MILESTONES: August 2, birthdays for Charli XCX, Kristaps Porzingis, David Ferrer

August 2, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

British pop singer Charli XCX. Photo by Robert E. Klein/Invision/AP

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 214th day of the year.

ON THIS DAY IN 1883, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The ‘Wild West’ exhibition at the Prospect Park Fair Grounds is an irresistible attraction, the attendance of spectators mounting up into the thousands daily. Messrs. Cody and Carver, Captain Bogardus and the celebrities of the show are to be seen in their specialties every afternoon.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1856, the Eagle reported, “A boy was run over on Flushing Avenue near Thorpe Street, on Thursday, by a baker’s wagon and almost instantly killed. The owner of the cart settled the matter with the father of the child by paying him $25, and the body was interred without notice to the coroner. Coroner Redding heard of the transaction yesterday and will investigate the case today.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1921, the Eagle reported, “Naples, Aug. 2 — Enrico Caruso’s golden chord, which held the world in thrall, has been snapped by death. In this city, where he first sang in opera when he was young and obscure, the end came in the presence of his wife and his brother from acute peritonitis induced by an abscess. He had come home to rest after a severe illness in New York. He had not been long on the soil of his native land when he had an unexpected relapse … But Caruso’s voice is not lost to posterity. He is the first great singer whose notes will be handed down to future generations to live in memory perhaps forever, for in many records these notes have been preserved, and though his body lies in the grave his voice will go on in triumph in every household which possesses a phonograph.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1922, the Eagle reported, “Taking exception to the statements attributed yesterday to Boro President Maurice E. Connolly of Queens to the effect that to construct the Brooklyn end of the new East River bridge in Greenpoint would be to place it in ‘a dead end of Brooklyn,’ state Sen. Jeremiah F. Twomey and Register James A. McQuade last night criticized the Queens executive sharply at a meeting of the 15th A.D. Democratic Club, at Meserole and Manhattan avenues. Mr. Connolly’s entire statement was read to the members by the senator. That portion quoting Mr. Connolly as stating the Greenpoint district is ‘a dead end of Brooklyn’ was received with groans. ‘I take exception to this reported statement of Mr. Connolly,’ said the senator. ‘He is fighting for Queens, it seems, against the interests of all other parts of the city … Mr. Connolly, I am sure, will find out directly that this district is wide awake.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “Ebbets Field, Aug. 2 (U.P.) — After having a day of rest, the St. Louis Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers lined up here this afternoon for a three-game series starting with a doubleheader today and a single night game tomorrow night. Roy Henshaw, Cardinals’ southpaw, started in the first game and Fred Fitzsimmons, Dodger veteran righthander, was his opponent. For the first time in the major leagues the new yellow ball will be used here. Both pitchers started warming up with the new ball. It looks very much like an orange and will be given a complete trial.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1957, the Brooklyn Spectator reported, “The Treasury stamped ‘In God We Trust’ on paper money for the first time as it placed two new printing presses into operation. The inscription long has been carried on coins, and Congress two years ago authorized it for paper money. The phrase will appear on a new series of $1 bills on the reverse, or green-side, just above the large word ‘One.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1968, , the Spectator reported, “The American Legion’s Kings County commander, Paul J. Colombo, gained much support from state convention delegates this week in his effort to ‘Bring before the American people the need to have the U.S.S. Pueblo crew released from North Korea’s illegal seizure and unjustified detainment.’ Colombo stated that ‘no American citizen who is traveling abroad on business or pleasure is really safe … when we allow a United States vessel and her crew to be seized by gunboats and remain in captivity for more than six months.’ Louis E. Drago, national executive committeeman from New York, and a Brooklyn resident, said that ‘the American Legion has the utmost sympathy for the plight of the men of the Pueblo and their family members.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actress JOANNA CASSIDY, who was born on this day in 1944; journalist and former editor JAMES FALLOWS, who was born in 1949; tennis player DAVID FERRER, who was born in 1982; actor EDWARD FURLONG, who was born in 1977; actress KATHRYN HARROLD, who was born in 1950; actress and comedian VICTORIA JACKSON, who was born in 1959; Tony Award-winning actress MARY-LOUISE PARKER, who was born in 1964; baseball player HUSTON STREET, who was born in 1983; Olympic figure skater MICHAEL WEISS, who was born in 1976; and actor SAM WORTHINGTON, who was born in 1976.

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JACK WARNER WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1892. The tough, cost-conscious production chief for the famous Warner Bros. film studio was born in Canada to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland. The family’s purchase of a nickelodeon in 1903 led to a great interest in the burgeoning film business. Brothers Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack formed Warner Bros. in 1923 in California, and it grew from a minor concern to a major studio on the strength of “The Jazz Singer,” the first full-length film with synchronized sound, social dramas and a clutch of gangster films starring Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. A highlight for the studio was “Casablanca,” which took the Best Picture Oscar in 1944. Warner Bros. was sold in 1967 and Jack Warner became an independent producer. He died in Hollywood in 1978.

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THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS OFFICIALLY SIGNED ON THIS DAY IN 1776. Contrary to widespread misconceptions, the 56 signers did not sign as a group and did not do so on July 4. John Hancock and Charles Thomson signed only draft copies that day, the official day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress. The signing of the official declaration occurred on Aug. 2, when reportedly 50 men took part. Later that year, five more apparently signed separately, and one added his name in a subsequent year.

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PIERRE CHARLES L’ENFANT WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1754. The architect, engineer and Revolutionary War officer designed the plan for the city of Washington, D.C. L’Enfant died in Maryland in 1825.

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CARROLL O’CONNOR WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1924. The New York-born stage and screen actor was best known for his portrayal of the bigoted, blue-collar Archie Bunker on “All in the Family.” He played the role of Bunker from 1971 to 1979 and was nominated for eight Emmy Awards, winning four. He won a fifth Emmy in 1989 for “In the Heat of the Night.” He was also inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1989 and died in 2001 in California.

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

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“Even a true artist does not always produce art.” — Carroll O’Connor, who was born on this day in 1924