ON THIS DAY IN 1903, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The old Thirteenth Regiment Armory, at Hanson Place and Flatbush Avenue, will be sold at public auction March 10, at the Real Estate Exchange. This confirms the intimation made several weeks ago by Controller Grout that he would put the property up at auction for the highest bidder. The Long Island Rail Road at that time made an offer of $125,000 for the property. It is believed that the railroad company will be the highest bidder at the auction, having made known that it wants the property.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “Babe Ruth, for 21 years brightest star of the American League, today was given his release by the New York Yankees and immediately signed a three-year contract with the Boston Braves of the rival National League as vice president and assistant manager. In completing the arrangements with Col. Jacob Ruppert, owner of the Yankees in the latter’s office in Manhattan today, Judge Emil Fuchs, president of the Braves, announced that Ruth would work under three separate contracts, according to the Associated Press. He will get a straight salary as assistant manager and will draw an additional stipend as an executive of the club.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “Headed by Borough President Raymond V. Ingersoll, a delegation of prominent Brooklynites will call on President [Franklin] Roosevelt at the White House Wednesday formally to invite the chief executive and Mrs. Roosevelt to the 100th anniversary celebration of the granting of a charter to the city of Brooklyn. The delegation will include Frederick W. Hinrichs, Gen. Sydney Grant, president of the Society of Old Brooklynites, and Cleveland Rodgers, editor of the Eagle. Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, Mayor [Fiorello] LaGuardia and other distinguished figures in the city, state and nation have already accepted invitations to attend the centennial banquet at the Hotel St. George April 7. Postmaster Francis J. Sinnott said today he has indorsed the suggestion of the Society of Old Brooklynites that the Post Office issue a special commemorative stamp for the occasion.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “London, Feb. 26 (U.P.) – The British government will seek the United Nations’ advice on solving the Palestine problem, but does not intend to surrender the Holy Land mandate to the world organization. Colonial Secretary Arthur Creech Jones disclosed the British plan for U.N. consideration at the close of the Commons debate in which Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin accused President [Harry] Truman of wrecking British efforts to solve the Palestine issue. Creech Jones said definitely that Britain was not going to the United Nations to surrender her mandate, given to her by the League of Nations in 1922. ‘We are going to them to set out the problem and ask their advice as to how the mandate can be administered, and if it cannot be administered in its present form, how it can be amended,’ he said.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “White Sands, N.M., Feb. 26 (U.P.) – The altitude record of 250 miles set by a “two stage” rocket traveling at 5,000 miles an hour put mankind one step nearer the time when manmade satellites will be shot into outer space to circle the earth forever, experts said today. The rocket, a German V-2 with a 700-pound ‘Wac Corporal’ rocket in its warhead, was shot into the sky over the White Sands proving ground and officials said ‘for all practical purposes’ it soared beyond the earth’s atmosphere … Military experts have agreed that the first nation to post satellites in the heavens could rule the earth.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “The mad scramble for subway seats is expected to take on the aspect of a free-for-all in the near future. The City Transit Authority announced yesterday that the hard rattan seats used in subway cars since the 1880s will be replaced with plastic-covered foam rubber cushions.”
