August 4, birthdays for Barack Obama, Billy Bob Thornton, Roger Clemens

Brooklyn Today

August 4, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

President Barack Obama celebrates his birthday today. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 216th day of the year.

ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “City to Acquire Brighton Area, Add it to Coney.”

The article focused on the city’s purchase of Brighton Beach for a bargain of $75,000.

“The entire ocean front of Brighton Beach, about six city blocks, will be added to the two and one-half miles of Coney Island and thrown open to the public next summer, Park Commissioner Robert Moses revealed today,” the Eagle reported. “The beach extension will accommodate approximately 50,000 bathers.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include “Law & Order: SVU” actor RICHRAD BELZER, who was born in 1944; former baseball player ROGER CLEMENS, who was born in 1962; race car driver JEFF GORDON, who was born in 1971; “Lost” actor DANIEL DAE KIM, who was born in 1968; “Horrible Bosses” actress MEGHAN MARKLE, who was born in 1981; 44th President of the U.S. BARACK OBAMA, who was born in 1961; actor KRISTOFFER TABORI, who was born in 1952; and “Fargo” actor BILLY BOB THORNTON, who was born in 1955.

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LOUIS ARMSTRONG was born on this day in 1900. Jazz musician extraordinaire, Armstrong was born in New Orleans and died in New York City in July of 1971. Asked to define jazz, he reportedly replied, “Man, if you gotta ask, you’ll never know.”

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NATIONAL NIGHT Out Against Crime will be celebrated at locations throughout the city today and tonight in conjunction with the NYPD. There will be free food and activities as well as meet-and-greets with local officers and officials at each location. For more information on your neighborhood’s event, call 646-610-5323.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.