November 4, 1969: John Lindsay's Upset Win

November 4, 1969: John Lindsay, denied renomination by the Republican Party, and running as the nominee of the Liberal Party, is re-elected Mayor of New York City.

The opposition to him had fragmented: The Democratic nominee was Mario Procaccino, a conservative serving as City Comptroller, and widely viewed as a racist; while the nominee of the Republican and Conservative Parties was John Marchi, a State Senator from Staten Island, who was so conservative, he made Barry Goldwater look like Bobby Kennedy.

When Lindsay was denied renomination, he looked finished. The fact that he had presided over race riots and municipal strikes while calling New York "Fun City" didn't help. He may have been the 1st major politician to run having used the expression "Mistakes were made" -- used many times by many people since, without specifically saying, "I have made mistakes" -- and used an expression that would later be used by some of his successors, calling the job of Mayor of New York "the second-toughest job in America."

On this day, Lindsay got 42.4 percent of the vote -- not a majority, but a plurality, and over the 40 percent threshold for a runoff -- while Procaccino got 34.8 percent and Marchi got 22.7 percent. The Borough tallies were as follows:

* Manhattan: Lindsay 67 percent, Procaccino 20, March 12.

* Bronx: Procaccino 41, Lindsay 40, Marchi 19.

* Brooklyn: Procaccino 42, Lindsay 36, Marchi 25.

* Queens: Lindsay 36.3, Procaccino 35.8, March 28.

* Staten Island: March 62, Procaccino 20, Lindsay 17.

What saved Lindsay? It wasn't just liberals and minorities, afraid of what Procaccino or Marchi would do. It was the New York Mets. Their run to a World Series win allowed him to identify with them, and he was in the locker room when they won the Series at Shea Stadium on October 16, 19 days before the election. He then gave them a ticker-tape parade and a big ceremony at City Hall. (He gave the Super Bowl-winning Jets a ceremony, too, but not a parade.)

Lindsay in the Mets' locker room, October 16, 1969

Lindsay's 1st term was hard. His 2nd term was a bit more peaceful in terms of civil strife, but harder in terms of holding the City's government and economy together. He might have wished he had lost. He did not run for a 3rd term in 1973 -- he wouldn't have had a chance -- and he died in 2000.

Procaccino never won another election, and died in 1995. Marchi won the Republican and Conservative nominations for Mayor in 1973, but lost to Abe Beame, the Comptroller that Lindsay had beaten for Mayor in 1965. Marchi set a record that has never been surpassed in any State: 50 years in the State Legislature, January 1, 1957 to December 31, 2006. He died in 2009.

Also on this day, William T. Cahill, a Republican Congressman representing Camden County, is elected Governor of New Jersey. After 16 years of Democratic Governors, under Robert Meyner and, since a Governor of New Jersey can't serve 3 consecutive terms, Richard J. Hughes, people wanted something different, and when Meyner was nominated to regain the office, he couldn't get any traction.

Cahill got the State legislature to pass the bill creating the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which built the Meadowlands Sports Complex. But he raised taxes, and 3 major Republican officials were convicted of crimes. He was denied renomination by his own Party in 1973. He went on to teach at Princeton University, and died in 1996. Meyner died in 1990.

Also on this day, The Allman Brothers Band release their self-titled debut album. It includes the song "Whipping Post."

Also on this day, Matthew McConaughey (no middle name) is born in Uvalde, Texas. Admit it: After playing a stoner in Dazed and Confused, a lawyer in A Time to Kill, winning an Oscar as an AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club, and apparently playing another stoner in some Cadillac commercials, you forgot he was in a baseball movie, playing left fielder Ben Williams in the 1994 remake of Angels In the Outfield.

Also on this day, Sean John Combs is born in Manhattan, and grows up in nearby Mount Vernon, Westchester County, New York. The rapper, music producer, and fashion designer is known by many names: Sean John, Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, or just Diddy. Personally, I will always think of him as The Guy Who Got Jennifer Lopez Arrested.

*

November 4, 1969, like all modern American Election Days, was a Tuesday. Actor Matthew McConaughey and hip-hip mogul Sean Combs (Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy) were born on this day.

The baseball season was over. Football was in midweek. There were 4 games played in the NBA:

* The New York Knicks beat the Phoenix Suns, 116-99 at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Despite the Suns' defeat, Connie Hawkins led all scorers on the night with 39 points.

* The Baltimore Bullets beat the San Francisco Warriors, 124-105 at the Baltimore Civic Center (now the CFG Bank Arena). This was actually part of a doubleheader that also included this game:

* The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls, 113-109.

* And the Seattle SuperSonics beat the Detroit Pistons, 116-102 at Cobo Hall (now the Huntington Center) in Detroit.

There was 1 game in the American Basketball Association: The Washington Capitols beat the Carolina Cougars, 117-107 at the Washington Coliseum.

Only 1 game was played in the NHL: The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Oakland Seals, 5-2 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.