March 30: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 30, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1915, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Tomorrow being the last day during which the income, corporation, war emergency and other taxes may be paid without the infliction by the Government of the prescribed penalties, five special agents are out in Brooklyn today with a long list of delinquents, who are to be arrested by direction of Collector of Internal Revenue Harry P. Keith. Though the list includes the names of a number of well-known Brooklyn business men, secrecy was maintained as to the identity of the delinquents. The penalty for nonpayment of the income tax is $20 on the $1,000 income earned, a year’s imprisonment or both. The total income tax collected in the Federal Building is approximated at upward of $3,000,000.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “Mayor [William] O’Dwyer, submitting his record-breaking 1950-51 operating budget of $1,243,451,794 to the Board of Estimate, today said he was ‘keenly aware’ of the need for more policemen but that he ‘sincerely’ regretted ‘lack of funds’ compelled him to ‘defer’ Police Commissioner William P. O’Brien’s request for ‘an increased force.’ Expected to push the basic real estate tax rate up 15 points or more, the budget, $41,896,430 more than the current one, is the fourth in succession to top the billion mark. Several of the city’s fiscal experts, who said they believed the present tax rate of $2.89 per 100 of assessed valuation was the highest in municipal history, declined to predict what the new tax rate would be. They conceded, however, without permitting use of their names, that the tax rate would climb over the $3 figure. The Mayor’s recommendation that $103,543,257 be allocated to the Police Department is $3,852,917 less than O’Brien requested but it represents an increase of $1,511,867 over the department’s current allotment of funds.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1962, the Brooklyn Record reported, “It’s a baseball spring in New York, with two major league teams — the New York Yankees and the Mets — warming up for a hectic season. Sports fans swell the streams of tourists as the sports capital of the world dusts off its stadium seats. The fanfare and excitement are heightened this year by New Yorkers’ fond hopes for a ‘subway series’ — a World Series between the two home town teams. Casey Stengel’s new National League team, the Mets, will be the subject of much comment and controversy among sports fans and baseball writers this year. The Mets combine promising young rookies and stalwart veterans in a team to be reckoned with, even in its first season at the Polo Grounds. (First game in New York, April 13.) No introduction is necessary for the New York Yankees, swinging into their 39th season at Yankee Stadium. From the opener on April 10 to the suspenseful games in late August, these hard-driving champs have their eyes on the World Series.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “GENEVA (UPI) — The United States yesterday called for immediate action on setting up a direct ‘hot telephone’ link between Washington and Moscow to reduce the risk of accidental war. U.S. Ambassador Charles C. Stelle urged the Soviet Union to quit stalling at the 17-nation disarmament conference and to agree to technical discussions on the proposed direct line. Soviet delegate Semyon Tsarapkin ignored the invitation and instead attacked the United States for ‘openly arming counter-revolutionaries who are conducting forays against Cuba.’ He charged the West was ‘sharpening the threat of war daily’ by increasing military preparations in Europe. ‘The button which can trigger off a nuclear war is the point of attraction to many eager fingers,’ he said. He called again for a non-aggression treaty between the Communist Warsaw Pact and NATO. Tsarapkin made no reference to Stelle’s ‘hot line’ proposal. The establishment of direct and instant communication between the White House or the Pentagon and the Kremlin in Moscow is regarded here as one of the most important measures which could be taken to lessen the risk of war.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Addams Family” star John Astin, who was born in 1930; Oscar-winning director Warren Beatty, who was born in 1937; Basketball Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Jerry Lucas, who was born in 1940; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Eric Clapton, who was born in 1945; “Mad About You” star Paul Reiser, who was born in 1957; rapper and actor MC Hammer, who was born in 1962; “Fast Car” singer Tracy Chapman, who was born in 1964; “My Heart Will Go On” singer Celine Dion, who was born in 1968; “Riverdale” star Mark Consuelos, who was born in 1971; “Sunrise” singer Norah Jones, who was born in 1979; “Veronica Mars” star Jason Dohring, who was born in 1982; and Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, who was born in 1989.

Mark Consuelos
Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: “Jeopardy” premiered on this day in 1964. Known as “the thinking person’s game show,” it was created by Merv Griffin and hosted by Art Fleming until it went off the air in 1975. It returned briefly in 1978-79 but wasn’t restored to glory until its current incarnation, which debuted in September 1984 and was hosted by Alex Trebek until his death in 2020.

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MOMENT OF MADNESS: President Ronald Reagan was shot on this day in 1981. Reagan was exiting the Washington Hilton Hotel when a bullet fired by John Hinckley, Jr., ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck him in the chest. Although the president made a full recovery, White House Press Secretary James Brady was left permanently disabled after he was shot in the head. Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded. At his 1982 trial, Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was released from psychiatric care in 2016.

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

Quotable:“I’ve never been cool — and I don’t care.”

— singer Celine Dion, who was born on this day in 1968