Chapter 33: Cars’r’U.S.

Mon, Jun 1, 1970

Travel Day

“You miss 100% of the Shots you DON’T Take.”

-Wayne Gretzky

Wedding Plans were in the Air, as Ali, 18yo, & her Mom, Katy, 41yo, were working with Nena Goodman, the 60yo Co-Owner with her Husband, Andrew Goodman, of Bergdorf-Goodman Department Store. Bergdorf-Goodman was the largest Independent Department Store, w/o other Locations. Ali had our Wedding Registry at Bergdorf-Goodman.

Harri & Blanca were added to the mix of Wedding Planning, as they were also getting Married with Ali & I. Harri, 23yo was marrying Harry Helmsley, 61yo, & Blanca, 22yo, was marrying David Geffen, 27yo.

In Sep, 1969, Ali had convinced Nena Goodman to get with Ralph Lauren, 30yo, before he made his deal with the Department Store, Bloomingdale’s. Instead, he opened an In-Store Boutique, in Bergdorf-Goodman, in time for Christmas, 1969.

Ralph & I, became 50% Partners in Polo Ralph Lauren. I had always planned to look him up, as his real Name is Ralph Lifshitz, which is very close to my Name before I became Pug, Ralf Lipshitz.

Ever wonder why Ralph changed from Lifshitz to Lauren? Lifshitz in Yiddish means “Better change that Name.”

Harry Helmsley beat me to the punch though, as Ralph had been working out of a Kiosk in the Lobby of Harry’s, Empire State Building, selling Men’s Ties he Designed himself.

Ali had convinced Ralph into branching out into a Full-Line of Sport Clothes. She had a phenomenal sense for Taste. That’s why she loved Bergdorf’s, as they only handled the Primo Stuff. She just knew Ralph’s Style would be perfect there.

I planned to eventually expand Polo Ralph Lauren from a Boutique in Bergdorf’s, into his 1st Store. I wanted to locate it across 57th St, in the Corner Store of the Heckscher Building. That same Corner Storefront would Pay the Highest Rent Per Square Foot, in the World, in the 2000’s, it was that valuable of a location.

Without me noticing, Harry Helmsley had the Top-5 buy the Genesco Corporation, which was a Conglomerate that Owned the Heckscher Building, so we would soon Control all of the Heck.

It would be the perfect location for Ralph’s 1st Store. He would soon expand to Beverly Hills’s Rodeo Drive too. Now, with me & Ali as Partners, he had unlimited Resources, much sooner than he did in Ralf’s time.

In Ralf’s time, Ralph Lauren would locate his 1st NYC Store in an old Mansion, North a few Blocks on Madison Ave.

Instead why not locate it Downstairs from my HQ Office, at the Corner of 5th & 57th, the Shopping Capitol of the World. I would love to be outfitted by Ralph ASAP.

Like we were probably going to do with our Purchase of Gulf & Western, we would Break-Up Genesco, as it was a hodgepodge of Companies, Industrial, Retail, Real Estate, etc. It was worth more Broken-Up, than as a whole.

We would keep the Real Estate, selling most of the rest, recouping most of our Investment.

The best part of the Deal, would be Owning the Heckscher Building. CrownCorp, was bursting at the seams, working out of our 10th Floor HQ Office in the Heck. Now we could expand at will. The Building was 1/2 Empty, perfect for us. We would continue to Rent to others any unused Space, until it was needed by us.

Another part that had Value, was Genesco’s Ownership of the small Department Store Chain, Bonwit-Teller. B-T had its Flagship Store across 5th Ave from the Heck, at 5th & 56th. It was next door to the Flagship Store of Tiffany Jewelers.

I had always planned on fuking Fuk Trump, by grabbing Bonwit’s Flagship Store, so Fuk Trump couldn’t Build his Trump Tower there, in 1983. He had bought the Flagship Store Location, tearing down the Store, to the outcry of those who wanted to Save some Artwork attached to the Buildings exterior.

I was giddy, as Fuk Trump can’t build his Trump Tower now! WE would build Trump Tower instead, when the time was right! To needle old Orange Hair even more, I was still gonna call it Trump Tower too.

