January 9: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 9, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1908, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Brooklyn burst forth into loud rejoicing over the opening of the Battery tunnel today. A tremendous throng filled all the open space around the Borough Hall and crowded along the side streets to greet the official train that opened the tunnel. The subway was officially opened by an eight-car train that dashed from Bowling Green to the Borough Hall in 3 minutes and 45 seconds. The train arrived in Brooklyn just at noon. It was met with a din of noise from shrieking sirens, bursting bombs, and a cheering multitude. The official party of distinguished citizens, railroad and city officials marched in double file upstairs to Joralemon Street. There the crowd was so dense that the party could not make its way around the Borough Hall to the front steps where the ceremonies of celebration were to occur. It was necessary to take the party through a lane of policemen into the Borough Hall and through the building to the front … Even the clear blue sky was decorated with great American flags floating from parachutes. These flags, sent up in bombs, floated proudly away over Brooklyn with the message that the tunnel was opened and that Brooklyn had come into a part of her heritage.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1910, the Eagle reported, “LONDON, DEC. 31 — Television, the art of seeing by wire, has apparently been changed from a scientific dream into an accomplished fact. According to a dispatch just received from Berlin, Ernst Ruhmer, a young German electrical engineer, has finally succeeded in perfecting the first working model of a television apparatus. The apparatus is now in the custody of the Belgian government, which is reported to be so favorably impressed that it is seriously considering the construction of an elaborate plant as the most wonderful contribution to the Brussels Exhibition planned for 1910 … ‘Seeing by wire,’ Ruhmer is quoted in the Berlin dispatch as saying, ‘has now become merely a question of money. The process has been perfected, but its application is necessarily extremely costly.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “SANDRINGHAM (U.P.) — Four-year-old Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, went shooting with his royal parents yesterday — with a 30-inch pop gun. Wearing a deerstalker cap and big rubber boots, the little prince was taken to a field on Sandringham’s royal estate where the Duke of Edinburgh was shooting pheasants, watched by Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Queen Mother Elizabeth. Charles put his toy weapon to his shoulder and ran around the field — at a safe distance — shouting ‘bang!’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1955, the Eagle reported, “BERLIN, JAN. 8 (U.P.) — The Russians today released two Americans who spent from six to nine and a half years in Communist slave labor camps. They were rushed to the American Hospital in Berlin and placed under guard. A guard was place at the hospital door of Pvt. William T. Marchuk, 38, of Norristown, Pa., because he is listed by the U.S. Army as absent without leave. He disappeared in Berlin, Feb. 11, 1949. The other American, John H. Noble, 31, of Detroit, requested the guard so he could rest. Both agreed that it was good to be free — although it took Marchuk a little time to warm to the idea. He seemed indifferent on the drive to the American sector. But in the hospital he grinned and said to Noble: ‘It’s good to be out.’ Noble repeatedly expressed his pleasure at being free again. He was arrested in 1945 with his German-born father in Dresden when they refused to take down an American flag flying from their home. Marchuk took his release with a ‘dead pan,’ American Army officials said. He disappeared in Berlin Feb. 11, 1949, and was arrested by the Soviets. He has been listed as AWOL and an Army spokesman said ‘his status will be investigated.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Baez, who was born in 1941; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Page, who was born in 1944; “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” singer Crystal Gayle, who was born in 1951; “The Other Boleyn Girl” author Philippa Gregory, who was born in 1954; Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, who was born in 1955; “The Crown” star Imelda Staunton, who was born in 1956; former NBA player Muggsy Bogues, who was born in 1965; “Nip/Tuck” star Joely Richardson, who was born in 1965; singer-songwriter Dave Matthews, who was born in 1967; “Chasing Amy” star Joey Lauren Adams, who was born in 1968; Catherine, Princess of Wales, who was born in 1982; and “Love Hard” star Nina Dobrev, who was born in 1989.

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JUST SIT RIGHT BACK: Bob Denver was born on this day in 1935. The New Rochelle native worked as a mailman and high school teacher before landing the role of Maynard G. Krebs on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” in 1959. When the series ended in 1963, Denver took on the memorable lead character in “Gilligan’s Island.” He died in 2005.

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BEST WESTERN: “Rawhide” premiered on this day in 1959. The CBS western kept them dogies (cattle) rollin’ home from northern Texas to Sedalia, Mo., for seven years. The series featured Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor and Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, ramrod and trail boss after Fleming’s departure from the show. It is also remembered for its rollicking theme song.

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

Quotable:

“I may not believe in myself, but I believe in what I’m doing.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Page, who was born on this day in 1944