ON THIS DAY IN 1870, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The anniversary of the final evacuation of this country by the British troops at New York, occurring today, following so closely upon Thanksgiving, has been scarcely observed, and has passed in an unusually quiet manner, not even the Manhattanites indulging in their almost invariable military or other display. The public buildings across the river are ornamented by flags, and in this city the watchful Keeper Tormey set the bunting of the municipality upon the staffs of the City Hall at an early hour, where they still wave. The same feature is apparent on a few private premises, but the people generally seem to have forgotten the day, for the nonce, and wonder what the flag setting means.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1904, the Eagle reported, “PHILADELPHIA — What has come to be recognized as the society football event of the season will be played in this city today, when the teams representing the two fighting branches of the United States government meet on Franklin Field in their annual game. Army and navy men who are prominent in the service will watch the West Point and Annapolis elevens struggle for supremacy. Secretary of the Navy Morton and Assistant Secretary of War Oliver will occupy boxes in the north and south stands respectively, while the British ambassador and Mrs. Durand, Baron and Baroness von Tuyll, of the Netherlands, Prince Fushimi and scores of other distinguished guests will watch the progress of the game from private boxes. Both teams are in the pink of condition. Coach Paul Dashiell, of the Navy, says that the Annapolis boys will have no excuses to offer if they are beaten, and former Captain Graves, of the West Point eleven, is sanguine of victory. A more perfect day for football could scarcely be imagined. There is just enough crispness in the light, northwest wind to make the weather ideal for the players, and it is not cold enough to be uncomfortable for the spectators. The game will begin at 2 o’clock.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1928, the Eagle reported, “Four of Arnold Rothstein’s close friends and associates today were held in $100,000 bail each and a fifth in $10,000 as material witnesses to a criminal investigation which District Attorney Banton has started into all of Rothstein’s underworld activities. Charges that witnesses had been tampered with, that their lives had been threatened and that important papers showing Rothstein’s criminal activities had been stolen from his files since his death were made by the District Attorney. Charges that Rothstein had conducted a conspiracy in the recent garment and fur strikes and that he had been guilty of conspiracy in endless crimes were also made. The District Attorney said that the Grand Jury, which began its sessions today, would consider evidence along certainly four and probably more distinct lines. He said he had outlined the case and would ask indictments in the following activities: 1. The murder of Rothstein; 2. Against those who have spirited away George McManus; 3. Against those who have tampered with the private files of Arnold Rothstein and have destroyed, withheld or concealed documents; 4. Against those who participated with Rothstein in conspiracies involving the recent garment and fur strikes. A fifth possibility is included in other crimes and rackets which the District Attorney said have appeared in his investigation of the Rothstein case. ‘Every fact relating to every one of Arnold Rothstein’s transactions will be submitted to the Grand Jury,’ Banton said.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle said, “The folks out front are still talking about the new N.B.C. studios in Radio City. They say there are more gadgets in Radio City than you can find in the factories where they make ’em.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “LOS ANGELES (U.P.) — The palatial homes of movie stars and other millionaires were menaced anew today by a brush fire. The flames roared down to the floor of Mandeville Canyon, back of Hollywood, where are the homes of Shirley Temple, Mary Astor and W.C. Fields. Fire lines were mobilized in the lower canyon reaches between the flames and the homes. With a wind fanning it, the fire roared down the dry northwest slope and reached a road at the bottom of the canyon despite the efforts of hundreds of weary, smoke-blackened city firemen.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “It was a strange sight in the wheelhouse of that ship out in New York Harbor. There was a man at the wheel, all right. Once in a while he would change the ship’s course; occasionally he would give the vessel more speed, then slow it down. And yet this mate didn’t seem to be watching what he was doing. He wasn’t. He was listening. He could hear the voice of his skipper. The instructions came from just a few feet away. The captain was enclosed in a dark, screened-in room. The skipper, Capt. William Griswold, was watching a magic gadget. It was radar. And this demonstration showed radar, one of the war’s top secrets, passing another test in civilian life. Soon, perhaps in a year or two, almost all commercial liners will have radar aboard. Then there should be no more collisions at sea, no more iceberg tragedies such as the Titanic sinking. Radar, used successfully by Allied warships during the war, now has become available to the public. It is an eye that can see in darkness or fog.”
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Garcelle Beauvais. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle published the following letter: “It’s too bad the big Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade isn’t held nearer Election Day. It would be so much more practical. They could use the hot air from all the campaign speeches to inflate those oversized parade balloons.”
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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAYinclude former CIA Director Porter Goss, who was born in 1938; comedian and impersonator Rich Little, who was born in 1938; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), who was born in 1945; Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Shell, who was born in 1946; Pro Football Hall of Famer Harry Carson, who was born in 1953; NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett, who was born in 1956; “NYPD Blue” star Garcelle Beauvais, who was born in 1966; “Unwritten” singer Natasha Bedingfield, who was born in 1981; and singer and actress Rita Ora, who was born in 1990.
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BY GEORGE: President George Washington proclaimed this day as Thanksgiving in 1789. Both houses of Congress, by their joint committee, had requested him to recommend “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity to peaceably establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Rita Ora. Photo: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
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Harry Carson. Photo: Andy Kropa/Invision/AP
IT’S THE GREAT CARTOONIST:Charles M. Schulz was born on this day in 1922. The Minnesota native created the “Peanuts” comic strip, which debuted Oct. 2, 1950 and chronicled the adventures of Charlie Brown; his sister, Sally; his dog, Snoopy; friends Linus and Lucy and a variety of other characters. Schulz’s last daily strip was published Jan. 3, 2000, and his last Sunday strip was published Feb. 13, 2000, the day after his death. “Peanuts” ran in more than 2,500 newspapers worldwide and was spun off into animated TV specials such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965) and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966).
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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.
Quotable
“Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.” — cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, who was born on this day in 1922
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.
