November 20: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 20, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1926, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “YALE BOWL, NEW HAVEN, CONN. (AP) — Yale and Harvard, each seeking a victory that would lessen the sting of a disastrous season, battled before 78,000 spectators today in the 45th renewal of their ancient feud. Both teams had somewhat revamped lineups for their climax game. Yale took the field a slight favorite but with the outcome generally regarded as a toss-up. In pre-game statements both coaches, Tad Jones and Arnold Horween, predicted a close game. Fur coats and blankets draped the colorful crowd as it filled the Bowl to capacity. There was a sharp snap in the wind that whipped through the stadium, making the gridiron dry and fast. Captain Bunnell of Yale and Captain Coady of Harvard met in midfield, where the Eli leader won the toss and elected to kick off.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “LAKE SUCCESS (U.P.) – The United Nations begin debate today on world disarmament. The first step was scheduled for the General Assembly’s Political and Security Committee. Delegates of the 54 United Nations were primed for a debate on the size and disposition of the Allied armed forces and bases strung around the earth. For Russia, leader in the revival of world disarmament talk, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov — or possibly Vice Foreign Minister Andrei I. Vishinsky — was ready to press for a decision on the specific issue before the committee — a Soviet request that all United Nations be required to report on the size and location of armed forces and bases in foreign ‘non-enemy’ territories. Senator Tom Connally of the American delegation was set to repeat that the United States wants to extend the Soviet proposal. The United States has already said it would try to make the Allies report on the size and location of ‘all’ their armed forces — those at home as well as abroad.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “WESTMINSTER ABBEY (U.P.) — Princess Elizabeth today spoke a tremulous ‘I will’ in ancient Westminster Abbey and with those words the future Queen of Britain became the wife of the newly created Duke of Edinburgh … Despite postwar austerity and slate-colored skies, it was the most brilliant occasion Britain had known since the days before the war … A million persons lined the historic streets of London — the Mall, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square — for the spectacle. They broke into cheers when the royal couple, smiling and excited, emerged from the ancient abbey … The wedding ceremony was carried by radio to every part of the British Empire, as well as to the United States, while television and movie cameras recorded the occasion. Twenty-seven kings, queens, princes and princesses of the ruling houses of Europe, all the ambassadors accredited to the Court of St. James, statesmen and the great of many lands were present.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1960, Eagle columnist Ray Tucker said, “In his January inaugural message to the nation and Congress, President-elect John F. Kennedy will propose a budget of approximately $85 billion, the largest federal expenditure in peace time — far larger than was spent in World War II. Senator Kennedy meant what he said during the campaign that he will ‘move America forward’ in his first few months in the White House. He will try to emulate Franklin D. Roosevelt’s achievements in a similar period. President-elect Kennedy will ask Congress for new money for building schools and paying teachers’ salaries, for housing and slum clearance, for aid to depressed areas, and for a medical health insurance program tied to the Social Security system. Congress will refuse to grant him any of these demands. According to present indications, based on the election results, there will be a running fight between Capitol Hill and the White House for the next four or eight years, depending on whether Senator Kennedy is re-elected in 1964.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Oscar-winner Estelle Parsons, who was born in 1927; “The X-Files” star Jerry Hardin, who was born in 1929; “Libra” author Don DeLillo, who was born in 1936; actor and comedian Dick Smothers, who was born in 1939; U.S. President Joe Biden, who was born in 1942; “Spirit in the Sky” singer Norman Greenbaum, who was born in 1942; composer and choreographer Meredith Monk, who was born in 1942; “Hill Street Blues” star Veronica Hamel, who was born in 1943; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joe Walsh (The Eagles), who was born in 1947; “10” star Bo Derek, who was born in 1956; “Blade Runner” star Sean Young, who was born in 1959; “ER” star Ming-Na Wen, who was born in 1963; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mike D (Beastie Boys), who was born in 1965; former N.Y. Knicks point guard Chris Childs, who was born in 1967; “Homicide: Life on the Street” star Callie Thorne, who was born in 1969; gymnast and Olympic gold-medalist Dominique Dawes, who was born in 1976; and tennis player Caty McNally, who was born in 2001.

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FREEDOM’S FOUNDATION: New Jersey became the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights on this day in 1789. The state approved 10 of the 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution proposed by Congress on Sept. 25.

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A STAR IS BORN: Edwin Hubble was born in Missouri on this day in 1889. His discovery and development of the concept of an expanding universe has been described as the “most spectacular astronomical discovery” of the 20th century. As a tribute, the Hubble Space Telescope, deployed April 25, 1990 from Space Shuttle Discovery, was named for him. He died in 1953.

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

Quotable:

“True bravery is when there is very little chance of winning, but you keep fighting.”

— President Joe Biden, who was born on this day in 1942