May 4: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 4, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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A long time ago …

ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “’Zander the Great,’ with Marion Davies, Holbrook Blinn and Harrison Ford is the new photoplay at the Capitol Theater this week.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1930, the Eagle reported, “Another industry has been added to Brooklyn’s already large number by the interest of small boys in aviation. The latest is a manufacturing concern which builds small model airplanes to meet the growing demand of youths too young to fly for something to experiment and play with. The concern, the Superior Model Aircraft Company, manufacturer of small scale flying model airplanes, is located at 2252 59th St., where Sal Messina, originator and former editor and publisher of Model Airplane News, creates the models. Mr. Messina, who has perfect scale reproductions of many of the famous airplanes in the field, was formerly employed by the Macfadden Publications as designing engineer. He has produced many models, including a scale production of Miss True Story, a Loening amphibian. On display at the Superior plant are models of the supermarine Napier, Schneider Cup winner, and a variety of Army planes, such as the Curtiss Hawk and Falcon, Vought Corsair and others. The plant has a fully equipped workshop for mass production on model kites, supplies and material, and boys who have a keen interest in the construction of models can at any time be advised by Mr. Messina in the fundamentals of model airplanes and engineering.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (UPI) — Rep. James G. Fulton, R.-Pa., said Friday that the United States should put a series of nuclear-loaded satellites in orbit around the Earth to act as a deterrent to war. Fulton, the ranking Republican member of the House Space Committee, said the satellites would serve the same purpose as present land-based missiles — to act as a deterrent and to be fired if this nation were attacked. ‘I know it sounds wild,’ he said in an interview. ‘But so did Air Force men sitting in [missile] silos sound wild 10 years ago.’ Fulton said testimony of Defense Department officials at closed hearings had convinced him that the Pentagon was shying away from a military role in space. Fulton accused civilian Defense Department officials of ignoring the realities of the space age and overruling the wishes of the military chiefs. ‘The Defense Department is not space-minded,’ Fulton said. ‘It comes to the edge of space and then its projects die on the vine.’ For example, he said, the Pentagon was phasing out the X15 rocket-plane program and the Dyna-Soar space glider project. Fulton said the United States should move quickly to develop offensive and defensive weapons in space. He said there were indications that the Russians already were doing so.”

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ON MAY 5, 1901, the Eagle reported, “A paper was recently read before the British Institute of Mining Engineers by A. Larsen on some experiments he had conducted with liquid air as one of the ingredients of an explosive. The experiments were made by blasting at the Simplon Tunnel. Some carbonaceous material was chosen, such as charcoal or sawdust, and placed in a wrapper. This was immersed in liquid air until the whole was completely soaked. Inasmuch as it was necessary to keep them constantly wet, they were left in the liquid air at the head of the drift where the blasting was being carried on. In fifteen minutes after the wrapper has been removed from the liquid air it is useless and will fail to explode. The cartridges used were eight inches long and three inches in diameter, and were exploded by a guncotton primer and a detonator. At present the scene of the experiments has been transferred to Germany, where the cartridges are being manufactured by the carbonite factory at Schlebusch.”

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A FORCE OF NATURE: Today is Star Wars Day, a day celebrated worldwide by fans of the sci-fi universe created by George Lucas. Fans greet each other by saying “May the 4th be with you,” have lightsaber fights and indulge in other activities connected with the blockbuster film series. Some celebrate May 5 as “Revenge of the Fifth” and May 6 as “Revenge of the Sixth.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include World Golf Hall of Famer Betsy Rawls, who was born in 1928; Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson, who was born in 1930; “Outbreak” author Robin Cook, who was born in Brooklyn in 1940; Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator George Will, who was born in 1941; Jackson 5 member Jackie Jackson, who was born in 1951;

Country Music Hall of Famer Randy Travis, who was born in 1959; “Saturday Night Live” star Ana Gasteyer, who was born in 1967; “Arrested Development” star Will Arnett, who was born in 1970; “Dancing with the Stars” host Erin Andrews, who was born in 1978; NSYNC member Lance Bass, who was born in 1979; Panic! at the Disco member Dallon Weekes, who was born in 1981; and four-time major golf champion Rory McIlroy, who was born in 1989.