History

July 20: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 20, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, Brooklyn Daily Eagle columnist Frederick Boyd Stevenson wrote, “To create a world city; that is, to build an international city, Cosmopolis, to be the capital of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, is the ambitious project of Hendrik Christian Andersen, well known sculptor, who was born in Norway, brought to this country in infancy, formerly living in Newport, R.I., and now residing in Rome, Italy … The main purport of his plan is, that as nations depend more and more upon harmonious and peaceful economic relations facilitated by science and culture, at no remote period of time, the difficulties of co-operation must be solved by the establishment of an international center of communication. He says: ‘With this consideration in view, these plans and suggestions for the creation of a world center of communication are presented after years of concentrated study and application. We are convinced that practical development depends upon comparison: so strengthened by an ever-growing faith that man will attain greater heights through unity of purpose and fellowship, this center is conceived upon imposing monumental lines, destined to house and centralize human accomplishments, spiritual and intellectual, scientific and economic. We are certain that if this center could be established on a broad basis, it would afford undeniable and unlimited advantages to nations and to peoples in all parts of the world.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1916, the Eagle reported, “GREENPORT, L.I. — Working in the waters of Long Island Sound, a laborer, employed by Harry V. Fiske, a Greenport plumber, engaged in laying mains for a sewage disposal system, was chased yesterday afternoon by a ten-foot shark and just managed to get to the float upon which other men were working. A close watch had been kept along the shore for the big fish since the catches of the nine-footer, in the traps of R.E. Vrooman, and the ten-footer, by the Brooks brothers at Orient, and precautions were made to the extent of a rope being tied around the body of the laborer. As the man was several yards distant from the float, a splashing of the water attracted his attention, and the sight of a fin gave warning. The laborer, with the shark in hot pursuit, made for the float and was helped aboard by fellow workmen. As the splashing shark neared the float, the workmen stunned it with a heavy pole and Harry Fiske ended Mr. Shark’s existence with an ax. Late yesterday, Greenport boasted of a small-sized aquarium and many curious persons paid 10 cents — children half price — to gaze upon the loser of the battle. The shark weighed 350 pounds.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Emile Pfizer, chairman of the board of the chemical manufacturing firm of Charles Pfizer & Co., Inc., of 11 Bartlett St., and a member of an old and socially prominent Brooklyn family, died yesterday in Roosevelt Hospital, Manhattan. He was 75. A native of Brooklyn, Mr. Pfizer was the son of the late Charles Pfizer, one of the two founders of the chemical concern, which has been in business 91 years. The son who died yesterday followed the footsteps of his father and had been associated with the firm for 55 years. He was president for many years and became chairman of the board last January … Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Washington Ave. Interment will be in Green-Wood Cemetery.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “The throat-clutching miasma of sickening hot fumes enveloping the metropolitan area (it’s officially known as summertime) will keep us grasping at our gullets for at least two more days, says the Weather Man. For a short while yesterday, when a sprinkling of showers sent the mercury skidding down to the 70s, it seemed that relief was in sight. But the respite was a brief one, and only ushered in an 80-plus humidity that seems destined to remain with us for a spell. All that the Weather Man can offer us today and tomorrow is hot, humid weather — with a high in the 80s today and near 90 tomorrow. Tomorrow night … maybe … some cool air might dispel Turkish bath conditions here.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy, who was born in 1933; Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Oliva, who was born in 1938; “Bette Davis Eyes” singer Kim Carnes, who was born in 1945; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carlos Santana, who was born in 1947; Twisted Sister co-founder Jay Jay French, who was born in 1952; “Career Opportunities” star Frank Whaley, who was born in 1963; “The Crocodile Hunter” star Terri Irwin, who was born in 1964; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam), who was born in 1966; “Lost” star Josh Holloway, who was born in 1969; “Grey’s Anatomy” star Sandra Oh, who was born in 1971; “ER” star Omar Epps, who was born in Brooklyn in 1973; “Archer” star Judy Greer, who was born in 1975; supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who was born in 1980; “Dancing with the Stars” judge Julianne Hough, who was born in 1988; and 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg, who was born in 1988.

Josh Holloway
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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GOLD STANDARD: The first International Special Olympics Competition was held in Chicago on this day in 1968. Special Olympics is an international year-round program of sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. More than 3.5 million athletes in more than 170 countries train and compete in 32 Olympic-style summer and winter sports. The program was founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

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LANDMARK LANDING: Man first landed on the moon on this day in 1969. U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed lunar module Eagle at 4:17 p.m. EDT and stayed on the lunar surface for 21 hours and 36 minutes. The landing was made from the Apollo 11’s orbiting command-and-service module, whose pilot, Michael Collins, remained aboard. Armstrong, who was the first to set foot on the moon, died in 2012. Collins died on April 28, 2021.

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

Quotable:

“You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.”

— author Cormac McCarthy, who was born on this day in 1933