June 8: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 8, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (A.P.) — A smile and a friendly handshake from President Roosevelt and the booming salute of military honors welcomed King George of Great Britain today to the capital of a republic grown great from 13 one-time English colonies. Their faces crinkled into cordial smiles as their hands met as if to symbolize ties of friendship between two English-speaking peoples who parted ways in 1776. Secretary [Cordell] Hull, who accompanied King George and his queen from Canada, introduced them. ‘Mr. President, I have the honor to present Their Britannic Majesties,’ Hull said. ‘How are you? I’m glad to see you,’ Roosevelt said. The king and queen then greeted Mr. Roosevelt and Brig. Gen. E.M. Watson, the president’s military aide. The royal couple and the first family of the United States chatted briefly for a moment and then formalities got under way. The British monarch’s suite was introduced to the president and Mrs. Roosevelt. After the chief executive had met the members of the royal suite, high-ranking officials of the American government were introduced to the king and queen. Overhead huge Army bombers droned and swift pursuit planes flew in aerial salute to the British monarch. Thousands shouted and waved flags as the procession formed and headed toward the White House through unbroken ranks of soldiers, sailors and marines standing stiffly in salute.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Sources close to District Attorney [William] O’Dwyer, Democratic designee for mayor, indicated today he is prepared to take decisive action unless the Democratic leaders bow to his demand for a new team of running mates on the city ticket. They hinted that unless the group of city leaders, headed by Frank V. Kelly of Brooklyn and Edward J. Flynn of the Bronx, yield to a virtual ultimatum dumped on their doorsteps by Mr. O’Dwyer, he is ready to take either or both of the following courses: 1. — Quit the race for mayor by refusing to run on the leaders’ ticket, which includes Lawrence Gerosa, Bronx trucking contractor, for controller, and Tammany Assemblyman Irwin D. Davidson of Manhattan for president of the City Council; 2. — Fight it out with the Kelly-Flynn group by switching to an opposition ticket ready to be placed in the field by James A. Roe, Democratic leader of Queens and bitter political foe of the Kelly-Flynn group. This was the situation today as almost complete political consternation reigned in the Democratic camp in the worst mayoralty campaign muddle which has confronted the Democrats in many political moons.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “LAKE SUCCESS (U.P.) — The United States will oppose Russia’s sudden demand for an on-the-spot role in the U.N. negotiations in Palestine, it was learned today. The American delegation to the United Nations will attempt to restrict to the United States, France and Belgium the membership of a team of military observers being formed in the Holy Land by Count Folke Bernadotte, U.N. mediator. Soviet officials served notice, however, they would press to their utmost for the inclusion of Soviet military observers and Soviet Delegate Andrei Gromyko said flatly that Moscow ‘will not acquiesce’ to an arrangement which bars Russia. The Security Council, shelving the Palestine issue until it hears officially of Bernadotte’s take-it-or-leave-it truce offer to Arabs and Jews, will debate Gromyko’s request on Thursday. Thus the council headed for a fight which some western powers have predicted since the Palestine tangle hit the U.N. — a fight over a move by Russia to inject some military men into strategic Palestine.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND (U.P.) — Three-year-old Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall and son of Queen Elizabeth II, asserted his will yesterday when he greeted his grandmother at nearby Dyce Airfield. ‘You wait here,’ he told Queen Mother Elizabeth after she arrived by plane on her way to the royal country estate at Balmoral. Then the little prince trotted off toward the plane which he boarded to welcome her. He was afraid he had left some candy inside. His nursemaid told him she had picked up the candy and was keeping it for him.”

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Julianna Margulies
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Time Tunnel” star James Darren, who was born in 1936; “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” singer Nancy Sinatra, who was born in 1940; “Lowdown” singer Boz Scaggs, who was born in 1944; “Picket Fences” star Kathy Baker, who was born in 1950; “Moon over Parador” star Sonia Braga, who was born in 1950; “Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer Bonnie Tyler, who was born in 1951; “Dilbert” creator Scott Adams, who was born in 1957; “In Living Color” creator Keenen Ivory Wayans, who was born in 1958; “ER” star Julianna Margulies, who was born in 1966; gun control advocate Gabby Giffords, who was born in 1970; composer and music producer Kanye West, who was born in 1977; TV personality Maria Menounos, who was born in 1978; and “Chicago Med” star Torrey DeVitto, who was born in Brooklyn in 1984.

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AMERICA’S TOP 10: The Bill of Rights, which led to the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, was first proposed by founding father James Madison on this day in 1789. It was ratified on Dec. 15, 1791. An original copy is on permanent display at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

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LEAVE ’EM LAUGHING: Jerry Stiller was born on this day in 1927. The Brooklyn native married actress-comedienne Anne Meara in 1954. As a comedy duo in the 1960s, Stiller and Meara became a phenomenon. In the 1990s, Stiller reached a new generation of fans when he was cast as Frank Costanza on “Seinfeld.” He then played Arthur Spooner on “The King of Queens.” Stiller and Meara were married for more than 60 years and had two children, Ben and Amy, who also went into show business. Anne Meara died on May 23, 2015 and Jerry Stiller died on May 11, 2020.

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

Quotable:

“Never go for the punch line. There might be something funnier on the way.”
— comedian Jerry Stiller, who was born on this day in 1927