October 1: ON THIS DAY in 1951, Dodgers and Giants clash

October 1, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “London (AP) — Scotland Yard is seeking an object so small that the sleuths are fidgety for fear they won’t recognize it if they find it. It is the world’s tiniest portrait, which disappeared from an exhibition of the Royal Photographic Society. The portrait is that of Neice, inventor of an early-day photographic process. Produced by Professor Golberg of Dresden, the portrait is so small as to require enlargement 150,000 times to make a picture about the size of a half dollar. Members of the society say it was easily the most novel and interesting object in the exhibition.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “Washington — The King is dead! Long live the King! All the glory that was Babe Ruth was inherited by his greatest admirer, Lou Gehrig, as the two laid aside their uniforms yesterday for the last time this season. Only next year Lou will be in there breaking more records, while Ruth will be managing or pinch-hitting. Gehrig smashed out his 49th homer as the Yanks lost 5 to 3. He thus finished the season leading the batters in hitting, having the most home runs and batting in the most runs. All these departments used to have the name of Ruth at the head of them, in the days when the Babe ruled. A fitting tribute was accorded the great Bambino before the game. He received a parchment scroll as a token of esteem. The parchment contained the names of 10,000 admirers. The first signature was that of Franklin D. Roosevelt. A 50-piece band from St. Mary’s Industrial School of Baltimore, in which Babe once played, provided the music.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “Birmingham, Ala. (U.P.) — Mickey Rooney, pint-sized motion picture star now a private in the Army, today married Betty Jane Rase, the Miss Birmingham beauty contest winner whom he reportedly met only a week ago. In a ‘super secret’ ceremony which was rumored all over town, the once married and divorced actor was married to the 18-year-old Miss Rase, who won the talent contest at Atlantic City this year. She was fifth in the beauty pageant. Only a dozen close friends, including several soldiers from Camp Sibert, near Gadsden, Ala., where Rooney is stationed, saw Rooney wed Miss Rase, a stately blonde who is almost a head taller than he. It was a double ring ceremony … The young star’s sudden marriage took friends by surprise, since they had speculated last June, when Rooney entered the Army, that he might become reconciled with his former wife, Ava Gardner, actress.” Rooney’s second marriage would not be his last. The Brooklyn native was married eight times. He died in 2014 at age 93.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1951, the Eagle reported, “The second pennant playoff in National League history opened at Ebbets Field today as the once high-flying Dodgers entered a best-of-three series with the New York Giants with the odds against their winning. Manager Chuck Dressen sent big Ralph Branca to the mound for the Dodgers, who saw a 13 1/2-game lead go down the drain in six short weeks and had to fight an uphill battle to gain a tie with the surging team across the river. Branca, with a 13-10 season record, faced Jim Hearn, third ranking Giant hurler, who won 16 and lost nine for the Giants during the 154-game season. It was typical World Series weather, cool and crisp, and the atmosphere in the packed ball park was also reminiscent of the Fall classic. With seven pitchers, including Branca, marching to the mound in yesterday’s Dodger 14-inning triumph over Philadelphia, the Brooklyn pitching plans for the remainder of the series, which shifts tomorrow to the Polo Grounds for the second and, if necessary, third game, were up in the air.”