|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| 103 CHEERS TO THE PRESS By STEVE BAYT June 5,2001 MAKING YOUR WAY IN THE WORLD TODAY TAKES EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT. TAKING A BREAK FROM ALL YOUR WORRIES SURE WOULD HELP ALOT. WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO GET AWAY. WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME AND THEY'RE ALWAYS GLAD YOU CAME. To the rest of the world, those are the lyrics to a Sit-Com. But to Greater Clevelanders,their Afternoon newspaper's "Last Call" on June 17,1982 came within days of "Cheers" first rehersal. Both occured maybe due to an "Existential Parellel" on Thursdays. The Press wasn't just a business. It was a Regional six days a week social event. Where 320,000 subscibers met with 32,000 Paper Carriers. Like "Sam Malone" and "Diane Chambers" met with "Norm" and "Cliff". Your Press carrier was a neighborhood local kid. From May 27,1974 to June 17,1982 (I am now 37) I was a Press carrier on Parma's Priscilla, Dellwood and South Park. Streets where everybody knew my name. But on June 18,1982 they were still glad I came. For on April 19,1981 (SF AIDS First Case) for 428 mornings. I was both a PLAIN DEALER and PRESS CARRIER. To 82 of the same customers. On a rainy day, I drove home (with my mother) from Burger King(for my non-vegetarian family). An expected boring Dave Patterson, John Hambrick and Mona Scott June 16,1982 newscast, led off with Cleveland's worst event. In the morning I would deliver 250-ish PLAIN DEALERS Headlined (on the 18th): Press writes its end to its 103 year history. People got PLAIN DEALER routes by the normal application/interview. Mine was obtained by a desparate District Manager, A Drum Corps and a Grandfather who had a stroke. Press routes were family traditions. At my pick-up corner: Ken got from brothers Kevin and Keith. John got it from Joe and Bill. Kathleen begot Mary Anne who begot the oldest brother Thomas. I inherited mine (at age 10) when my brother (then 17) got a real job at Higbees. My sisters Barb(then 14) and Linda (then 12) did a daily sibling cat fight of who's doing it. My distraught Grandfather told me to deliver the 82 papers. By the end of the fight, I was home. They did it maybe a dozen times. It took me 3 hours-ish to deliver 253 PLAIN DEALERS. It took 2 hours-ish to do my 82 Press'. I had only 4 exclusive Pressers. My 170-ish PD exclusives were on on two non-Press streets. I was the first PD carrier whose name they knew. Even more knowledge came in my 1987 Parma Activism. www.geocities.com/stevebayt_sfdist2 et al. Every afternoon between school,recreational running and drum corps, I was lectured by Mr. Johnson about Fran Tarkenton, Terry Bradshaw, Mike Phipps/Paul Warfield, Chamberlin vs. Kareem, a trouble maker Mayor Dennis The Menace. The "large crowd" of 10,000 at Lakefront for The Indians valiant loss. Mr. Farkas, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Ruggerio, Mr. Podany et al would turn off their mowers and join in to teach STEVE BAYT about the world. I lectured them aoubt my quasi-sport heroines/heroes. A bizillion champ Drill Team in Brook Park(Rangerettes). A bizillion champ Drum Corps Wisconsin's Madison Scouts (with a subscriber member). A tennis star called Chris. A singer called Olivia. I accurately prophesized dynasties of two thought fluke SF Corps: Blue Devils and Santa Clara Vanguard. For 30-ish summer days customers(neighbors) could follow Cleveland's Caballaros(no, no "e") Drum Corps when they noticed substitutes. Of the 100-ish carriers I talked to at a PWRC-less Shiloh Junior High ( http://www.maxpages.com/stevebaytcente ) and Parma Senior High. They all shared "Diane Chambers", "Sam Malone" delivery tales. School dismissal came at 2:45. The Press' "Bar Closing" would come sometimes not until 6:00-ish. Elderly people relied on the neighborhood carrier coming around to help them do stuff. I like many would pick up our papers and find notes on our bundles like: "Steve, I had a doctors appointment. I wanted a paper to read while waiting so don't leave a paper. Sincerely, Mr. Skodzinsky." The Press had a 1 mile policy. No carrier could have customers farther than 1 mile from their homes. So, to easily allow for missed deliveries. Many times before going to The Cabs, I walked a new paper around the block for returned stops. At THE PD non-Bayt customers called 344-4600 to get credit from an unknown carrier. My PD District Manager Al Merk and PD exclusives on Somia and Norris/Woodlawn wondered why I gave them my number and inquired about paper placement. Such things were considered "Press things". The Press and PLAIN DEALER circulation contests offered greater rewards for conversions. During some week