ON THIS DAY IN 1868, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A Regular Monthly Meeting of the Atlantic Base Ball Club will be held at their rooms in the old Post Office Building, Montague Street, on Tuesday evening, March 10th, at 8 P.M.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1876, the Eagle reported, “LOUISVILLE, KY. — A special dispatch to the Courier-Journal from Mt. Sterling, Ky., conveys the intelligence that during yesterday a most wonderful phenomenon transpired in that section. The correspondent says that during the sunshine and clear sky, there fell from the heavens quivering flesh, which came down in large quantities, and filled many acres of the territory. Hogs and chickens eagerly devoured the flesh, specimens of which have been sent to this city for scientific examination.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1921, the Eagle published the following letter: “Daylight saving is so popular that everyone was afraid to decide to advance the clock until a prominent body like the New York Clearing House took the initiative. Then, in September, the newspapers had to warn the people not to set the clock back. Although we were told that the people were anxious for daylight saving, they had to be encouraged to take it and restrained from parting with it when they had it. In summer, the people show how the light affects them by walking on the shady side of the streets, by putting awnings on their stores and windows, and by pulling down the shades in trolley cars. The Merchants Association says that daylight saving is a potent influence in protecting and promoting the health of city dwellers. How do they know that? Who examined the people, and what tests were used to determine the effects of the extra hour of light on them? Because the merchants imagine daylight saving is beneficial to health, they say it is beneficial and expect lawmakers to believe them. They should continue to buy and sell goods and not attempt to pronounce on subjects outside their province. If one hour of light each day affects the health so much, how is it that the people in Hammerfest retain their health, although they have no light at all for 1,600 hours at a time? Everybody knows that hot weather often inhibits sleep. It is hotter in the city at night under the daylight law than it is under standard time because the stone houses, which absorb heat from the sun, continue to radiate heat after sunset and are always an hour behind time in getting cooled. This may sound funny, but it isn’t. It is why people flock to the parks and other open places.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “The search for Baby Charles A. Lindbergh Jr. on the eighth day since he was kidnapped from the nursery crib near Hopewell, N.J., swung today to up-State New York and to Florida. In Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Rochester, police tried to locate J. Norman Beck and a companion known as ‘Archie’ for questioning about the kidnapping. Beck is a greyhound race promoter and formerly operated dog tracks near Rochester and in Florida. ‘Archie’ is described as a known smuggler and kidnapper, who was employed by the late Senator Dwight W. Morrow, Colonel Lindbergh’s father-in-law, when Mr. Morrow was ambassador to Mexico. He was discharged from the Morrow employ.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Academy Award Winner James Stewart gained a few pounds and was put in Class 1-A, thereby becoming eligible for immediate military service.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “Canada’s stock as a world power is on the rise in the opinion of Grant S. McClellan of the research staff of the Foreign Policy Association. Mr. McClellan, in a lecture last night to more than 100 members of the Institute of Arts and Sciences at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, 30 Lafayette Ave., said: ‘Lying between the United States and the Soviet Union, in a geographical sense, Canada will necessarily assume great importance in an age which will witness a marked development in polar aviation.’ Speaking of Canada’s role today as a middle power, he said, ‘The Canadians feel that while they are not a major power, neither are they a minor one.’ Mr. McClellan singled out maintenance of foreign trade as its major economic task. That trade was greatly expanded during the war and is the factor upon which much of the nation’s economy depends, he asserted. He cited Canada’s industrial progress in the past half dozen years, its problems of trade expansion and its relation with the Big Three. ‘As a member of the British Commonwealth, Canada’s role abroad is affected by British foreign policy but is also influenced by the United States’ actions throughout the world,’ he declared.”
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Juliette Binoche. Photo: Joel Ryan/Invision/AP
NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Bad News Bears” star Joyce Van Patten, who was born in 1934; “On the Wings of Love” singer Jeffrey Osborne, who was born in 1948; “Men in Black” star Linda Fiorentino, who was born in 1958; former N.Y. Knicks player and coach Darrell Walker, who was born in 1961; Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche, who was born in 1964; lawyer and journalist Kimberly Guilfoyle, who was born in 1969; “Webster” star Emmanuel Lewis, who was born in 1971; N.Y. Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who was born in 1973; “Criminal Minds” star Matthew Gray Gubler, who was born in 1980; skier and Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso, who was born in 1984; “Pitch Perfect” star Brittany Snow, who was born in 1986; “Good Trouble” star Cierra Ramirez, who was born in 1995; and gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee, who was born in 2003.
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Matthew Gray Gubler Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP
AMERIGO, AMERIGO: Amerigo Vespucci was born on this day in 1454. The Italian navigator, merchant and explorer, for whom the Americas were named, participated in at least two expeditions between 1499 and 1502, which took him to the coast of South America, where he discovered the Amazon and Plata rivers. Neither Vespucci nor his exploits achieved the fame of Christopher Columbus, but the New World was to be named for him by an obscure German geographer and mapmaker, Martin Waldseemuller.
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Brittany Snow Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP
HAMMER TIME: Mickey Spillane was born in Brooklyn on this day in 1918. The Erasmus Hall H.S. graduate was an enormously popular crime novelist. His best-known books include “I, the Jury” (1947) and “Kiss Me, Deadly” (1952), which feature private investigator Mike Hammer, who has been portrayed on radio, in films and on TV, most famously by Stacy Keach in the 1980s. Spillane died in 2006.
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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and the Brooklyn Public Library.
Quotable:
“The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book.” — author Mickey Spillane, who was born in Brooklyn on this day in 1918
SUNSET PARK — “As a resident of Marine Park, one of the great surprises I found biking around Industry City and visiting Japan Village was to discover Bush Terminal Park. I continue to be amazed at the serene hideaways that the city offers in some of the busiest places — and, still, with an iconic view.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — ‘A miracle that no one was killed …’ That’s what neighbors are saying about the collapse of the Hotel St. George marquee. Shown in this photograph are workmen beginning the removal and repair of the historic, old neon sign at the corner, referencing a relic of Brooklyn Heights’ past: the St. George Hotel.
ATLANTIC AVENUE — Exhausted shopper with cluster of bags and goods from mall at Boerum Place stops to look at huge construction site across the street. “Is that REALLY going to be a jail??” Her male companion is reassuring, “Nothing like Rikers … this is 21st Century.”
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Overheard in line at one of most popular pastry outlets on Montague Street: “Hope I can get them into a camp …” A mother with two pre-schoolers in tow was showing a friend the Dodge Y flyer for Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 18.
