Published Tuesday, September 1, 1998, in the San Jose Mercury
News

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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LETTER #1

Media, not McGwire, set off sales boom

ON Aug. 27, the Mercury News ran a front-page article headlined
``McGwire sets off a sales boom.'' It refers to the recent revelation
of baseball slugger Mark McGwire's use of a legal, over-the-counter
product call androstenedione.

Oddly enough, until a few days ago, 99 percent of the United States
population never heard of androstenedione.

Maybe the headline should have read ``Print and broadcast journalists
set off a sales boom.'' But I guess the truth wouldn't sell papers.
This is just another example of the press making the news.

- -- John E. Herndon

LETTER #2

Campbell

BEFORE you start offering Mark McGwire advice on how to raise your
kids (``McRole model,'' Opinion, Aug. 28), think about the
consequences. If Mark goes off androstenedione as you suggest, and he
doesn't break Roger Maris' home run record, what message does that
send to the youth of America?

- -- Tim Huck

San Jose

1997 - 1998 Mercury Center.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady