January 23: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 23, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “MANILA — On account of the death of Queen Victoria, General MacArthur has indefinitely postponed the Governor General’s ball announced for tomorrow, and Rear Admiral Remey has postponed the reception scheduled to take place on the flagship Brooklyn Thursday afternoon. The British Consul has received cabled expressions of sympathy from the military, naval and civil authorities in the Philippines.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1922, the Eagle reported, “During the week, until Pope Benedict is buried in Rome, there will be special services throughout the Brooklyn diocese for the repose of the soul of the Holy Father. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Thomas E. Molloy sent a message today to every rector in the diocese requesting that the churches be draped in mourning. The rectors are instructed, during the present week, to celebrate a requiem mass in their respective churches on whichever day they find it convenient to do so. ‘The devoted laity,’ the letter to the rectors states, ‘the children in particular, should be urged to receive Holy Communion for the spiritual benefit of the deceased Pontiff.’ In all the masses celebrated during the week in each church the special prayer, ‘Pro defuncto Summo Pontifice,’ shall be recited. The solemn and sacred observances will be brought to a close with a Pontifical mass of requiem at St. James Pro-Cathedral, in Jay St., on Jan. 30 at 10 a.m.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “The tenth anniversary edition of the Colony House Capers opened a two-night revue at the Academy of Music last night with a fashionable audience of approximately 1,800 persons applauding the efforts of nearly 90 talented Brooklyn Juniors in a spectacular and colorful show … Mrs. Frederic J. Loughran appeared to be a typical ‘Wally Simpson’ in a skit entitled ‘Coronation.’ Charles Feltman played the part of the ‘Duke’ (of Windsor). The skit was one of three presented in a competition for cash prizes. Judges in the contest will be present and announce their decision at tonight’s performance.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1955, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — President Eisenhower will ask Congress at noon Monday to approve a definite U.S. defense line in the Far East in what may set the stage for a war-or-peace showdown with Red China. A White House announcement today said Mr. Eisenhower will submit a special message that ‘will clarify the purposes and application of United States policy in relation to the security of Formosa [Taiwan] and ask for the support thereof by the Congress.’ Those sparse words, high Administration officials said, represented a hardening of American policy toward the Communists in the face of intensified encroachment on Nationalist China’s island territories. Though doubts were voiced that Mr. Eisenhower will seek to establish publicly in his message a specific defense line, several congressmen reported a ‘definite’ line would be drawn. Overstepping of that line in the embattled Formosan area by Red China would invite retaliation by U.S. sea and air forces in support of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. One White House source said, however, that ‘We are not going to draw any blueprints for the Communists.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1955, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Intercontinental guided missiles with atomic warheads which will flash 5,000 miles at speeds up to 9,000 miles an hour to hit a target area with a radius of about ten miles are being developed for America’s awesome arsenal of weapons. Authorities disclosed today how the new weapons will be more than 10 times as accurate as the German V-2 used against England in World War II and will have 25 times the range. High Defense Department officials pictured these awesome weapons of the future — no indication was given when they will be ready for use — in outlining an authoritative report, within security limits, on progress in the whole guided missiles field. One of the officials asserted that ‘we are today at a payoff stage in the state of development of the art that far exceeds anything anybody known to me has yet done.’”

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Mariska Hargitay
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include actress and singer Chita Rivera, who was born in 1933; “MacGyver” star Richard Dean Anderson, who was born in 1950; pilot and safety expert Chesley Sullenberger, who was born in 1951; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), who was born in 1953; “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay, who was born in 1964; Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan, who was born in 1969; Pro Football Hall of Famer and former N.Y. Jets center Kevin Mawae, who was born in 1971; “Saved by the Bell” star Tiffani Thiessen, who was born in 1974; “Dexter: New Blood” star Julia Jones, who was born in 1981; sprinter and Olympic gold medalist Andrew Rock, who was born in 1982; model and actress Doutzen Kroes, who was born in 1985; and soccer player Steve Birnbaum, who was born in 1991.

Chesley Sullenberger
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

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SIGNATURE MOMENT: John Hancock was born on this day in 1737. The Massachusetts native was president of the Continental Congress (1775-77) and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. Because of his conspicuous signature on the Declaration, Hancock’s name has become part of the American language, referring to any handwritten signature. He died in 1793.

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MILLER TIME: “Barney Miller” premiered on this day in 1975. The ABC sitcom about a New York precinct captain starred Hal Linden as Barney, Barbara Barrie as his wife Elizabeth, Abe Vigoda as Det. Phil Fish, Ron Glass as Det. Ron Harris, Max Gail as Sgt. Stan Wojciehowicz, Gregory Sierra as Sgt. Chano Amenguale, and Jack Soo as Sgt. Nick Yemana. The last episode aired in 1982.

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

Quotable:

“I glory in publicly avowing my eternal enmity to tyranny.”

— U.S. Founding Father John Hancock, who was born on this day in 1737