The most important golden jubilee passed this week. New Year's Eve marked the 50th anniversary of the day the Yankees flew the Catfish Hunters into their temporary offices (Yankee Stadium was in the midst of renovations) and suspended the city's entire baseball writing staff's celebration plans.
George Steinbrenner was nowhere to be seen. Because he, too, was nearing the halfway point of his own quasi-renovation, awaiting suspension for admitting to illegal political contributions uncovered during the Watergate investigation.
But his fingerprints were all over it.
Two years ago, he promised to do whatever it took to make the Yankees champions again. When he bought the team on January 3, 1973, the Yankees had already been in a playoff drought for nine years, the playoffs would last 12 games, and they were behind the Mets. (2 wins and 2 losses) from 1970 to 1972 (-1), and there were persistent rumors that the franchise would be flown to either New Jersey or New Orleans.
