Readers share views on guns, KC Royals, baseball’s past
Stand for change
As the daughter of Norris Stevenson, I would like to express my concern and disappointment regarding the recent events on the Mizzou campus. Over the years, my family has been honored to witness the legacy of my father, the first African American football player at the University of Missouri. He was a trailblazer and pioneer for Missouri athletics during a time in American history when racial bigotry was the norm.
Not only was he instrumental in paving the way for the African American athletes at MU, he was dedicated to helping mentor athletes, black and white, to become better human beings. After a short and devastating battle with an aggressive form of colon cancer, Dad passed away in March 2012. It's truly sad to see that more than three years after his passing and 58 years after he first stepped foot on the MU campus, the fight against racial bigotry still rages on.
My family and I are very troubled by the racial conflict and rising tension resulting from the reported incidents directed at African American students on campus. And yes it’s time for the stigma of racial injustice on the MU campus and in America to end and for a new legacy of racial tolerance and understanding to begin. I don't want my father's life and legacy to be in vain. He was brave enough to stand and pave the way for us all.
We should be brave enough to stand together for our children, for our future. I stand in memory of my father. I stand with Coach Gary Pinkel and the brave football players in their stand for racial equality. I stand with every student, activist, and organization fighting against racial hatred.
Jennifer M. Stevenson
MU BJ, 1992
MU MHS, 1997
Lee’s Summit
Royals lessons
Several letters have been written objecting to schools being canceled for the Royals’ World Series celebration. Many of these letters state or imply that education takes place only in a classroom.
On the contrary, this celebration provided lots of opportunities for a real-life education in how an entire region can honor young men who set a goal, worked hard to achieve it and never gave up.
If our schools could graduate students who learned those values alone, they would have accomplished something worthwhile. Not all are blessed with the talent of this team, but these values will go far in making any worker more successful.
These Royals aren’t just a baseball team. They demonstrate many values of heroes, and as such they deserve to be celebrated by our youth and the rest of the community.
Maril Crabtree
Mission
KC baseball past
“Long-suffering Royals fans” has become a catch-phrase. But it misses the mark.
“Long-suffering Kansas City baseball fans” describes those of us who grew up with the Kansas City A’s. Far worse than any of the Royals teams of the early 2000s, those A’s teams regularly challenged the inept Washington Senators for last place in the American League.
And, then, just as they were on the cusp of excellence with rising stars Reggie Jackson, Catfish Hunter and Sal Bando, the team was whisked to Oakland, Calif., by that charlatan, Charlie Finley.
Oakland! It’s ironic that on the reverse of the two-page Star picture of the Royals Union Station celebration is the obituary for Norm Siebern.
Siebern was perhaps the best player for those A’s but with typical A’s luck is remembered as the guy the A’s got when they traded Roger Maris to the Yankees. That Star picture will be framed on many a wall in Kansas City, with that small reminder of Kansas City’s baseball past, perhaps fittingly, forgotten behind it.
Steve Frisbie
Olathe
Immigration
After announcing that the U.S. would take in 100,000 migrants, GOP lawmakers immediately balked at the potential influx of needy people entering the country. Their reaction should come as a surprise to no one. After all, based on their vehement denials on allowing the Mexicans in, it stands to reason, based on their backward thinking, that the Syrians and Africans would not be welcomed either.
I wonder whether there is any race of people that the GOP would accept.
Eddie L. Clay
Grandview
Spiritual bond
My high school principal was Mr. Buzzerwitz. We called him “Buzzy.”
When his wife died, almost every day he went to her gravesite. Why was this now part of his life? This was such a private part of life.
On Sept. 19, my wife, Twila, died and was buried in the city cemetery. Two days after burial, when no one was present, I went to be with Twila.
During our marriage of 69 years, an inseparable bond was formed. We were a wonderful part of each other, and the love was true and strong.
Now at the cemetery, I felt a spiritual excitement. Even in death, that part of me with Twila remained.
I talked to her. I prayed for her. I thanked her for years of happiness, and I cried. I am sure Buzzy had that spiritual excitement, and it brought new life.
Doug Sutherland
Raymore
This story was originally published November 9, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "Readers share views on guns, KC Royals, baseball’s past."