I e firinan aitt Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan Editorials printed in The Michigan Doily express the individual opinions of the author. This must be noted in all reprints. - -- -- ------- -- - - - ---- WEDNESDAY AUG. 6, 1972 News Phone: 764-0552 T0 The Economic Picture The Mets... er, Yankees are tops in New York By BOB ANDREWS UP UNTIL THE exciting sev- enth game of the 1964 World Series, baseball fans in New York City were accustomed to the Bronx Bomber dominance in the major leagues. From the 1920's to the 1960's, the Yankees relied upon the Ruths, Gehrigs, DiMaggios and Mantles to carry the team into the October classic and all their devoted fol- lowers had to do was wait pa- tiently. However, in 1965, the superstars had passed their peaks and in- stantly the Yanks were trans- formed from the perennial league leaders to cellar tenders. And, as the wins became less frequent, the crowds in the "House that Ruth Built" dwindled to a mere handful of loyalists who could not accept the fact that the dynasty had collapsed. THE SOUTH BRONX, a rapidly deteriorating neighborhood, had lost its last major social attraction and all seemed doomed for this area of the city. The disenchanted baseball de- votees quickly switched their al- legiance to the upstart New York Mets, who provided its fans with comical defeats rather than the solid victories they had always been accustomed to previously s From 1965-1968, the Bombers continued to sink deeper into the mire of mediocrity while slowly but surely, the Amazin' Mets trodded upwards to a point where National League opposition con- sidered them formidable compe- tition. The Mets would draw the 40,000 crowd, while the Yanks averaged only 10,d00. Then, what appeared to be the kiss of death for the Yankees' chances of recapturing the hearts of New York, the Mets pulled off the miracle of miracles and streaked to the National League championship as well as a World Series triumph against the touted Baltimore Orioles. Odds are if one were to stop a person on the street and ask him who Gene Michael or Bobby Mur- cer was he would figure they must be the newest candidates for the mayorality, not two members of the Yankee ball club. The following season, the Mets again were in a tight race for the National League East champion- ship, yet the Yankees were win- ning the same number of games but found themselves trapped in second place 15 games behind Baltimore. People, feeling the urge to scream, "We're No. 1," still You can trust In Nixon's Pay Board PRAISE THE LORD. In its almighty wisdom and gen- erosity, President Nixon's Pay Board said Monday that it was not going to lower its 5.5 per cent guideline for granting wage and salary increases. Despite speculation that it might lower its guide- line the board said, "The board has concluded that it will make no change in the standard at this time. It will be reviewed again as additional data becomes available in the year. "These wage trends are clearly helping to slow in- flation," the board added. WE'RE SURE ALL the consumers in America are happy to find out that inflation is slowing. They might not have realized that fact from just watching the prices rise every week as they do their shopping. It would have been hard for them to figure it out when they read about the Big Automakers making re- cord profits and begging for a price increase in the new models. WHILE THE RATE of inflation may have slowed a little bit, the rate. of unemployment has not lessened. There are still as many people out of work and looking for a job now as ever before. It must be small consolation to them that the rate of inflation has slowed when they have no money and no prospects of a job. It must be clear by now that Nixon's wage-price guidelines was not designed to help the average wage earner. From the onset, the worker has suffered, been de- nied raises, and forced to pay higher prices while most of America's major companies have recorded huge pro- fits. WHAT HAPPENS to those profits? Does the company reinvest it all into creating more jobs? Improving working conditions? Hardly. The comoanies have sat on their profits be- cause their analysts have said that the time is not right for expansion. The time has come for the average American to rea- lize he is being cheated by Nixon and make perfectly clear to the President that they are tired of it. -PAUL TRAVIS Today's Staff: News: Meryl Gordon, Alar Lenhoff, Morilyn Riley Editorial Page: Carla Rapoport Photo Technician: Denny Goiner RALPH HOUK ... Yankees' Manager flocked to Shea Stadium while the depressing echoes of emptiness continued to plague the down- trodded Bombers. SOMETHING HAD TO give and it did. The Yankees claimed the high crime area in which the Sta- dium was located was a major factor for the sparse attendance and rumors sprung up everywhere that the Yanks were going to fol- low in the footsteps of their foot- ball counterparts, the New York Giants, who already had made up their minds to switch their home locale to the meadowlands of New Jersey. The loss of the Giants angered many New Yorkers, but the pos- sibility of seeing one of the city's greatest traditions split the scene changed the anger into alarm. A campaign was instituted to save the Yankees and finally last season, the city agreed to buy the Stadium and spend 24 million dol- lars to renovate the aged struc- ture as well as the decrepit tene- ments that neighbored it. The dy- ing organization had received a badly needed shot