in my 426 dual delivery days, both offered $15/per conversion. Delivery sabatoge was encouraged. The PLAIN DEALER instructed to remove any Press not picked up the previous day. Similarly for The Press via PD "too late" deliveries. Both papers had exclusive employment clauses. Which I "Clintonized" on my PD contract. I was "legally truthful" for Press carriers were "retailers" not employees. From August 2,1981 Press Sunday (and MTV's) debut. I feared dual arrival of Al Merk and The home drop off Press. Mostly The Press was an hour-ish later, with my PD's clandestinely in the garage. The Sunday PD had to be assembled from 4 parts and most had up to 125 customers. The Sunday Press came in one piece(around 4:45 a.m.)and most had routes of only 60-80 neighbors. Once a late PD drove away down Dellwood as an early Press truck drove up Dellwood. The Press wondered why I was up so early. Both told me to find out each carrier and see who they deliver to. I needed more than three lifelines,before I gave my Final Answer. I can't remember how I didn't get voted off "The Press Survivor Island." On June 17,1982 Press carriers said "Good bye" to their customers,some delivery/social events lasted until 7 pm. I told mine "See you in the morning." Elderly no longer had a nice kid to check up on them. About 50 Parma Press carriers met on The 18th to discuss finding out area PD carriers' intentions and schemes. I like the fictituous "Melrose Place's" Amanda Woodward sat there in arrogance-and self preservation. With 150-ish minutes free, and my 11 year Cabs life ended July 4,1981. My first night of Marathon level (13 miles/day) began July 18,1982. Right after the meeting it was off to Engle and Holland...Forever. Through The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Most Press employees moved or retired. Carriers cut lawns etc. of elderly former subscribers, joined school sports and newspaper. My 10 mile recreational runs behind an unused Shiloh field became 22 miles Marathon training through Brook Park. Kafka would call it an "Existential Paradox". That being a Marathoner For The Homeless which is my Press re-incarnation. Has never geen reported in THE PLAIN DEALER. 11 time Revco/CVS finisher 3:14 to 3:30,yet never a Boston Trip, or PLAIN DEALER listing. On September 28, 1995 my PD (Press like) delivery transported to Lakewood's Clifton/Winchester/Idlewood . Then as a Kafkan "Surreal Karma Parellel" again on an April 19,1997(hired by another Al) my Press-Like Delivery trancended to Ohio City. In Day 1 Ohio City Introduction/Service Survey Letters, those under 25-ish thought the letter was an avant-garde marketing test. Those over 45-ish replied with either retro-sarcasm or forgetting where their Press was put. No one every got THE PD where they wanted. On February 11,1996 I began a lawsuit against a sub who didn't comprehend to deliver how she was told by me, via customers. It ended June 10,1997 in The 8th District Court Of Appeals, just a bugle cry from East Ninth and Lakeside. Back on April 19,1981, not only did no one know about AIDS. But my PLAIN DEALER customers didn't know about getting their PD where they wanted it. They were initially alarmed by the pre-dawn noise of opening mailboxes. AT PD Depots, now called Distributors drive miles, put papers in bags. Dive many miles to routes (my Parma-Lakewood was 4th farthest of 110 at my depot) to throw papers on to snowy, icy, rainy driveways. Subscibers mail a check to some house (or P.O. Box) cities away. To avoid Father's Day conflict, I am requesting an annual tribute/memoriam. On June 16th, next year back to June 17th,Clevelanders should leave a rose with an hand made sign, at E. Ninth and Lakeside. If there is an Indians probable win,then 42,000 should be downtown anyway. On June 17,1982 computers barely existed, let alone The Internet. But, the farewell stories can be found,as with most of The Press' final edition, and PLAIN DEALER coverage can be found by June 6,2001. At http://www. maxpages. com/finalpress1, finalpress2, finalpress3, then in sequence,evolving to unknown final number. Check frequently for more. Every year(since 1987) after Revco/CVS Marathon Registration (and after my Monday Brook Park thing), I go to East Ninth and Lakeside. I take a Buffy-like vow that on Sunday afternoon I will honestly introspect; "We Gave It Our Best." I haven't saved the world.. a lot. THE CLEVELAND PRESS "Give Light To People And They Will Find Their Way." November 2,1878-June 17,1982 PARMA'S HOMELESSNESS MARATHONER "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"-Celine Dion June 18,1982- present Press Memorial Day: June 16,2001 901 Lakeside. |
 Sign Guestbook |
 View Guestbook |
 randyshilts@yahoo.com |
|
. |
| Visitors: 00802 |