May 11: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 11, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “LOUISVILLE, KY., May 10 — Sir Barton, Commander J.K.L. Ross’ Starshoot-Lady Sterling colt, won the forty-fifth renewal of the Kentucky Derby over a muddy track at Churchill Downs in handy fashion today, gained for his owner $20,825 and enriched the public to the extent of $7.20 for a $2 pari-mutuel ticket. Sir Barton carried 110 pounds, twelve less than the top weight, and was ridden by jockey J. Loftus, who handled his mount in excellent fashion.” Sir Barton also won the Preakness Stakes on May 14 and the Belmont Stakes on June 11 to become the first winner of the American Triple Crown.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — Early resignation of one or more Supreme Court justices and abandonment of President Roosevelt’s bill to expand the high bench were advanced today as a possible way out of the judicial dilemma. Known definitely was that some legislators are counseling delay in the hope of resignations. Fairly well established was the fact that two or three associate justices had discussed retirement before Mr. Roosevelt bombshelled his court proposal last Feb. 5. Rumor today — without confirmation — was the imminent resignation of Associate Justice Louis D. Brandeis. One report said Brandeis would resign before the court recesses in the last week of this month or the first week of June.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Growing indications that Brooklyn Prosecutor William O’Dwyer will be the Democratic candidate for mayor appeared today with the announcement that three county chairmen are attempting to call together all city Democratic party heads for a conference next Wednesday. The meeting, planned to be held at the National Democratic Club, Manhattan, was urged by Representative James A. Roe of Queens, Jeremiah A. Sullivan of Richmond and Edward V. Loughlin of Manhattan. Mr. Roe and Mr. Sullivan are avowed supporters of the O’Dwyer candidacy, while Mr. Loughlin, though not committed, said yesterday that he had found strong backing for the Brooklyn district attorney among the party’s rank and file.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “JERUSALEM (U.P.) — Arab military leaders in Palestine, rocked by two major defeats within the past 24 hours, have sought to save the big port city of Jaffa from Jewish capture by declaring it an open city, it was reported today. A dispatch from Tel Aviv said the Arab emergency committee sought British intervention with Jewish Hagana commanders to declare Jaffa an open city. It was understood the Jews refused. Under the Arab plan, Jaffa would be removed as an objective from any final struggle for Palestine after the British lay down their mandate at midnight Friday. Jaffa, a city of 101,580 before the partition plan was announced, has been ringed by Jewish forces from neighboring Tel Aviv. It has been reported completely evacuated by Arab civilians. Jaffa was saved from Jewish capture by British troops who halted a combined Hagana-Irgun Zvai Leumi offensive.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “BERLIN (U.P.) — The Berlin blockade, Russia’s supreme and futile maneuver in the cold war, crumbled away today as a land rush of Western traffic raced toward the city and the Soviets razed their barriers here. U.S. authorities sent their first train speeding for Berlin, and 16 others were waiting with steam up for the formal windup of the blockade at one minute after midnight (6:01 p.m. Brooklyn time). Hundreds of vehicles — automobiles, trucks, bicycles, horse-carts, wheelbarrows — massed along the highways and surged toward the zonal border. Berlin itself prepared for a historic celebration to mark its liberation from the 11 months of Soviet traffic shackles. The Russians blasted 60 traffic barriers along the Soviet sector border inside Berlin — iron and concrete monuments to the all-out effort short of war to oust the Western Powers from the former capital.”

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Sabrina Carpenter
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Nobel Prize-winning astronomer Antony Hewish, who was born in 1924; comedian Mort Sahl, who was born in 1927; fashion designer Valentino Garavani, who was born in 1932; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Eric Burdon (The Animals), who was born in 1941;

artificial heart developer Robert Jarvik, who was born in 1946; baseball player Francisco Cordero, who was born in 1975; model and actress Laetitia Casta, who was born in 1978; Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, who was born in 1983; Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who was born in 1989; singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter, who was born in 1999; and actress and voice artist Kaitlyn Dias, who was born in 1999.

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GOING SOUTH: President James K. Polk addressed Congress about deteriorating U.S.-Mexico relations on this day in 1846. The U.S. officially declared war on Mexico two days later.

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SILLY SEASON: Monty Python was formed on this day in 1969. The British comedy troupe included Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Their legendary TV series, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” premiered Oct. 5, 1969.

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THANKS FOR THE MEMORY: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “Cats,” based on poetry by T.S. Eliot, premiered in London’s West End on this day in 1981. It ran for 21 years and 8,949 performances.

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

Quotable:

“Whoever wants to engage people’s interest must provoke them.”
— artist Salvador Dali, who was born on this day in 1904