on the type of music they . are exposed to. So will mice. It is also a mistake to consider lvrics harmless or something that can be "tuned out." As subliminal research shows, the mind absorbs all it contacts consciously or unconsciously. Thoughtful people must move to prohibit this form of music, regardless of the lyrics. Marie Clark Dear Editor: For reasons unknown, the Utah State Wildlife Resources -Division (UWRD) has reclassified the Sandhill Crane from a . nongame species to a game species, and instituted a formal hunting season for Sandhill Crane. This action does not speak well for the professional and qualified staff of the UWRD. Additionally this action does not bode well for the Sandhill and Whooping Crane populations migrating into and through Utah. On the surface, UWRD's decision suggests incompetence, negligence and mismanagement. Looking beyond that, interest group(s) or revenue problems could be the basis for this decision. deci-sion. Regardless of the reason(s) or rationale, should the Sandhill Crane hunt become a reality, not onlv would the Sandhill and Whooping Crane lose, but the state of Utah, UWRD and the citizens of Utah as well. I would encourage anyone interested in this issue to call William Greer, director of UWRD at 533-9333, and Dee Hansen, director of the Utah State Department of Natural Resources at 538-7215. Additionally, attend and testify at the public hearing in Nephi on Aug. 11 and 12. Dave Brown Bountiful Dear Editor: Utah Wildlife Resources is at it again. This time their victims : are the red headed Sandhill Cranes. Those fellows aren't even Utahns, but tourists passing through. I hope their reception isn't ; a shot gun blast! I've been told the wildlife employees love animals. Yet, it is a fact that qualifying for a job with them requires the shooting and trapping of animals. Instead of benefiting their charges, it's : capital punishment time all year around. People that love anim- ; als, don't kill them period. But, this last planned butchery is the last straw. Utahns stand up for our wildlife. We are taxpayers and this senseless killing must stop. Selling licenses seems to be UWR's 1 main concern. Until we demand changes, it will remain "busi- '-' ness as usual." The UWR is governed by a board of directors, appointed by the Utah governor. They should also know how ' we feel about the UWR performance, as well as theirs and Governor Bangerter, as well. :; The board of directors are as follows: chairman, Dr. Paul Stringham, Vernal; board members, Robert C. Valentine, i Brigham City; Dr. Hugh Hogle, Warren Harward, Richfield; Dr. Joanne Bown, Cedar City. Notice, not one humane group is . on this board for fairness. ,' On Aug. 11-12 the UWR will have meetings. These will be ' held in Nephi. Whoever can be there, should do so. Call UWR for time and address. As it is, the ones that attend these meetings meet-ings are hunters, trappers, and the National Rifleman's Association. Associa-tion. These beautiful creatures whether of state or migratory origin deserve our speaking up for them. They belong to all of us, but mostly they belong to themselves. Selling licenses should not be the UWR's sole function. Enough is enough. Fred Engelbrecht Bountiful We have had complaints from customers who are not receiving their newspapers intact. in-tact. If you have a problem with your Clipper delivery, please contact your local Post Office. Of-fice. Together we will solve the problem. |