September 18: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

September 18, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1898, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Amid rousing cheers and the wild enthusiasm of a great multitude of men and women, who filled the main corridor of the Fifth Avenue Hotel last evening, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt was informally put in nomination for the position of governor of the State of New York, by a Rough Rider, who, with a number of his comrades, made the welkin ring, while the Colonel was vainly trying to work his way through the living trocha formed by admirers eager to grasp him by the hand. Previous to this demonstration, Senator Thomas C. Platt, at the conference which lasted fully two hours, had confirmed the Eagle’s story of his endorsement of the Colonel as his choice for the head of the Republican state ticket. This conference had been prearranged, as Chairman Ben Odell of the Republican State Committee said, ‘at the request of Colonel Roosevelt, who had expressed a desire to meet the Senator and the leaders of the Republican party.’ It had also been the desire and earnest wish of Colonel Roosevelt to have Governor Frank S. Black at the conference, in order that a contest might be avoided at the convention, but Governor Black declined to participate, preferring to adhere to his original resolution to fight it out to the bitter end and to stand or fall by the votes in the convention.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “DETROIT (U.P.) — Government action was expected today in the automobile industry wage dispute before spreading strikes balk the nation’s reconversion program. The federal decision to act came only a few hours before the deadline set by the United Automobile Workers (C.I.O.) for General Motors Corporation to accept a union ultimatum. U.A.W. officials had notified General Motors to reply today to their demand for a 30 percent pay boost or face a strike vote in 135 plants employing 350,000 workers. There was no indication that the country’s biggest motor maker intended to meet the deadline. Secretary of Labor Lewis B. Schwellenbach announced in Washington last night that the Labor Department would move ‘right square in the middle’ of the strike-jittery automobile industry. Schwellenbach said he would act as soon as President Truman announces a reorganization of the Labor Department today. Labor and industry in Detroit, Schwellenbach said, need somebody to ‘bring them together if it isn’t too late.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, Eagle columnist Ray Tucker wrote, “‘Are the British growing restless over the cost of maintaining the monarchy, and over the goings-on of certain members of the royal family?’ Answer: It is difficult to answer this question from Mrs. H.F. of Richmond, Va. However, one evidence of substance behind this suspicion is Queen Elizabeth’s prim and mid-Victorian behavior. Her straight-and-narrow path and procedure irk both her husband and her younger sister, Princess Margaret. Margaret is an extremely independent young lady of 24, and not inclined to take orders, even from the Queen. She has so far refused to be rushed into an ‘appropriate alliance’ with any member of the few remaining royal houses. The attempt to find a wealthy husband for Alexandra, daughter of the Duchess of Kent and niece of Queen Elizabeth, has created public complaint in England and Canada. Her father was killed in an airplane accident and his widow is a sort of poor relation, supported by the Crown. The Queen plans to renovate a gloomy old building not far from Buckingham and St. James Palaces, to further Alexandra’s debut and marriage bid. In advancing the cause, Alexandra toured Canada recently at a cost of about $45,000. With taxes so heavy, it is natural that Britons gripe. The real and only national hero in the United Kingdom is Winston Churchill. It will be a bad day for Britain and royalty when age forces him to retire.”

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Jada Pinkett Smith
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Hockey Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman, who was born in 1933; “Venus” singer Frankie Avalon, who was born in 1940; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, who was born in 1951; Black Flag co-founder Keith Morris, who was born in 1955; Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who was born in 1959; Jayhawks co-founder Mark Olson, who was born in 1961; “21 Jump Street” star Holly Robinson Peete, who was born in 1964; Basketball Hall of Famer Toni Kukoc, who was born in 1968; “Whose Line Is It Anyway” host Aisha Tyler, who was born in 1970; “Angel Has Fallen” star Jada Pinkett Smith, who was born in 1971; “X-Men” star James Marsden, who was born in 1973; rapper and actor Xzibit, who was born in 1974; former “Saturday Night Live” star Jason Sudeikis, who was born in 1975; and soccer star Ronaldo, who was born in 1976.

Frankie Avalon
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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OFF WE GO: The U.S. Air Force was established on this day in 1947. Although its heritage dates back to 1907 when the Army first established military aviation, it became a separate military service on this date. Responsible for providing an air force that is capable, in conjunction with other armed forces, of preserving the peace and security of the U.S., the department is separately organized under the secretary of the air force and operates under the authority, direction and control of the secretary of defense.

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UNFORGETTABLE FIRE: Jimi Hendrix died on this day in 1970. The pyrotechnic rock guitarist died in his sleep of a drug overdose in London at age 27, stunning the music world. His most well-known songs include “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” “Fire” and “All Along the Watchtower.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

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

Quotable:

“When I die, just keep playing the records.”

— music legend Jimi Hendrix, who died on this day in 1970