MILESTONES: May 7, birthdays for J Balvin, Alexander Ludwig, Sydney Leroux

May 7, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Colombian rapper J Balvin, who was born in 1985. Photo by Eric Jamison/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 126th day of the year.

On this day in 1942, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A quiet little sendoff had been arranged for the men who left from Bay Ridge today for army induction. But more than 1,000 neighbors and friends gathered, in spite of a drizzling rain, for a gala, spontaneous farewell. There were 110 men in the delegation who went for induction from Local Board 152. At the board headquarters, 6217 Fourth Ave., some of the boys arrived and were waiting hours before the set time for departure to the induction center. And later, when they were all there and the roll had been called, and the friends and relatives and neighbors were milling around, somebody drawled out, ‘What are we waiting for? Let’s go!’ Up and down the line the men joined in chorus: ‘Let’s goo-o-o-o-o-!’”

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On this day in 1874, the Eagle published an advertisement which read, “The Event of 1874 — P.T. Barnum’s Great Roman Hippodrome. The Largest on Earth! … The beautiful spectacle of the Congress of Nations represents the sovereigns and subjects of all civilized countries and introduces a pageant of bewildering splendor and unexampled magnitude! Fifteen hundred men, women, horses, ponies and trained animals are enjoyed in this great representation, and its entrance upon the grand course afternoon and evening is the signal of intense enthusiasm.”

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On this day in 1903, the Eagle reported, “The statement made … at a meeting of the Citizens’ Association of Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton … to the effect that the handsome bluff property of E.W. Bliss at Owl’s Head wanted for a city park is about to be acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad for a freight terminal has stirred up residents of the entire Bay Ridge section … Owl’s Head, which was for 20 years the country seat of the late Henry C. Murphy … is one of the attractive places shown to all strangers who visit this part of Brooklyn.” Murphy was one of the Eagle’s founders.

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On this day in 1937, the Eagle reported, “Lakehurst, N.J. — As the burnt, twisted hunk of metal that was the proud Hindenburg lay on the ground here today, and the Navy searched for bodies, sabotage was darkly hinted as the cause of the explosions and fire which wrecked the dirigible … Known dead or missing — 32. Injured — 50. There were 96 persons aboard the greatest of airships when she exploded … President Roosevelt cabled Reichsfuehrer Adolf Hitler from Galveston, expressing his ‘deepest sympathy for the tragic loss of life.’ Hitler cabled back, ‘I thank your Excellency sincerely for the words of sympathy you express to me and the German people on the occasion of the disaster of which the airship Hindenburg was the victim.’”

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On this day in 1945, the Eagle reported, “London – A German broadcast said today that all remaining German forces in Europe have surrendered, and there were indications here that an Allied proclamation on the end of the war will be made today … The order for surrender was given by Fuehrer Grand Adm. Karl Doenitz, the broadcast said. It came on the 2,074th day of the European war.”

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On this day in 1954, the Eagle reported, “Hanoi, Indo-China — Waves of communist troops seized a foothold in the heart of Dien Bien Phu today and Brig. Gen. Christian de Castries ordered his artillery to shell his own headquarters if necessary — but to fight on … De Castries, who spurned a communist ultimatum earlier to ‘surrender or die,’ appeared to be ready to fight to the death to hold the fortress … There was little doubt the enemy had launched its final attack on the French fortress that has stood off 40,000 rebel Vietminh troops for 37 days.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include rapper J BALVIN, who was born in 1985; author PETER CAREY, who was born in 1943; filmmaker AMY HECKERLING, who was born in 1954; Utah Gov. GARY R. HERBERT, who was born in 1947; U.S. soccer player SYDNEY LEROUX, who was born in 1990; actor ALEXANDER LUDWIG, who was born in 1992; former basketball player SHAWN MARION, who was born in 1978; and actor PETER RECKELL, who was born in 1955.

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BEETHOVEN’S NINTH SYMPHONY PREMIERED ON THIS DAY IN 1824. Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9 in D Minor” was performed for the first time at Vienna, Austria. Known as the Choral because of his use of voices in symphonic form for the first time, the Ninth was his musical interpretation of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy.” Beethoven was completely deaf when he composed it, and it was said a soloist had to tug on his sleeve when the performance was over to get him to turn around and see the enthusiastic response he could not hear.

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THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL PET WEEK. Since 1981, the first week of May has been dedicated to honoring the many important roles pets have in our lives and to encourage responsible pet ownership.

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PETER ILICH TCHAIKOVSKY WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1840. One of the outstanding composers of all time, Tchaikovsky was born at Vatkinsk, Russia. Among his famous works are the symphony “Pathetique;” the opera “Eugene Onegin;” and the ballets “Swan Lake,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “The Nutcracker.” He was the first to turn the ballet into a sustained dramatic expression. Tchaikovsky died of cholera during an epidemic at St. Petersburg in 1893 — nine days after conducting his “Pathetique” symphony for the first time.

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DAVID HUME WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1711. The Scottish Enlightenment philosopher’s ideas present the culmination of the philosophical movement of empiricism. Hume addressed such questions as the limits of knowledge. He rejected metaphysical questions and stated that we should be skeptical of all conclusions reached by the use of reason. A prolific author, Hume wrote the six-volume “History of England,” as well as other essays and historical work. Today, his “A Treatise of Human Nature” is seen as his most important work. Hume died in 1776 in Edinburgh.

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

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“A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence.” — philosopher David Hume, who was born on this day in 1711