THE WORLD ON FEBRUARY 3, 1973
In 1979, former President Jimmy Carter took the American people to task for allowing a malaise to cast an appall on the American psyche. If indeed America was stuck in a rut, we started digging the hole in earnest around 1973.
It seemed like the world was going to hell, while we were preparing for college. Let me shed some light on the darkness of 1973.
Our leadership:
- President Richard Nixon took part in his second inauguration 12 days before the Badfinger concert at Calvert Hall. Within the next month, the Senate would vote (77-0) to investigate the Watergate break-in. Nixon joked that he kept former Maryland governor Spiro Agnew on the ticket as his “impeachment insurance”.
- The Vice President, Spiro Theodore Agnew took care of that insurance policy. Our ex-governor, ex-Baltimore County executive, ex-president of the Dumbarton P.T.A., and former Loch Raven Community council president was under investigation for over 40 counts of extortion, bribery, and tax evasion. He took "the deal of his life" as tendered by Attorney General Steve Sachs. Agnew added the phrase "taking the fifth" to the lexicon of the 1970's.
- Marvin Mandel replaced Spiro Agnew as the Governor of Maryland. Mandel would be tried, convicted, and sent to prison for mail fraud and racketeering. Eventually his conviction would be overturned and all charges dropped by President Reagan in 1987.
- Damnatio memoriae was invoked when Marvin Mandel’s portrait and Spiro Agnew’s bust were removed from the Maryland State House and the U.S. Capital.
- The Baltimore County Executive Dale Anderson who replaced Spiro Agnew upon his election as Governor was under investigation for his own crimes. In March 1974, Dale Anderson was convicted in U.S. District Court on several counts, including 32 counts of extortion, tax evasion, and conspiracy. Off to jail he went.
- The Sunpapers headlines on February 3rd proclaimed that former U.S. Senator Daniel Brewster, Maryland Democrat was sentenced to serve 2 to 6 years for taking illegal monies from a mail order company.
- William Donald Schaefer was half-way through his first term as Mayor. No monkey business darkened his door. Except for President of the City Council, Wally Orlinsky who spent some time incarcerated for accepting a bribe. Small potatoes compared to Agnew, Mandel, Anderson, & Brewster.
The Nation
- The Supreme Court handed down its ruling on Roe v. Wade, the day after Nixon’s inauguration.
- The good news ... the first American prisoners of the Vietnam War were about to be repatriated.
- President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law.
- Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.
The Sports page:
Three weeks before the concert, the 1972 Miami Dolphins under former Baltimore Colts coach Don Shula and replacement Quarterback extraordinaire Earl Morall became the first NFL team to have an undefeated season as they defeated the Washington Redskins in SuperBowl VII. On the other hand, our 1972 Baltimore Colts had posted their first losing season since 1956. General Manager Joe Thomas unceremoniously fired or retired six beloved starters (John Unitas, Tom Matte, Jerry Logan, Bill Curry, Dan Sullivan, & Bob Vogel). Head coach Bill McCafferty was replaced as head coach mid-season by assistant John Sandusky (WBAL’s Gerry’s father).
NOTE: ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BADFINGER CONCERT, THE
BALTIMORE RAVENS WON SUPERBOWL XLVII. GO RAVENS!
The Orioles had their streak of three consecutive American League pennants end in 1972. It would take another 7 years before we would lose another World Series to Pittsburgh. Many American League fans were wondering what the effect of the new rule, the addition of the designated hitter would have on the 1973 baseball season.
The first place Baltimore Clippers dropped to sixth place in the 1972/73 American Hockey League.
The only major league team in Baltimore to finish in first place was the NBA Baltimore Bullets! They finished in first place of the “Central Conference” of the NBA. They would lose to the New York Knicks in the semi-finals. Following their being eliminated from the tournament the Baltimore Bullets would move to the newly built Capital Center in Landover, Maryland.
Locally
- Traffic with Steve Winwood played a sold-out concert at the Civic Center on Saturday, February 3rd in downtown Baltimore
- The weather for the day was partly cloudy with a high of 48° and the temperature dipped into the 30°’s in the evening.
THE #1’s on February 3, 1973
- Movie: The Sting
- Song: Crocodile Rock, Elton John
- Album: No Secret, Carly Simon
- Hottest New Album Release: Elvis Presley's "Aloha From Hawaii"
Movies - Oscars Awards:
- Cabaret wins 8 Oscars
- The Godfather wins three, but Marlon Brando declines to accept his award in protest of the ongoing siege at Wounded Knee.
- Limelight (Charlie Chaplin, 1952) wins the Oscar for best original dramatic score as it was re-released in the USA in 1972.
Miscellaneous
- Iron Man debuts as the newest Marvel Comics super-hero.