Tue, Jun 2, 1970

Regular Season, Game 50, Home vs Kansas City Royals. We Won 3-2. (Nite)

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 1 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

A Whiter Shade of Pale to In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida. Guided Daydreams galore.

Wed, Jun 3, 1970

“All you need in Life

Is a Tremendous Sex Drive

& a Great Ego”

-Captain Tony Tarracino

Captain’s Tony Saloon, Key West

I had debated with myself, whether to reach out to the Guy who actually did create CableVision in Ralf’s time.

Charles Dolan, 43yo, started CableVision in 1971, merging his existing Sterling Manhattan Cable into it. I didn’t care for him much, but I couldn’t discount his Business Success & Savvy. He would eventually be Worth in the Billions.

One of his Wins, was snatching Control of Madison Square Garden, as well as the 2 Pro Sports Teams that came with MSG.

The NY Rangers, were an NHL Team that were started in 1926.

The NY Knicks were part of the NBA. They 1st Played Ball in 1946.

I was excited over that, as the Top-5 now Owned a bit of MSG Stock ourselves, via our recent purchase of Gulf & Western. G&W had been Buying up MSG Stock recently.

Between the 2, we should be able to gain Control of MSG-NYR-NYK, before long.

Regular Season, Game 51, Home vs Kansas City Royals. We Won 5-3. (Nite)

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 2 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Thur, Jun 4, 1970

Our overture to Chuck Dolan proved harder than I thought. We had thought to include Dolan in as 20% Owner of CableVision, but he held out for a full 50%. We caved, as we really did need his Licence Rights to the NYC Area, as well as his knowledge.

Regular Season, Game 52, Home vs Kansas City Royals. We Won 2-1. (Nite)

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 3 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Fr, Jun 5, 1970

Regular Season, Game 53, Home vs Chicago White Sox. We Won 10-1. (Nite). Awesome!

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 4 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Sat, Jun 6, 1970

Regular Season, Game 54, Home vs Chicago White Sox. We Won 3-1. (Nite)

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 4 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Sun, Jun 7, 1970

Regular Season, Game 55, Home vs Chicago White Sox. We Lost 3-4.

Iron Butterfly & Procol Harum, Day 6 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm. (Live at Radio City, Broadcast Live, CBS-TV, 9-11pm)

Mon, Jun 8, 1970

Travel Day

I was wrong about Chuck Dolan, as it turned out, because he was easy to work with. I was glad we included him in the mix now, as he knew the NYC Market like no one else.

With our backing, he was ready to Plow Forward, as the Money was always the Sticking Point. He knew what to do, to get Cable Up & Running in NYC.

Chuck was great at working with the many Local Governments & Regulations. Over the last few years, Chuck had acquired the Cable Rights, so by 1970, he had Control of all the NYC Region. That was all we needed to Ramp Up Speed now.

It was a No-Brainer to have Chuck Dolan be the CEO of CableVision.

Tue, Jun 9, 1970

Regular Season, Game 56, Home vs Minnesota Twins. We Won 5-2. (Nite)

Creedence Clearwater Revival & John Lee Hooker, Day 1 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Wed, Jun 10, 1970

Regular Season, Game 57, Home vs Minnesota Twins. We Won 2-1. (Nite)

Creedence Clearwater Revival & John Lee Hooker, Day 2 of 6 @ RCMH, 8pm.

Thur, Jun 11, 1970

Travel Day

“Come in here dear boy have a Cigar You’re gonna go far

You’re gonna fly high You’re never gonna die

You’re gonna make it if you try They’re gonna love you

Well I’ve always had a deep respect And I mean that most sincerely

The band is just fantastic That is really what I think

Oh, and by the way, which one’s pink?

And did we tell you the name of the game, boy

We call it: Riding The Gravy Train

We’re just knocked out We heard about the sell out

You’ve gotta get an album out You owe it to the people

We’re so happy we can hardly count

Ev’ry body else is just green Have you seen the charts?

It’s a hell of a start It could be made into a monster

If we all pull together as a team

And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?

We call it: Riding The Gravy Train”

Have a Cigar- by Pink Floyd