March 29: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 29, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “UNO HEADQUARTERS (U.P.) — An Anglo-American plan providing for a short ‘cooling off’ period in the international crisis with Russia over Iran was ready for presentation to the United Nations Security Council today. The council — still boycotted by the Russians — meets in public session again at 3 p.m. It will hear Iran’s answers to some questions by the Polish delegate and then probably be asked to seek by direct communication with the Soviet and Iranian governments clarification of their conflicting statements on basic issues. The Anglo-American plan, if adopted, would call for an adjournment until Monday or Tuesday to allow time for the Soviet and Iranian replies. But the prospects were that a direct appeal to Moscow by the council for information on Iran would draw another Soviet rebuff. If the Russians declined to answer, the United States and Britain would be prepared to proceed full speed ahead at midweek with a hearing on Iran’s charges against Russia in her absence.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — The House Un-American Activities Committee charged formally today that the American Communist party, acting on direct orders from Moscow, seeks to overthrow this government as part of an international Soviet conspiracy. In a minutely documented 26,000-word report to Congress, the committee said the American Communist movement is only one of 67 similar groups throughout the world which carry out the orders of the Communist Executive Committee in Moscow. ‘We must recognize,’ it said, ‘that in dealing with Communism we are dealing with a world-wide revolutionary movement which is being directed by a foreign government.’ Chairman J. Parnell Thomas (R., N.J.) said the report was issued to ‘drive home’ to Congress and the people a realization that ‘the Communist party in this country is a fifth-column pawn of Moscow.’ The committee had conducted hearings all week on legislation to curb Communist activities or to outlaw the American Communist party outright.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “The campaign to bring back the cop on the beat in Brooklyn gained further momentum today as the Kings County Criminal Bar Association joined borough civic organizations and individuals in calling for action by city officials on the matter of police protection. Copies of a resolution, unanimously approved last night at a meeting of the association at Michel’s Restaurant, 346 Flatbush Ave., were forwarded to Mayor [William] O’Dwyer and Police Commissioner William P. O’Brien. … Recommending an increase of the force to 25,000 men, ‘with a proper allotment of foot patrol police for Brooklyn,’ the resolution praised O’Brien for ‘doing an excellent job with the present force.’ An increased police personnel and additional foot patrolmen ‘would give immediate relief and would make Brooklyn a better and safer place in which to live,’ the resolution concluded.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1951, the Eagle reported, “A jury in Federal Court, Manhattan, today found three American citizens guilty of conspiring to steal U.S. atom secrets for Russia during World War II. The verdict, carrying possible death sentences, was returned in a hushed courtroom at 11 a.m., by a jury that had deliberated 7 hours and 15 minutes. Facing Judge Irving R. Kaufman, the jury foreman, Vincent J. Lebonitte, spoke three sentences: ‘We the jury find Julius Rosenberg guilty as charged.’ ‘We the jury find Ethel Rosenberg guilty as charged.’ ‘We the jury find Morton Sobell guilty as charged.’ Rosenberg, 32, rocked slightly in his first-row spectator chair as the impact of the verdict reached him. His wife, Ethel, 35, in a navy blue skirt, pink blouse and red waistcoat, remained expressionless and motionless. Sobell, 35, stared at the jurors, not a muscle in his face moving. After a long moment the spell was broken and the court went on with its routine. One by one the 12 jurors — 11 men and a woman — were asked their verdict. One by one the jurors pronounced the verdict ‘guilty as charged’ as to each of the three defendants.”

***

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Ordinary People” author Judith Guest, who was born in 1936; Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Joseph Hooton Taylor Jr., who was born in 1941; Oscar-winning composer Vangelis, who was born in 1943; “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” star Eric Idle, who was born in 1943; N.Y. Knicks legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier, who was born in 1945; Pro Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, who was born in 1955; “Star Trek: The Next Generation” star Marina Sirtis, who was born in 1955; Jane’s Addiction founder Perry Farrell, who was born in 1959; actress and comedian Amy Sedaris, who was born in 1961; Oakland A’s executive Billy Beane, who was born in 1962; model and actress Elle Macpherson, who was born in 1964; “Xena” star Lucy Lawless, who was born in 1968; journalist Lara Logan, who was born in 1971; and International Tennis Hall of Famer Jennifer Capriati, who was born in 1976.

***

A YOUNG MAN’S GAME: Cy Young was born on this day in 1867. The Ohio native is baseball’s all-time winningest pitcher, with 511 victories in a 22-year career. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 and died in 1955. The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitcher in each league.

***

SAM I AM: Sam Walton was born on this day in 1918. The pioneering, charismatic business executive caused a seismic shift in the retail landscape with his discount mega-store chain Walmart, which he founded in 1962. He died a multibillionaire in 1992.

***

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

Quotable:

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will make me go in a corner and cry by myself for hours.”

— actor and comedian Eric Idle, who was born on this day in 1943