MILESTONES: March 30, birthdays for MC Hammer, Richard Sherman, Thomas Rhett

Brooklyn Today

March 30, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

MC Hammer. Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 89th day of the year.

On this day in 1942, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A test of a method of producing artificial fog which might be employed to ‘block’ out vital defense manufacturing areas in the event of an air raid was made in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Navy Yard this morning. Representatives of the company which developed the process, comprising a mixture of water and oil released under pressure through the chimney of a factory boiler, stressed the fact that the test was of the method of producing the artificial fog and was not intended as a demonstration of the effectiveness of the cloud in concealing military objectives.”

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On this day in 1848, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “John Jacob Astor, long celebrated all over the world as the richest man in America, died yesterday morning a little after 9 o’clock, at his residence in New York … He leaves several children.” His son, “Wm. B. Astor, married the daughter of General Armstrong, who was Secretary of War under Madison’s administration, and will inherit the largest part of his father’s fortune. His other son is said to be insane or imbecile.”

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On this day in 1902, the Eagle published a story with the headline “Kentucky Mountain Tragedy Recalls Tug River Feud Which Started Over Dispute About Two Hogs,” which read, “The last of ten Hatfields was killed in Pike County, Kentucky, today. The men who tried to arrest the Hatfields also lost their lives … The excitement among the feudists is as great as at the time of the burning of the McCoys at the stake by the Hatfields years ago, and more trouble is expected.”

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On this day in 1906, the Eagle reported, “On Wednesday night, according to the statements of employees and officers of the De Forest wireless telegraph system, 572 words were flashed across the Atlantic Ocean from Coney Island to the coast of Ireland, a distance of 3,200 miles, without the use of cables, wires or any other medium than the atmosphere … On that night a total of 1,000 words was sent out from the Coney Island station … The remaining 428 words were lost somewhere between Coney Island and the Irish coast, and may be still wandering about aimlessly, trying to find a station so attuned that they can be picked up and recorded.”

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On this day in 1929, the Eagle reported, “For the first time since 1870, all rooms in private houses and public buildings of Rome could be blessed solemnly today, Holy Saturday, by the clergy of the Roman diocese with ‘bell, book and holy water.’ … There was every indication that particular emphasis would be given to tomorrow’s Easter celebration in view of the newly established peace between Vatican and Quirinal. The ceremonies will begin at midnight tonight, when amid the pealing of the bells of Rome’s 400 churches, Italians will wish one another ‘Buona Pascua.’”

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On this day in 1949, the Eagle reported, “The Syrian army took over the government of Syria today in a lightning coup apparently designed to prevent any peace with Israel … Gen. Husni Al-Zaim, army chief of staff and commander of the Syrian gendarmarie, led the coup and heads the anti-Zionist military junta which now rules the country, the Syrian radio said … The Arab Office in London said the Syrian coup is ‘simply the beginning of similar consequences throughout the Arab world. It is a direct consequence of the Palestine crisis.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actor JOHN ASTIN, who was born in 1930; actor WARREN BEATTY, who was born in 1938; singer TRACY CHAPMAN, who was born in 1964; singer, songwriter and guitarist ERIC CLAPTON, who was born in 1945; actor ROBBIE COLTRANE, who was born in 1950; singer CELINE DION, who was born in 1968; actor JASON DOHRING, who was born in 1982; rapper M.C. HAMMER, who was born in 1963; singer NORAH JONES, who was born in 1979; actor and TV host PETER MARSHALL, who was born in 1927; actor PAUL REISER, who was born in 1957; country music star THOMAS RHETT, who was born in 1990; and NFL star RICHARD SHERMAN, who was born in 1988.

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VINCENT VAN GOGH WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1853. The Dutch painter was especially known for his bold and powerful use of color. Known as one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art, van Gogh died in France in 1890.

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SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1914. The influential harmonica player helped make the harmonica a blues staple. “Good Morning, School Girl” is one of his best-remembered hits. Williamson was murdered during a robbery in 1948 in Illinois.

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TODAY IS DOCTORS’ DAY. It is a day to honor America’s physicians on the anniversary of the occasion when Dr. Crawford W. Long became the first acclaimed physician to use ether as an anesthetic agent in a surgical technique in 1842. The red carnation has been designated as the official flower of Doctors’ Day.

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FRANCISCO JOSE de GOYA WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1746. It is estimated that the painter and etcher completed more than 1,800 paintings, drawings and lithographs during his lifetime. Goya was born in Spain and died in France in 1828.

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TODAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF RONALD REAGAN. President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest by a 25-year-old gunman in Washington, D.C., on this day in 1981. Three other persons were wounded (press secretary James Brady was wounded and died of his injuries in 2014 — 33 years later). John W. Hinckley Jr., the accused attacker, was arrested at the scene. In 1982, a federal jury in D.C. found Hinckley not guilty by reason of insanity, and was committed to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., for an indefinite time. He was released in 2016.