July 7: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 7, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1852, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “The excitement of the anniversary is cooling down, and having gone up like a rocket, is coming down like the stick. The people have been considerably relieved from the pressure of patriot feeling, which evaporated during the early part of the week like uncorked champagne or soda water. Nothing could exceed the spirit of enjoyment that seemed to reign over the entire population on the occasion. The only drawback to the pleasure afforded by the day and its associations was the melancholy affair at Staten Island, with some few other casualties attended with loss of life in other parts — principally occasioned by the careless use of firearms. The burning of buildings from the sparks of fireworks in this and the adjoining cities was also a serious item in the celebration. It is well in one sense that the Fourth of July, like Christmas, comes ‘but once a year;’ for if it came oftener, we’d be all blown up, and the city would soon present a general conflagration from one end to the other.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1921, the Eagle reported, “A man-eating shark, 8 feet long and weighing more than 300 pounds, was brought into Sheepshead Bay by the fishing boat New York last night. Capt. William Caulo, who, with the help of his passengers, pulled the shark aboard, said that it was sighted about three miles from the Ambrose Lightship. Fishermen had been complaining all day that their bait was being stolen, and when the shark was seen poking his nose out of the water, a chain hook was dropped with bait similar to that being used on the fish lines. The shark fell for it and soon found himself on the deck of the New York. By the appearance of his fins, it looked as though the shark had been in a battle with a swordfish. Capt. Caulo procured an ax and gave all on board a whack at the sea monster’s head. The dead shark was on exhibition at Dunn’s dock, Sheepshead Bay, last night.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “BERLIN (U.P.) — German armies advancing on the entire southern front were officially reported today to have captured the old Rumanian city of Cernauti and to have broken through the modern defense forts of the Stalin line protecting the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. The breakthrough by German troops was claimed by the official news agency, which said the attack was launched as the Red army fell back from the Volhynia area of southern Poland, apparently in the Novograd Volynsk sector. Extent of the reported breakthrough was not indicated by the official agency, and in view of the fact that the Stalin line is supposedly built in great depth, the agency’s dispatch indicated that the Germans had merely broken through a strong line of pill boxes and other fortifications. The breakthrough was not mentioned by the high command communique. Novograd Volynsk, where the Russian communique had reported heavy fighting, lies just inside the pre-war Soviet border and Kiev is 120 miles to the East.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1951, the Eagle reported, “DETROIT (U.P.) — Sgt. Einar H. Ingman, 21-year-old Congressional Medal of Honor winner, got off the plane and looked around. There wasn’t any red carpet as he had been led to expect. In fact, there wasn’t a single city official on hand to meet him. Apparently someone had got the signals crossed because Ingman, given the medal by President Truman for heroism in Korea, had come here expressly for a city celebration while on his way back to Percy Jones Hospital at Battle Creek. He sat at Willow Run Airport for three hours before anyone learned of his presence. Boniface R. Maile, national commander of the Disabled American Veterans, and Michael J. Macalla, assistant director of Detroit’s Veterans’ Memorial Building, finally found him. They took him to the city behind a police escort. They wined and dined him in high style. Then they took him to Briggs Stadium, where he saw the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers in a night baseball game.”

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Michelle Kwan
Luiz C. Ribiero/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include former “Tonight Show” bandleader Doc Severinsen, who was born in 1927; historian and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient David McCullough, who was born in 1933; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ringo Starr (The Beatles), who was born in 1940; “The Shining” star Shelley Duvall, who was born in 1949; “Once and Again” star Billy Campbell, who was born in 1959; “Ally McBeal” star Vonda Shepard, who was born in 1963; “Mad TV” star Mo Collins, who was born in 1965; actor and comedian Jim Gaffigan, who was born in 1966; “CSI” star Jorja Fox, who was born in 1968; “A Different World” star Cree Summer, who was born in 1969; Olympic gold medalist and Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, who was born in 1972; and U.S. and World Figure Skating Hall of Famer Michelle Kwan, who was born in 1980.

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FRONT PAIGE NEWS: Leroy “Satchel” Paige was born on this day in 1906. The Alabama native was one of the greatest stars of the Negro Leagues. In 1948, at age 42, he became the first black pitcher in the American League and helped the Cleveland Indians win the World Series. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 and died in 1982.

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WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Sandra Day O’Connor was announced as a nominee to the Supreme Court on this day in 1981. President Ronald Reagan, who pledged to appoint the first woman to the court during his campaign, formally nominated her on Aug. 19. She was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 99-0 on Sept. 21 and served on the court until her retirement in 2006.

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

Quotable:

“Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move.”

— Baseball Hall of Famer Satchel Paige, who was born on this day in 1906.