September 29: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

September 29, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “MOSCOW (U.P.) — Communist Russia and Nazi Germany concluded agreements today to partition Poland permanently, to attempt to end the war now and to consult on ‘necessary measures’ if the attempt fails. The implicit threat was held plainly over Great Britain and France that if they refused to recognize the annihilation of the Polish state and stop the war, Russia would throw her 160,000,000 citizens into the war in alliance with Germany’s 80,000,000. Premier-Foreign Commissar Viacheslav Molotov and German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop reached the agreements in an all night conference which started after midnight, upon von Ribbentrop’s return to the Kremlin from a presentation of the ballet, ‘Swan Lake,’ at the Moscow Opera House. Shortly after the meeting started, Russia announced the conclusion of a treaty of ‘mutual assistance’ with Estonia, under which Russia gets the use of the Estonian islands, Dagoe and Desel, at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland, and the Estonian Port of Paldiski, in the mouth of the gulf, as naval and air bases.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Dodgerville tossed aside its dignity today and in an enthusiastic outburst of triumphant bands, flying banners and deep-throated cheers, saluted our great baseball heroes in Brooklyn’s largest parade since the Armistice. A voluble, proud army of more than 60,000 men, women and children, bright in every color of the rainbow, marched from Grand Army Plaza, with the National League champions near the front in automobiles, while cheering crowds packed the sidewalks, hurled confetti and screamed: ‘Murder those Yankees!’ As the crowds jammed the streets, earlier police estimates were quickly revised and police declared that easily more than 1,000,000 men, women and children greeted the champions. Police officials said the reception by far exceeded that given to Wrong-Way Corrigan, the ocean flier. As the crowds along Flatbush Ave. and Fulton St. caught sight of Durocher, Reiser, Reese, of Medwick, Wyatt, Higbe, of Camilli, Fitzimmons, Owen, they shouted their tribute, waved flags and tooted horns. Nobody in that mass of men, women and children cared a whit about any notables. What notable could match a Dodger?”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “The 51st World Series, expected to be the richest of all the struggles for the baseball championship, starts today at the Polo Grounds with a pair of veteran pitchers in the featured roles. Sal Maglie, 37-year-old curve ball specialist, has been nominated by manager Leo Durocher to get the New York Giants, new champions of the National League, off in front. Al Lopez, the old Dodger catcher who managed Cleveland’s Indians to a record 111 victories in the American League race, submits Bob Lemon, 34-year-old and also a righthander. Lemon’s consistent success is based upon a variety of pitching skills delivered with uncommon control. Maglie, long-time scourge of the Dodgers, goes in with a National League record of 14 and 6. The saturnine fellow, called ‘the Barber,’ pitched five innings against the Yankees in the 1951 World Series and lost a game. Both on performance this year and in World Series background Lemon has the superior credentials. The Cleveland ace won 23 and lost 7 in the American League and won two games against the Boston Braves in the 1948 World Series. A crowd of about 52,000 will watch the opener in the cozy Harlem horseshoe, where the second game of the series is scheduled for tomorrow. Since the Polo Grounds has the largest seating capacity in the National League and Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium is the largest baseball park in the world, a record ‘take’ for the players from the receipts of the first four games already is assured.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Oscar-winning director Robert Benton, who was born in 1932; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Lee Lewis, who was born in 1935; “Deadwood” star Ian McShane, who was born in 1942; Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa, who was born in 1943; TV theme composer Mike Post, who was born in 1944; Grand Funk Railroad co-founder Mark Farner, who was born in 1948; journalist and sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, who was born in 1948; Primus co-founder Les Claypool, who was born in 1963; “Baywatch” star Erika Eleniak, who was born in 1969; actor and comedian Russell Peters, who was born in 1970; “Chuck” star Zachary Levi, who was born in 1980; Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, who was born in 1985; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, who was born in 1988; and “Without Me” singer Halsey, who was born in 1994.

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HEROIC MEASURES: The Veterans of Foreign Wars was established on this day in 1899. The organization is loyal to the issues and actions affecting America’s heroes. Part of its mission, according to its charter, is “to preserve and strengthen comradeship among its members; to foster true patriotism; and to preserve and defend the United States from all her enemies, whomsoever.”

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CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Willie Mays made “The Catch” on this day in 1954. In Game 1 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians at the Polo Grounds, the New York Giants’ center fielder snagged a long drive off the bat of Vic Wertz near the outfield wall with his back to the infield. He then spun around and made a perfect throw to prevent runners from advancing. It is regarded as one of the greatest plays in baseball history.

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

Quotable:

“He who puts out his hand to stop the wheel of history will have his fingers crushed.”

— Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa, who was born on this day in 1943