November 13: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 13, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1904, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Recent eruptions of some of the great volcanoes have inspired renewed discussion of this subject by scientists in all parts of the world. The fear of repetitions of the disastrous outbreaks of the past and the efforts to forecast future outbreaks have made the subject one of intense interest. In the researches that have been made, and are still being made, mere academic investigation on the part of geological experts is a minor consideration, in view of the vital points to be achieved — the preservation of life and property … The danger from volcanic eruption is as great today as it ever was. The fact that a volcano has remained dormant for years does not prove that it is extinct. Vesuvius had been quiet for centuries before it began its furious eruptions.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1918, the Eagle reported, “Representative Frederick C. Hicks of Long Island has introduced a bill to make November 11 a national holiday, to be known as Victory Day. Up to the present time Congress has never created a national holiday by legislation. It is Mr. Hicks’ idea that November 11, which marks the surrender of Germany, should always be celebrated in commemoration of the achievements of the American Army. His bill is as follows: ‘That in recognition of the glorious victory won for human liberty by the American forces in the conflict against Germany and her Allies and to perpetuate for all time the bravery, courage and valor of those forces, by which a complete and absolute victory was obtained, November 11 is hereby declared to be in each succeeding year a national holiday throughout the United States, its possessions and the territories thereof. That this national holiday shall be designated Victory Day.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — Scotland Yard ordered extra police to Buckingham Palace today to handle the crowds anticipated when the birth of Princess Elizabeth’s baby is announced. The royal birth is expected this weekend. Buckingham Palace was keeping its own counsel about the imminence of the great event, the approach of which had keyed millions of Britons to a high pitch of anticipation. Sir William Gilliatt, the royal obstetrician, already was holding himself in readiness. The palace purposely refrained from mentioning any specific date for the birth in order to prevent the congregation of crowds. But persons in position to make the best guess have spoken all along of this weekend as the time, and especially in the last few days as the preparations reached the final stage. However, some of the more cautious observed that this was the first-born of the 22-year-old heiress presumptive to the throne, and first children sometime arrive later than expected. Elizabeth confounded those who regarded the birth as a matter of hours when she and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, paid a surprise visit to Lord and Lady Brabourne. Lady Brabourne is the former Patricia Mountbatten, daughter of Earl Mountbatten and a cousin of Elizabeth’s husband.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “Reversing a trend which nobody will miss, the Transit Authority has announced that fares will be reduced for at least some of its passengers. High school students will travel for 10 cents a round trip shortly. Since July 25, when token travel was introduced to the city, high schoolers have been paying 15 cents for a two-way subway trip. Their fellow students who travel on buses, however, have been paying only 10 cents. It was to wipe out this disparity that the authority voted the reduction yesterday. Bookkeepers for the T.A. estimate that the cut will cost the agency $500,000 a year after it becomes effective at the start of the next school term.”

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Whoopi Goldberg
Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Peter Arnett, who was born in 1934; Hobby Lobby founder David Green, who was born in 1941; “Criminal Minds” star Joe Mantegna, who was born in 1947; “Six Feet Under” star Frances Conroy, who was born in 1953; “Law & Order” star Chris Noth, who was born in 1954; Oscar-winner Whoopi Goldberg, who was born in 1955; singer-songwriter Aldo Nova, who was born in 1956; “Scrubs” star Neil Flynn, who was born in 1960; former N.Y. Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who was born in 1963; TV host Jimmy Kimmel, who was born in 1967; “300” star Gerard Butler, who was born in 1969; The Strokes bassist Nikolai Fraiture, who was born in 1978; “High School Musical” star Monique Coleman, who was born in 1980; and singer-songwriter Julia Michaels, who was born in 1993.

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HAPPY HOLLAND DAY: The Holland Tunnel opened to traffic on this day in 1927. Running under the Hudson River between Manhattan and Jersey City, it was built by the New York-New Jersey Bridge and Tunnel Commission. It comprises two tubes, each large enough for two lanes of traffic, and was the first underwater tunnel built in the U.S.

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UNCOUPLING: “On Nov. 13, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife.” So begins the opening narration of “The Odd Couple,” the popular TV sitcom about mismatched roommates — fussy photographer Felix Unger (Tony Randall) and slob sportswriter Oscar Madison (Jack Klugman). Based on Neil Simon’s Tony Award-winning play, the show ran on ABC from 1970 to 1975 and allowed viewers to ponder the question, “Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?”

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

Quotable

“Wine is bottled poetry.”

— author Robert Louis Stevenson, who was born on this day in 1850