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| Hyman A. Pressman | |
|---|---|
| Comptroller of Baltimore | |
| In office 1963–1991 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1914-04-23)April 23, 1914 |
| Died | March 15, 1996(1996-03-15) (aged 81) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Independent Republican |
| Profession | Politician |
Hyman A. Pressman (April 23, 1914 – March 15, 1996) served as the Comptroller of Baltimore City, Maryland, from 1963 to 1991. He ran for Governor of Maryland in 1966 as an Independent after the Democratic Party nominated segregationist George P. Mahoney as its candidate.
Pressman's gubernatorial candidacy may have been a spoiler for Mahoney. Had the 10% of the vote received by Pressman instead gone to Mahoney, Spiro Agnew would have lost the 1966 gubernatorial election by a narrow margin. Had Agnew not been elected governor of Maryland in 1966, it is unlikely that he would have been chosen as Richard Nixon's vice-presidential running mate in 1968. Mahoney's support of segregation alienated many liberal Democrats, prompting them to split their tickets by supporting him or the pro-civil rights Agnew.
Pressman lost his first bid for election in the 1963 Baltimore Democratic Primary election for City Comptroller to Henry R. Hergenroeder, Sr. by just over 1,200 votes (less than 1%). Following the election, the Republican Party candidate withdrew, and Pressman accepted the Republican nomination as their candidate for City Comptroller. He won the general election running on a 'ticket' with former Baltimore Mayor and Maryland Governor Republican Theodore Roosevelt McKeldin, elected Mayor the same year. Pressman returned to the Democratic Party following his victory and won six additional terms as Baltimore City Comptroller.
Defending the city against Randy Newman
Mr. Hyman took offense at Randy Newman's song named after the city, "Baltimore." He wrote a poem in response, which included the lyrics “There is no need for us to fret/For we know Randy is all wet/He doesn’t seem to know the score/When he downgrades our Baltimore . . . We have a city that is bloomin’/But Randy Newman isn’t human.”
Involvement in the departure of the Colts
During the 1970s, when the Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay and Baltimore Orioles owner Jerold Hoffberger were seeking major upgrades to the outdated Memorial Stadium or the building of a new stadium, Pressman opposed using public money to build a replacement. During the 1974 elections, Pressman had an amendment to the city's charter placed on the fall ballot. Known as Question P, the amendment called for declaring "the 33rd Street stadium as a memorial to war veterans and prohibiting the use of city funds for construction of any other stadium." The measure passed 56 to 44 percent, effectively destroying any chance of a new, modern sports complex being built in Baltimore.
In 1984, the city's NFL franchise left for Indianapolis. In the next elections, city voters repealed Question P by 62 percent to 38 percent, paving the way for the construction of both Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Ravens Stadium (later renamed M&T Bank Stadium). Pressman remained as an elected City Comptroller for 28 years (7 terms in a row) until retiring in 1991.
References
- "Another sour note about Baltimore Lyle Lovett tune is only the latest". Baltimore Sun. 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2024-12-19.
- ^ "Descendants of the Mayflower by Michael Devitt". Members.tripod.com. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
- Morgan, Jon (1997). Glory for Sale: Fans, Dollars, and the New NFL. ISBN 9780963124654.
- "The Next Mayor Is...: ...Out There Somewhere. Who Wants the Job, And Who Could Actually Win It? | Baltimore City Paper". Citypaper.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-05-25.