PLYMOUTH, Mich. – During a recent Hike the Hill effort, the Michigan Credit Union League set the record straight on the bankers' rhetoric that credit unions enjoy an "unlevel playing field"-and used baseball to illustrate the facts.

The league created Detroit Tigers Baseball Baskets to hand out to lawmakers as a fun, unique way to talk about some of the credit union issues particularly preserving the credit union tax-exemption and CURIA. An accompanying letter states "For too long now the bankers have been complaining that credit unions have an unfair advantage in the marketplace-that the playing field is `unlevel.' And we agree, the turf is unlevel-to the bankers' advantage." It goes on to list fundamental credit union differences interlaced with popular baseball references. Baskets included green turf to represent the "unlevel playing field"; a baseball representing the "curve ball" bankers are throwing lawmakers when they try to convince them that a tax on CUs is necessary to level out the playing field; Crackerjacks to represent the "crackerjack service" CUs provide members; peanuts representing how the CU market share is "peanuts" compared to banks; a laminated scorecard that offers a side-by-side comparison of benefits enjoyed by bankers and CUs; miniature baseball bats to encourage lawmakers to help Congress "hit a homerun" for consumers by passing CURIA; and a Tigers cap as a "hats off" to local legislators for supporting CUs. According to MCUL, the baskets were the talk of the Hill and lawmakers enjoyed them.