Brooklyn Boro

July 23: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 23, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History
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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Tomorrow will be a gala day in the racing pool at Manhattan Beach baths, when the entire Olympic team selected by the A.A.U. will make their last appearance before sailing to Antwerp on Monday. There will be tryouts to select members of the 800-meter team race as well as the 400-meter team race between men and women. Miss Ethelda Bleibtrey will try to break the 220-yard world’s record.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “Tammany allies of the Copeland-Prial-Levy city slate moved today to invade the Brooklyn primaries in a fight for control against the Kelly organization lineup for the Whalen-New Deal ticket. They declared the fight would not only involve the three city-wide Democratic nominations for mayor, controller and president of the City Council, but that they expect also to contest the regular Democratic organization’s choice for the borough presidency. Immediate plans were projected to launch an uprising in every district where the regular leader is committed to support Whalen for mayor, Controller Frank J. Taylor for renomination, and Max J. Schneider for head of the City Council. Similar moves were undertaken in Queens and the Bronx. Senator Copeland, in a statement over the telephone from his summer home at Suffern, N.Y., today promised a fighting campaign for the mayoralty and said he would welcome the support of as many groups as possible. Copeland was designated for mayor by a split vote of the Tammany executive committee. His statement was regarded as an open invitation to the Republican leaders to endorse his candidacy and name him as their candidate in the Republican primaries against Mayor LaGuardia.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “The famous old exercise of pushing oneself away from the table has never been popular in Cuba, with the result that the tourist who wishes to avoid gaining extra poundage on his vacation finds himself sorely tempted in the gourmet’s paradise that is Havana. The Cubans are big eaters, and they expect their visitors to do equally well at the table. Havana’s numerous excellent restaurants provide such a variety and quantity of food that the will-power of the diet-conscious tourist just melts away as soon as the menu is placed in his hand. One way to avoid extra poundage and still enjoy a pleasant vacation is by recourse to Cuba’s fruits. The street corner fruit stands in Havana and other cities stock practically every variety known to North Americans and many local fruits that are delicious and different.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “Former Mayor and Ambassador William O’Dwyer won’t come home from Mexico to defend his tarnished reputation, but he cherishes a dream of a triumphal return to Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field in which he can stare down the boos of the crowd and ‘win them over,’ Collier’s Magazine reported today. ‘Clear my name?’ O’Dwyer was quoted as saying. ‘How can anyone ever clear his name before an investigating committee when every question is an accusation and every accusation is a screaming headline that convicts you all over again before millions of people? … I want to come back — but later, when I can get my story across to the people. Perhaps in debate on a political platform.’ O’Dwyer is living modestly in Mexico City on a small income despite the fact he held high-salaried jobs as mayor of New York City and U.S. ambassador to Mexico. He occupies a two-room, $160-a-month penthouse apartment in a hotel ‘frequented by economy-minded tourists.’ The living room measures only 10 feet by 10 feet and the bedroom is only slightly larger, writer Leslie Velie said. ‘Of actual money, O’Dwyer seems to have none,’ wrote Velie. ‘One reason why those who know O’Dwyer are convinced he never took money is because of his lack of interest in it. He cares so little for the stuff that he seldom has any on him.’”

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Michelle Williams
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP
Daniel Radcliffe
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was born in 1936; “Beverly Hills Cop” star Ronny Cox, who was born in 1938; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dino Danelli (The Young Rascals), who was born in 1944; “Rock On” singer David Essex, who was born in 1947; Manhattan Transfer singer Janis Siegel, who was born in Brooklyn in 1952; “Cheers” star Woody Harrelson, who was born in 1961; “ER” star Eriq La Salle, who was born in 1962; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Slash (Guns N’ Roses), who was born in 1965; model and actress Stephanie Seymour, who was born in 1968; “Angel” star Charisma Carpenter, who was born in 1970; “In Living Color” star Marlon Wayans, who was born in 1972; Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams, who was born in 1980; and “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe, who was born in 1989.

Marlon Wayans
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

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THIS BUD’S FOR YOU: Calvert DeForest was born in Brooklyn 100 years ago today. The Bay Ridge native is best known for his appearances as Larry “Bud” Melman on NBC’s “Late Night with David Letterman” beginning in 1982. He performed using his real name when the show moved to CBS in 1993. He died in 2007.

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HEART OF BROOKLYN: Jackie Robinson became the first African-American inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on this day in 1962. In his speech, he said, “I want to thank all of the people throughout the country who were just so wonderful during those trying days. I appreciate it at no end. It’s the greatest honor any person could have and I only hope that I’ll be able to live up to this tremendously fine honor.” Robinson died in 1972.

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

Quotable:

“Brooklyn was the most wonderful city a man could play in.”

— Baseball Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese, who was born on this day in 1918


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