May 15: ON THIS DAY in 1948, bombings in Tel Aviv

May 15, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Auxiliary Bishop Raymond A. Kearney yesterday confirmed a class of 310 children and 40 adults at the Holy Innocents R.C. Church, Beverly Road and E. 17th St., where he served as a curate in the early days of his priesthood. The church was filled to overflowing for the service, which was held in the late afternoon. Impressing upon the children the importance of the sacrament of confirmation, the bishop said that, in its reception, they would become ‘soldiers of Jesus Christ.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “Quebec, May 15 (U.P.) – King George and Queen Elizabeth, surfeited with fog and ice, got their first glimpse of the New World today. The liner Empress of Australia, carrying the British monarchs on their first voyage to America, came in sight of the southern tip of Newfoundland at 7:30 a.m. Shortly thereafter, according to radio messages from the vessel, the ship passed within 18 miles of St. Pierre and Miquelon Islands, whose snow-covered hills glistened in the sunlight. Delayed two days, first by fog and then by icebergs which floated dangerously close, the liner finally found perfect sailing weather as it made the first landfall of the voyage.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Oslo, Norway, May 15 (U.P.) – Vidkun Quisling, the world’s most famous traitor, is cleaning the toilets of Olso’s biggest prison, the United Press learned exclusively today. My informant, one of only six men who have seen the arch-traitor since he surrendered six days ago, said Quisling has been given the most menial tasks at the prison at Moellergarten 19. Nevertheless Quisling, 58 and fat, insists he is still the legal head of the Norwegian government. He complains constantly about his prison treatment. Two tough guards with tommy-guns stand over the puppet premier while he goes to work with a brush and a bucket of water.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “Tel Aviv, May 15 (U.P.) – Arab planes bombed Tel Aviv three times today and one Egyptian air force pilot was taken prisoner when his plane was forced down just north of the new Jewish capital. The Egyptian government in Cairo announced officially that Egyptian planes raided the newborn State of Israel in the forefront of an Arab attack from all sides, including one raid on a Jewish airdrome outside Tel Aviv … Egyptian troops driving into Palestine have ‘wiped out’ a Jewish settlement on the road to Beersheba, an official communique in Cairo said today … Jewish sources said direct Arab-Jewish negotiations for a truce in Jerusalem were started after Jews captured virtually all strongpoints abandoned by the British in the Holy City … Egyptian troops spearheaded the Arab assault, attempting an amphibious landing 21 miles south of Tel Aviv and crashing across the southern Palestine border at two points. Syrian and Lebanese troops roared down across the northern frontier several hours before the midnight deadline, riding into battle in 150 armored trucks.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, Eagle sports columnist Steve Solomon wrote, “Mama Throneberry just didn’t pick the name ‘Marvin Eugene’ out of a hat when she gave identity to her bouncing baby boy back on September 2, 1933 in the town of Collierville, Tennessee. Something inside of her told her that the baby with the round full face and the long legs had to have the initials M.E.T. Possibly she didn’t realize why, but 29 years later the answer was clear as the mud on her son’s uniform. If Albert Einstein was born with the brain of a mathematical genius; if Babe Ruth was born to be the king of swat, then Marvin Eugene Throneberry was born to be a Met. Why are men set aside, given certain unquestionable abilities and then sent on [their] way to fulfill their life’s purposes? Who can say? But it was in the cards that Marvelous Marv would become the living legend of a ballclub who would bring the National League back to New York.”