MILESTONES: July 19, birthdays for Jared Padalecki, Jon Jones, LaMarcus Aldridge

July 19, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Jared Padalecki. Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 200th day of the year.

On this day in 1938, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Outstanding Irish-Americans of Brooklyn launched a movement today to celebrate fittingly the homecoming of Douglas Corrigan, transatlantic flier extraordinaire, with leaders of the principal Irish societies in the borough at the head. The plan is to make Floyd Bennett Field and Brooklyn the center of the demonstration because the field is the point from which Corrigan started on his ‘trip to California,’ which terminated ‘by mistake’ in Dublin, Ireland, and because more than a million persons of Irish extraction make Brooklyn their home.”

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On this day in 1845, the Eagle reported, “One of the most terrific fires that ever occurred in this city broke out this morning about 3 o’clock. It originated, we believe, in a Soap Chandelry in New Street and communicated to the store alongside and thence to the rear of a building in Broad Street, which contained a large quantity of salt petre. The explosion which took place from the ignition of this combustible matter was tremendous and was felt and heard in almost every part of the city. Blue flames issued through the ruins and extended over the entire street, broad as it is, say 100 feet, and communicated the fire to the stores on the opposite side … The Journal of Commerce estimates the number of houses and stores burnt at three to four hundred, and the loss of property from 8 to 10 millions of dollars!”

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On this day in 1885, the Eagle reported, “An effort is being made on the part of the bridge policemen to obtain a short vacation during the summer months. The members of the regular police force of the city are entitled to a week’s vacation, and it is urged that the same consideration should be shown to the men who guard the great highway between the two cities. A ‘Bridge Policeman’ writes to the Eagle as follows: ‘Will not the public assist in securing a much needed vacation to the bridge police? The men are on duty long hours during the hot days of the summer, and is it not simple justice that they should be given a brief rest from work, the same as is given to every other public official and employee of the two cities?”

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On this day in 1918, the Eagle reported, “The 13,000-ton British steamer Carpathia, when off the Irish coast, was torpedoed four times by a German submarine on Wednesday and sunk, with the loss of five seamen … The Cunard liner Carpathia is linked indissolubly with recollections of one of the greatest marine disasters in the history of the world, the sinking of the White Star liner Titanic on her maiden voyage on April 14, 1912, with the loss of 1,595 lives. The Carpathia saved the lives of 866 others and, arriving in New York on April 18, 1912, provided one of the most thrilling scenes the city has ever known … The Carpathia was last here on June 4, when she brought 28 passengers. Although in the service of the British government for several months, the Carpathia had been used as an American troop transport. She was one of the first merchant steamers to appear in American waters armed against submarines.”

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On this day in 1936, the Eagle reported, “Casablanca, French Morocco, July 18 (AP) — Rebellious troops, angered by anti-Fascist measures in Spain, were reported in control of Spanish Morocco tonight. Striking swiftly, the military forces assumed domination of public services after fighting in which nine persons were reported killed … The rebellion was characterized as a Fascist movement inspired by the kidnap-murder early this week in Madrid of Jose Calvo Sotelo, monarchist critic of the Spanish leftist government and asserted Fascist leader.”

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On this day in 1943, the Eagle reported, “Following is the [partial] text of leaflets dropped on Rome today by Allied bombers: ‘Citizens of Rome: You already have been warned that military objectives in the vicinity of Rome are liable to be bombed by the Allied Air Force. When this occurs, the Fascist Government, who consistently conceal news about the war, will say that we are trying to destroy cultural monuments which are the joy, not only of Rome, but of the civilized world. It is possible, moreover, that in order to lend plausibility to their lying statement, the Fascist Government or their German accomplices will themselves arrange that bombs should be dropped on the center of Rome, or even on Vatican City.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include basketball player LaMARCUS ALDRIDGE, who was born in 1985; actor TRAI BYERS, who was born in 1983; actor BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH, who was born in 1976; actor ANTHONY EDWARDS, who was born in 1962; actor TOPHER GRACE, who was born in 1978; MMA fighter JON “BONES” JONES, who was born in 1987; actress CLEA LEWIS, who was born in 1965; Hall of Fame tennis player ILIE NASTASE, who was born in 1946; actor JARED PADALECKI, who was born in 1982; and actor CAMPELL SCOTT, who was born in 1962.

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TODAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE WOMEN’S RIGHTS CONVENTION AT SENECA FALLS. The convention concerning the rights of women, called by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was held in New York in 1848. The issues discussed included voting, property rights and divorce. The convention drafted a “Declaration of Sentiments” that paraphrased the Declaration of Independence, addressing men instead of King George, and called for women’s “immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of the United States.” This convention was the beginning of an organized women’s rights movement in the U.S. The most controversial issue was Stanton’s demand for women’s right to vote.

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GEORGE McGOVERN WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1922. The U.S. politician and World War II hero began his career in public service in 1956. Representing South Dakota in both houses of Congress, he was a voice in support of civil rights and social issues throughout the 1960s, as well as a vocal opponent of American involvement in the Vietnam War. As the Democratic presidential candidate in 1972, McGovern and his party were the targets of spying by the Watergate conspirators. He lost the election to Richard Nixon in a crushing defeat, and later he returned to the Senate. His work with U.N. hunger causes earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2000. McGovern died in 2012 in South Dakota.

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ELVIS PRESLEY’S FIRST SINGLE WAS RELEASED ON THIS DAY IN 1954. “That’s All Right (Mama)” backed by “Blue Moon of Kentucky” was released by the 19-year-old musician. Presley recorded it with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black for Sun Records. Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips previewed the single on July 7 — two days after it was recorded — on his radio show and his listeners went crazy, demanding that Phillips play it again and again.

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EDGAR DEGAS WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1834. The French Impressionist painter was best known for his paintings of dancers in motion. Degas died in France in 1917.

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

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“The longer the title, the less important the job.” — George McGovern, who was born on this day in 1922