October 24: ON THIS DAY in 1962, Cuba-bound Russian vessels expected to challenge blockade

October 24, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1915, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Marching first in bright sunshine — and then, hours later, ’neath the glare of street lights — at least 40,000 women and men held the attention of a lane of humanity along Fifth Avenue from Washington Square to Fifty-ninth street, yesterday afternoon and evening in a final massed appeal to the voters of the State for the right of franchise to women … Never before in the history of New York City was such a spectacle witnessed … Brooklyn’s part in yesterday’s parade will long be remembered. From the very first march in the division to the ‘tag end,’ Brooklyn appeared to the very best advantage … There was a certain spirit, a poise in their carriage and a snap to their stride which attracted attention and held it.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “At the end of this month, the Pope intends to return to the Vatican and initiate a heavy program of work. Among other things, he will take the first step in proceedings which may eventually give Chicago a saint. The Pontiff and the Congregation of Rites will pass on the proposal that Sister Francesca Saverio Cabrini, who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and who died in Chicago in 1917, be proclaimed as having ‘exercised Christian virtue to a heroic degree.’ A favorable decision would accord the title ‘Venerable’ to the late nun and open the way for her possible beatification and canonization. Each of these steps, however, requires long examination of evidence. Two major miracles have been credited to Mother Cabrini. One witness was Sister Delfina Grazioli of Seattle, who said she had undergone four major operations and had been given the deathbed rite of extreme unction when she saw a vision of Mother Cabrini and soon recovered. Another witness was Peter Smith, a boy from New York City, who was blinded soon after birth when a careless nurse washed his eyes with silver nitrate in a 50 percent solution instead of 1 percent. He contracted pneumonia. He addressed prayers to Mother Cabrini, regained his health and sight, and announced his intention of becoming a priest.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, Eagle sportswriter Tommy Holmes wrote, “The thing about the Jackie Robinson story today that strikes right out and hits you between the eyes is that the first Negro ever to be signed to a contract in organized baseball may be blocked from a bona-fide test by members of his own race. The Kansas City Monarchs, for whom Robinson played this summer, are preparing a formal protest to Commissioner Happy Chandler. They do not like the fact that our Mr. Branch Rickey signed their star ball player to a contract with the Montreal Royals, No. 1 farm club of the Dodgers. Whether the commissioner of baseball will deem it unfair practice to sign a player under contract to a club in an established Negro league remains to be seen. If he upholds the protest, it may be years before another opportunity opens up for a Negro in organized baseball again.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1962, the Eagle reported, “(UPI) — With Soviet ships streaming through the Atlantic toward a potential doomsday rendezvous with a U.S. Naval blockade of Cuba, Prime Minister Khrushchev in Moscow is believed to have issued ‘go through’ orders to his ships. Whether this means they will refuse to submit to stopping and search by U.S. Naval vessels is completely unclear. If a Russian ship refuses to stop when ordered to by the Navy and is sunk, it would presumably mean war between the United States and Russia. Officials in Moscow appear to be maintaining a flexible position, waiting to see which way developments will turn before taking any irrevocable stands. Otherwise, the official Russian reaction to President Kennedy’s Naval blockade of Cuba was the not-unexpected denouncement of the move as provocative and aggressive.” It was also reported, “Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara said Tuesday afternoon there are no immediate plans to call up reserve personnel in the current crisis over President Kennedy’s Cuba blockade, ‘though we may do so as the situation develops.’”