College team in Bangor deserves support

When the Bangor Blue Ox and then the Lumberjacks left town, I was disappointed and disillusioned. In fact, my mind was pretty much convinced that this was the end of baseball (pro or semipro) in Bangor.

However, my enthusiasm is now restored with the possibility of an New England Collegiate Baseball League team coming to Winkin Complex in Bangor. I really feel this time, with honorable people with a purpose like John Winkin, Mike Bordick, and others behind the project, this can be a success.

I hope that Bangor and surrounding towns get behind this project and make it a reality.

John Douglas

Brewer

Hometown heroes deserve chance at UM

In his recent letter (BDN, May 8), former University of Maine president Peter Hoff stresses national recruitment and national credentials as being essential in the selection of a new women’s basketball coach, while downplaying the efforts of local heroes in these domains.

Skip Chappelle was as hometown as you can get, graduating from a high school less than 21/2 miles from campus. As Skip’s biographer, I have found out that he took over the UMaine men’s basketball team that had six consecutive losing seasons and only one winning season in its previous 10, proceeding to have only one losing season in his first 10 and totaling the most career wins at the school.

Should the university be throwing hometown heroes under the bus?

Bill Sawtell

Brownville

Respect for Wentworth

Now that the high school baseball season is upon us I think back to George Wentworth and the Stearns Minutemen. He ran an infield practice like a professional. His records in high school baseball speak for themselves.

Still today the best high school pitcher I ever saw was Dave Pound.

By the way if the 3-point shot was around when Steve Pound played for Stearns he would have scored over 3,000 points.

I never respected a man in sports more than George Wentworth. God bless him.

Jerry Hallett

Howland

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