of adrenalin. AT THE OPENING of the 1972 season, even the promise of gen- erous economic relief could not alter the anemic attendance situ- ation. Simply, the Yankees could not sport a winning squad and their chances of winding up at the bottom of the standing were bet- ter than the dream of a division championship. To worsen matters, the Mets, with the acquisition of Rusty Staub, Jim Fregosi and Willie Mays, seemed destined to have their greatest season to date and all eyes watched to see if they would live up to expectations. In the Daily News, the Mets.ran on top, win or lose while the Yan- kees could only manage minor ' covers near the bottom of the page. Until the beginning of July, the teams were running their nor- mal course; the Mets were win- ning and on top with the Yanks losing and breathing on the necks of last place Milwaukee. BUT FROM THAT point on, the pendulum has started to swing the Yankees' direction. The Mets, suffering from numerous injuries, slipped badly and fell 10 games behind first place Pittsburgh, while manager Ralph Houk of the Yanks got his team rolling and before the baseball world could realize what had hit them, the Bombers found themselves in- volved in a four way divisional race with Detroit, Baltimore, and Boston. New , Yorkers pinched them- selves to make sure they weren't in a dream world, and the reality became the sweetest thing to the fickle New Yorkers, who will al- ways support a winning combina- tion. Cries rang out, "The Yan- kees are coming!" A L M O S T IMMEDIATELY, the nearly non-existent ticket sales for Yankee games boomed at a hectic pace and the Bronx had fin- ally regained its status as the fo- cus of attention for the city's en- thusiasts. Even more beautiful than the resurgence o f t h e American League interest in New York is the side effects it has had on peo- ple and business in the lower Bronx. With fans flocking back to see if the miracle of 1969 can be re- peated, business in the bars, res- taurants and concession stands has been rejuvenated and the promise of urban renewal in the next few years has sent the com- munity spirit flying high. WHETHER OR not the revitaliz- ed mini-Bombers go all the way or not, the success they have ex- perienced in the last half of this season has had a healthy effect on the populace of New York, which for the first time in almost a decade, recognizes that New York hosts two professional base- ball teams, not one. 4 Letters to The Daily To The Daily: SOME PEOPLE in Ann Arbor have objected to the Miami de- monstration. They seem to have three basic reasons for staying home: 1. That many demonstrators are not politically serious. They a r e just going to Miami to have a good time at rock concerts and t h e beach. 2. That the money and effort put into national demonstrations would best be applied to the local com- mutnity. 3. That a demonstration against the Republicans might hurt George McGovern's chances for the Pres- idency. We strongly disagree with all three. A demonstration against a na- Letters to The Daily should be mailed to the Editorial Di- rector or delivered to M a r y Rafferty in the Student Pub- lications business office in the Michigan Daily building. Let- ters should be typed, double- spaced and normally should not exceed 250 words. The Editorial Directors reserve the right to edit all letters sub- mitted. tional political convention rigged for the renomination of ID i c k Nixon could be a tremendous poli- tical statement. The serious busi- ness of a demonstration can be coupled with a joyous celebration of life without losing the important intent of our meeting. Working in the local community is important but national attention must be constantly focused on the national policies which lead to war, racism, and repression. The at- tention of the nation is already fo- cused on Miami. By going there we can contrast the dusll proceed- ingscof the closed clique inside the hall with the vitality of the forces for change outside. Demonstrations will show the American people that deep divi- sions still exist within the nation. If there were no demonstrations many Americans might be lulled into a sense of complacency, that all is quiet, and that there no long- er exists a need for change. Vietnam Veterans Against t h e War and other sponsoring organi- zations are leading two convoys of cars and riders for anyone going from Michigan to Miami. The first convoy leaves Thursday, August 17 from the parking lot of the Bless- ed Sacrament Cathedral at Wood- ward and Boston Streets in De- troit between noon and 1:30 p.m. The second leaves from the same place Saturday, August 19 between 5 and 6 p.m. To get in touch with these con- voys driving south call 873-4858 or 831-9659 in Detroit; come to a meeting of the Ann Arbor Con- vention Coalition Wednesday, Aug- ust 16 at 8 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the Student Activities Building; or call 663-4208 in Ann Arbor for information. -Michael Lewis -David Gordon August 14 Get involved- serite your reps! Sen. Philip Hart (Dem), Rm. 25.1, Old Senate Bldg., Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 20515. Sen. Robert Griffin (Rep), Rm. 353 Old Senate Bldg., Cap- itol Hill, Washington, D.C. 20515. Rep. Marvin Esch (Rep), Rm. 112, Cannon Bldg. Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 20515. Sen. Gilbert Bursley (Rep), Senate, State Capitol Bldg., Lansing, 48933. Rep. Raymond Smith (Rep), House of Representatives, State Capitol Bldg., Lansing, 48933.