Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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Communist Leader Bcrlingucr ITALIAN ELECTIONS Italy's Christian Democrats beat back a strong Communist bid for power in the Nato Country, after a 2-dav national election for the chamber of deputies and the Senate, in 1976. Despite 9 parties, ranging from the Neo-fascists to extreme left of the Communists, the election came down to a battle between the Communists and the Christian Democrats. Because of many parties, the one that gains a pleurality usually forms a coalition with one or more other par- ties. But the Christian Democrats, under pressure from Washington, have said they will not join in a coalition with the Communists. Former President Richard Nixon once again reminded the nation of Watergate. Ford’s ascendance to Presi- dent and the ensuing Nixon pardon with his unprecedented trip to the People’s Republic of China as Mao- Tse-Tung’s guest during the primary season. The reminder of Ford’s pardon of Nixon caused many voters to re- assess the G.O.P. candidate. SPORTS The Boston Celtics, who else?, cap- tured their 13th World Basketball Championship with a four games to two advantage over the upstart Phoenix Suns. Former Boston Bruin superstar de- fenseman Bobby Orr signed a S3 mil- lion dollar contract, insuring him SI00.000 a year for 30 years, with the Chicago Black Hawks. Orr signed the most lucrative contract in sports his- tory. After playing out his option with the B’s. Hank Aaron. 42 year old superstar of the Milwaukee Brewers playing his final year, hit his 750th home run in early June as he adds on to his record homerun total. As Baseball neared the All-Star break, the New York Yankees. Kansas City Royals. Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds emerged as the front runners in their respective divi- sions. The only semblance of a race appeared in the west of the two leagues as Texas lagged Kansas City by 5 games and Los Angeles trailed Cin- cinnati by 4The Eastern division leaders both held comfortable 8 game leads. Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn once again was at odd’s with Charlie Finitely, cantankerous owner of the Oakland A’s. as he voided Finnely’s sale of Vida Blue to the Yankees for SI.5 million and Joe Rudi and Rollie Fingers to the Red Sox for a million a piece. Both will return to court and take their familiar places on opposite sides of the bench. In the boxing world. George Fore- man put an end to Joe Frazier’s aspira- tions for a 4th rematch with Muham- mad Ali as he demolished Frazier in the 5th round as both former cham- pions battled for another crack at Ali. Meanwhile Muhammad Ali. having fought evcrvbodv but Won Ton the w - Wonder Dog. will pit his pugilistic abilities against sumo-wrestler, martial art champ Inoki in a 6 million dollar match bound to bring in more yawns than receipts. The Boston Celtics 23

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Wayne Hays SEX SCANDALS Ohio congressman Wavne Hays was caught with his hand in the kitty as his former secretary Elizabeth Ray revealed that she was on the govern- ment payroll for $14,000 for something other than typing in Washington’s latest sex scandal. The Hays-Ray scandal seems to have inspired other Washington secre- taries (?) to bare all. as Texas congress- man John Young's secretary Colleen Gardner claims her income was raised from $8,500 a year to S25.500 with her agreement to “warm the congress- man’s sheets.” Other names mentioned as having drank from the same cup are: Alaska’s Sen. Mike Gravel, accused of supply- ing some of his constituents with play- mates in exchange for political favors. Rep. Alan Howe arrested for soliciting prostitutes. Rep. Ken Gray, owner of a houseboat used as a pleasure palace. House Speaker Carl Albert who's Cap- itol Hill office was reported to be a haven for orgies, and even perennial Presidential hopeful Hubert Hum- phrey who stopped seeking the Demo- cratic nomination in the event of a Carter collapse when these “True Confession” capers began. As Bob Hope commented Well ... at least those girls in Washington are doing to Congress, what Congress has been doing to us all these years.” 22 Colleen Gardner John Young Elizabeth Ray

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France's Concorde BICENTENNIAL YEAR The overdone Bicentennial Bash be- came a big bore with everything from Bicentennial Flags to Bicentennial doggie bags to Bicentennial toilet scats even to Bicentennial coffins as everyone tried to cash in on the celebration turn- ing what should have been an inspiring patriotic tribute to our 200 years of independence into a mad scramble by corporations for the consumer dollar. Air France’s new jet streamline Con- corde. which can make a trans-Atlantic flight in V: hours, was cause for great clamor as environmentalists united in an attempt to stop it from landing in the United States. The elusive Oscar which actor Jack Nicholson missed on four previous oc- casions was his as Best Actor for his portrayal of R. P. McMurphy in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest which happened to grab all the major motion picture awards including Movie of the Year. The Bird, as it was called around NBC. had been around since 1956 when color T.V. was in its infancy and needed repeated plugging with the flash of a peacock’s tail over the airways. The Bird and its compagnion, the Snake, the familiar NB with a C un- coiling beneath, around since 1959 were beginning to look antiquated. So. the National Broadcasting Co. set out to find a new corporate symbol. The search ended with a large abstract let- ter N introduced at the start of 1976. NBC’s 50th anniversary year. The Billion dollar Viking Project to collect new information about Mars will reach its critical point with its scheduled July 4th landing on the planet after 7 years of planning. The aims to detect evidence of photo- synthesis. investigate Martian soil samples for simple organic nutrients and check for organic chemicals and fossil materials on the Martian surface. The completion of these experiments should explore all the possible forms of life that biologists think possible in the ageless quest for life on Mars. 24