February 20: ON THIS DAY in 1927, Brooklyn celebrates Washington’s birthday

February 20, 2019 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1843, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Ralph Waldo Emerson reads his fourth lecture this evening, at the Society Library, New York. In old times it was fashionable to deliver lectures, but ‘Tempora mutantur,’ [etc.].”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “Mary Pickford wins the Eagle’s voting contest to determine who is the most popular motion picture star in America. She polled 30,300 votes. Her nearest competitor was Miss Pearl White of the Pathe Company, who received 27,630 votes. Miss Pickford’s victory was an eleventh-hour one, as the indications were even up to almost the last minute, that Pearl White would win the contest. But when Miss Pickford’s supporters saw how things were going, they rallied loyally to her support, and the Eagle office was bombarded with ballots. The result demonstrated conclusively that ‘Our Mary’ is too firmly established in the hearts of the ‘movie’ fans to be dislodged by any rival, be she ever so charming … Miss Pickford left several days ago with Owen Moore, her husband, for California, where they are going to pose for new pictures. So she won’t be on hand tomorrow night at the ball which will be held at Stauch’s, Coney Island, under the auspices of the Brooklyn Local, Motion Picture Exhibitors League of America.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Eagle reported, “Brooklyn residents will celebrate Washington’s birthday Tuesday, Feb. 22 by attending many functions here and in Manhattan. Dances, dinners, commemorative masses, motion pictures, speechmaking, special theatrical performances, a radio address by President [Calvin] Coolidge and the famous annual parade by Brooklyn’s old-time firemen will feature the day. Just so long as one vamp survives, the old Kings County Volunteer Firemen’s Association will continue to hold its annual Washington’s Birthday parade, says Boro President James J. Byrne in announcing plans for Tuesday’s event. Governor [Al] Smith will be in the reviewing stand at Boro Hall when the veteran fire fighters, thinner in ranks but dauntless in spirit, pass by at 11 o’clock. Later the governor will attend William H. Todd’s luncheon to the marchers at the Hotel Bossert. Since the volunteer firemen disbanded in 1869, they have paraded in Brooklyn on Washington’s birthday. Each year, those who view the parade miss a familiar face.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “North Bergen, N.J., Feb. 20 (U.P.) — Towering Al Blozis, professional football star, is missing in action with the infantry in France, his parents said today. Big Al, a second lieutenant, sparked the New York Giants to victories which put them in the world championship playoffs last fall when he returned on a ten-day furlough. Then, coming down from a pre-embarkation camp on a weekend pass, he played a great defensive game at tackle in the championship game on Dec. 17, although the Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers, 14 to 7. Blozis, a six-foot-seven-inch, all-around athlete, who weighed 245 pounds, also holds the world shotput championship for the 16, 12 and eight-pound weights. He knew he was going overseas when he played the last game for the Giants and played an inspired game, stopping the Packer running plays time after time when the Green Bay backs tried his side of the line. Leaving shortly afterward for the battle fronts, he went into action almost immediately and was reported missing as of Feb. 2.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “Helen Keller, internationally famous blind personality, will visit Brooklyn March 2, it was announced today by the sponsoring Helen Keller Committee of the Brooklyn Division of the Protestant Council. Miss Keller will talk at 8 p.m. in the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, Orange and Hicks Sts., on ‘A Ray of Hope for the Blind of Europe.’ Other speakers will be Dr. Robert B. Irwin and the Rev. John Emerson Zeiter, pastor of Hanson Place M.E. Church.”