The text of a letter to the editor published Saturday, December 15th, 2007 in The New York Times:To the Editor:
Our nation's pastoral game has now been officially dragged kicking and screaming out of the Age of Innocence, going the way of all things pure and decent. With the release of former Senator George J. Mitchell's detailed investigative report, the veil has been thrown aside to expose Major League Baseball's dirty little not-so-secret.
We are all to blame. Organized baseball (and organized sports as a whole, if one wants to be fair about it) can be fingered for creating an environment of avarice and greed in which players are rewarded for casting aside ethics and sportsmanship.
Fans can hang their heads, choosing ignorance in favor of home runs and supercharged play on the field.
We, the people who pay for the game to be played, should demand honest competition and settle for nothing less in the future.
BRYAN MYRICK
Bothell, Wash.
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The Seattle Times also ran the letter in the Sunday sports section, with a different editing:
We deserve better
Our nation's pastoral game has now been officially dragged kicking and screaming out of the Age of Innocence.
With the release of Sen. Mitchell's detailed investigative report, the veil has been thrown aside to expose Major League Baseball's dirty little not-so-secret. We are all to blame.
Organized baseball (and organized sports as a whole if one wants to be fair about it) can be fingered for creating an environment of avarice and greed in which the reward comes for casting aside ethics and sportsmanship.
Fans can hang their heads choosing ignorance in favor of home runs and supercharged play on the field.
We, the people who pay for the game to be played, should demand honest competition and settle for nothing less in the future.
If we love this game we should not be afraid to demand that the sport cleans its house.
America deserves an honest game.
— Bryan Myrick, Bothell
