ON THIS DAY IN 1903, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “VALLEJO, CAL. — The official specifications of the new steel training ship to be built at the Mare Island Navy Yard have just been received here. The vessel, which will be christened the Intrepid, will have only sail power, and will be bark rigged. The work of construction will be commenced on September 1. The cost is not to exceed $370,000.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1906, the Eagle reported, “The American Bison Society has been organized for the preservation of bison and buffalo, a work in which all sportsmen are interested. The object of the association is worthy of the support of all Americans, and the names of those who have taken upon themselves the duty of perpetuating this grand American game animal are a sufficient guarantee that active and intelligent effort will be devoted to the subject. Those desiring to join are requested to communicate with Ernest Harold Baynes, Meriden, N.H., the secretary of the association.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — Determined to again attempt repeal of the daylight saving law, even at the risk of another Presidential veto, Republicans of the House Agriculture Committee today over objections of Democrats included again in the agriculture appropriation bill the repealing rider, and the House rules committee provided an hour’s debate on it.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1931, the Eagle reported, “Warner Brothers Pictures, Inc., has booked the Universal Picture Corporation’s feature product for next season in entire chain theaters. Involved rentals are between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “The points of the compass mean nothing in 1937 to the vacationist who wants to go places within the limits of a short leave and is anxious not to lose precious time in arriving at the destination. Modern travel has annihilated space and time. Fast, luxurious airliners, stream-lined, commodious trains, swift sailing steamships and long chains of smooth surfaced highways for modern motorcars have reduced to a minimum the time and space element. Today the Summer holiday seeker speeds to all points of the compass in the cool comfort of ultramodern transportation. The traveler today while he sleeps may be whisked from one coast to another in sturdy airliners or air-conditioned trains. Officials of steamship lines report unprecedented heavy bookings for short cruises. Western railroad receipts show increased tourist interest in the national parks, while in the East all resorts are booked almost to capacity. For the first time in motoring history, Banff and the Canadian Rockies are proving major attractions to automobiles, according to leading travel agencies and automobile club executives. Modern roads and modern motorcars have shortened the time of the 2,700-mile trip from the Atlantic Coast to little more than a week and extension of the highways in the Banff, Kootenay and Yoho parks has increased the value of having ‘fifty Switzerlands.’ Banff, oldest and best-known of Canada’s national parks and comprising an area of over 2,500 square miles, may be reached by several fine highways from the Eastern part of the United States, principal among which is the route going by way of Pittsburgh through Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota, Wyoming and the Yellowstone National Park, Montana, the Province of Alberta directly to the mountain town of Banff.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “PHILADELPHIA (U.P.) — Connie Mack, veteran manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, is ‘1,000 percent better’ but will be unable to attend a celebration in his honor at the Cooperstown, N.Y., Baseball Shrine next Monday, it was announced today. Mack, 76, is recuperating from a recurrent gall-bladder ailment with which he was stricken several weeks ago at Boston. Earle Mack will take his father’s place at ‘Connie Mack Day’ exercises and pilot the A’s in a game against the Penn Athletic Club on Doubleday Field.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “MINEOLA — The final meeting of the committee in charge of the first annual charity high goal polo game for the benefit of the Nassau County American Legion ‘iron lung’ fund will be held at the Mineola Dugout, here, Monday night.”
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Kristen Bell. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, FileJoe Torre. Photo: Butch Dill/AP, File
NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Olympic gold-medal winning figure skater Tenley Albright, who was born in 1935; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion DiMucci, who was born in 1939; “Hotel” star James Brolin, who was born in 1940; Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Torre, who was born in Brooklyn in 1940; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Martha Reeves, who was born in 1941; business magnate Richard Branson, who was born in 1950; “Downton Abbey” star Elizabeth McGovern, who was born in 1961; talk show host Wendy Williams, who was born in 1964; Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete Dan O’Brien, who was born in 1966; “Fast & Furious” star Vin Diesel, who was born in 1967; “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert, who was born in 1969; former N.Y. Knicks guard Penny Hardaway, who was born in 1971; rapper and singer M.I.A., who was born in 1975; “Fast & Furious” star Elsa Pataky, who was born in 1976; “Veronica Mars” star Kristen Bell, who was born in 1980; and “Gossip Girl” star Chace Crawford, who was born in 1985.
Vin Diesel. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
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A FREE MAN: Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa on this day in 1918. After earning his law degree, he joined the African National Congress in 1944 and became deputy national president in 1952. His activities in the struggle against apartheid led to his conviction for sabotage in 1964. During his 28 years in jail, he remained a symbol of hope to South Africa’s non-white majority. He was released in 1990 and elected president in 1994. He died in 2013.
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TAKING FLIGHT: John Glenn was born on this day in 1921. The Ohio native was a fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War. He was one of the original “Mercury 7” astronauts in 1959 and became the first American to orbit the earth in 1962. He served four terms in the U.S. Senate from 1974 to 1999 and became the oldest person to travel into space when he joined a shuttle mission in 1998. He died in 2016.
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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.
Quotable:
“It’s something to see a satellite being launched from another satellite.” — astronaut John Glenn, who was born on this day in 1921
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.
