MILESTONES: December 30 birthdays for LeBron James, Eliza Dushku, Sandy Koufax

December 30, 2020 Brooklyn Eagle History

This a headshot of basketball player LeBron James. LeBron James is an active basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers as of Monday, Sept. 26, 2016 in the NBA. AP Photo/Ron Schwane

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who was born in Brooklyn in 1935; former NFL player Jim Marshall, who was born in 1937; singer-songwriter Paul Stookey, who was born in 1937; “Cheers” co-creator Jim Burrows, who was born in 1940; “The Monkees” star Michael Nesmith, who was born in 1942; “Because the Night” singer Patti Smith, who was born in 1946; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Lynne (ELO), who was born in 1947; TV personality Meredith Vieira, who was born in 1953; “Moesha” star Sheryl Lee Ralph, who was born in 1956; actress and comedian Tracey Ullman, who was born in 1959; political commentator Sean Hannity, who was born in 1961; U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who was born in 1963; golfer Tiger Woods, who was born in 1975; “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Eliza Dushku, who was born in 1980; and L.A. Lakers forward LeBron James, who was born in 1984.

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HAWAII 1-0-0: John Joseph Patrick Ryan, known professionally as Jack Lord, was born in Brooklyn 100 years ago today. From 1968 to 1980, he portrayed the tough, pompadoured chief of a special police unit on the hit TV series “Hawaii Five-O.” As Steve McGarrett, Lord often delivered the show’s famous catchphrase, “Book ’em, Danno,” when the bad guys were caught. He died in Honolulu in 1998.

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THE FULL MONTY: “Let’s Make a Deal” premiered on this day in 1963. Monty Hall hosted the outrageous and no-skill-required game show. Audience members, many of whom wore costumes, were selected to sit in the trading area, and some were picked to “make a deal” with Hall by trading something of their own for something they were offered. At the end of the show, the two people who had won the most were given the option to trade their winnings for a chance at the “Big Deal” hidden behind one of three doors. A 21st-century revival is hosted by Wayne Brady.

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

Quotable:

“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.”

— Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, who was born in Brooklyn on this day in 1935