What's the difference?

EGR came out in 1974. The EGR ports would have had to be the 1973 model year only..

You seem to be contradicting yourself. If EGR came out in 74, then "EGR ports" in 73 would STILL have been "EGR," and furthermore, the diagram I posted was 72

It might well be that Cal eee foooornia had EGR before the U.S.