May 28: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 28, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1918, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “MADRID — Business life in Madrid is almost paralyzed by the outbreak of a species of grip. The exact nature of the disease has not been determined, although it is not fatal. Theaters and moving picture houses are deserted while the tramways are crippled because of the illness of employees. Reports from the provinces show that 30 percent of the population is affected by the strange disease. King Alfonso is indisposed and is believed to be suffering from the disease, which he apparently contracted yesterday when mingling with the crowds in the palace chapel. Many other prominent persons are ill in bed, including the president of the Chamber of Deputies, the Ministers of Finance, Marine and Public Instruction and the under secretary to the president.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — President Roosevelt today ordered his advisers to make immediate studies of the havoc wrought yesterday by the unanimous Supreme Court decision which brushed aside the [National Recovery Administration] and is believed to have swept away much of the foundation upon which the New Deal had based its legislative program. It was stated at the White House that Mr. Roosevelt will remain silent until after the results of these studies have been reported to him. A high public official, who sat with the president during all of yesterday’s storm which blew down Pennsylvania Ave. from the courtroom in the Capitol with unprecedented force, likened Mr. Roosevelt’s predicament to that of a man who had a jigsaw puzzle on his desk three-quarters complete when a breeze swept it onto the floor.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “To help Brooklyn’s 300,000 men and women in the armed forces readjust themselves to civilian life, a timely, authoritative 40-page Brooklyn Veterans Handbook has just come off the presses under the sponsorship of the Brooklyn Eagle. The booklet will be distributed free to all veterans of World War II who are re-entering civilian life and to the families of men and women in service who wish to obtain the book for their sons or daughters in service. The handbook, containing the latest information on what the veteran must know in order to regain his place in civilian life, is a completely ‘localized’ production. It contains Brooklyn information for Brooklyn veterans. It contains specific information which will save Brooklyn veterans hundreds of steps and which will guide them to places they seek with information that is as factually correct as it is possible to make it.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “TEL AVIV (A.P.) — The Arabs officially reported today that they had completed the conquest of the old walled city of Jerusalem by forcing the surrender of 400 to 500 Jewish defenders who made a last desperate stand. … The Jews reported from Jerusalem today that Arab Legion shock troops were attacking furiously under cover of a heavy bombardment in a bid to break out of the old Walled City and overrun the modern heart of the air-racked capital. The Hagana radio in Jerusalem said a pitched battle was raging along a narrow sector between the Damascus Gate of the Old City and the Notre Dame hospice some 500 yards to the southwest. Directly in the path of the attacking Arabs, the Jewish-held Jerusalem was under terrific artillery shelling. The forces of King Abdullah apparently hoped to soften up the new quarter for easy conquest if they could break the Jewish lines before it. The Hagana army radio said the inhabitants of New Jerusalem had been warned to stay indoors and preferably in reinforced shelters during the shelling. The Arabs were reported raining 70-millimeter mortar shells over the narrow no man’s land where the cream of the contesting forces were grappling at close quarters.”

***

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Baby Doll” star Carroll Baker, who was born in 1931; Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West, who was born in 1938; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gladys Knight (The Pips), who was born in 1944; former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was born in 1944; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), who was born in 1945; “For Better or For Worse” cartoonist Lynn Johnston, who was born in 1947; 1988 National League MVP Kirk Gibson, who was born in 1957; former Knicks forward Glen Rice, who was born in 1967; “Love at First Sight” singer Kylie Minogue, who was born in 1968; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who was born in 1971; former “The View” co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck, who was born in 1977; “The Man in the High Castle” star Alexa Davalos, who was born in 1982; “Brighter Than the Sun” singer Colbie Caillat, who was born in 1985; and “The Great Gatsby” star Carey Mulligan, who was born in 1985.

***

A LASTING BOND: Ian Fleming was born on this day in 1908. The English journalist and novelist is best known as the creator of the James Bond series, beginning with “Casino Royale” in 1953. He also wrote the children’s classic “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” He died in 1964.

***

MAN OF HONOR: Audie Murphy died on this day in 1971. Born in Texas in 1925, Murphy became one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. After the war, he had a long career as an actor, even playing himself in “To Hell and Back” (1955). He died in a plane crash in Virginia a few weeks before his 46th birthday and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

***

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

Quotable:

“I’ll tell you what bravery really is. Bravery is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done.”
—Audie Murphy, who died on this day in 1971