May 12: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 12, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1870, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The following is the order from the headquarters of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued to various post commanders throughout the country: ‘Headquarters Army of the Republic, Adjutant General’s Office, Washington, April 30, 1870. General Orders No. 8 — I. The annual ceremonies of Memorial Day, which has been firmly established by national choice and consent, will take place on Monday, the 30th day of May; II. All departments, districts, posts and comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic, wherever dispersed throughout the land, will unite in such manner, and with such ceremonies, for the proper observance of the day as may be best suited to each respective locality, and all organizations, communities and persons whose grateful aid, sympathy and prayers sustained us throughout the dark days of the nation’s peril, and those whose loyal, patriotic hearts beat in unison with our own, and who have heretofore, or may hereafter, join with us in the observance of this National Memorial Day, are hereby cordially invited to unite, and are earnestly requested to lend their aid and assistance in strewing the pure garlands of Spring, that come with votive memories of love and prayer, for the mounds that mark the country’s altar and fold in rest eternal our martyred dead. This is the third public observance of a day which has become marked and national for this sacred occasion. Many are now missing from our ranks who were with us before.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1910, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — That the United States will receive 1,000,000 immigrants during the fiscal year, ending June 30, is the prediction of the officials here. During April, 133,276 arrived, making a total of 801,225 thus far this year. The last million immigrant year was in 1907.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “The continued cold weather has raised havoc with the local crop of carnations, for which there is an unusual demand at this time, because Mother’s Day is to be observed tomorrow. The price of carnations ranges from $2 to $2.50 a dozen, according to the size and quality. Many buyers from other cities invaded the New York flower market a day or two ago and offered 12 cents each, wholesale, for carnations. The florists are getting tremendous orders these days for the iris lily (Fleur de lis), the French national flower. The smaller variety, in blue, white, yellow and lavender, retail for $1.50 a dozen and up.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (AP) — England and Empire crowned George VI King today, the symbolic sovereign of a quarter of the globe. Upon his head in Old Westminster Abbey, Cosmo, Archbishop of Canterbury, placed the priceless crown of St. Edward. Guns crashed from London Tower; tumult burst from multitudes in Abbey and streets. The whole world heard the apex of Britain’s greatest show in 1,000 years. Forgotten for the moment in this panorama of empire on parade was Edward of Windsor, whose day — save for love and abdication — this might have been. In ritual of solemn beauty, the King — and then Elizabeth, his Scottish Queen — was recognized, anointed, pledged to rule with mercy and with justice and consecrated to govern a half-billion persons. With scepter, sword and orb, in rich raiments of church and state, seated in the scarred and ancient oaken coronation chair above the hallowed Stone of Scone, he received the crown on bowed head and heard the joyous shouts of millions: ‘God Save the King!’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “JERUSALEM (U.P.) — British troops, who drove the Turks from Jerusalem 30 years ago, began evacuating the Holy City today amid the roar of battle from fighting Arab and Jewish forces. The British agreed to turn over to the Jews the big Arab port city of Jaffa. Jewish Hagana forces in Jerusalem were set also to seize the strategic buildings of the Holy City. Columns of British troops wound out of Jerusalem as the British forces all over Palestine prepared to fall back to their final evacuation beachhead at Haifa. The mandate ends at midnight Friday.”

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Vanessa A. Williams
Arnold Turner/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include baseball player and manager Felipe Alou, who was born in 1935; architect Daniel Libeskind, who was born in 1946; “Slap Shot” star Lindsay Crouse, who was born in 1948; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood (Traffic), who was born in 1948; “Babylon 5” star Bruce Boxleitner, who was born in 1950; “The Usual Suspects” star Gabriel Byrne, who was born in 1950; “In the Dark” singer Billy Squier, who was born in 1950; “Brazil” star Kim Greist, who was born in 1958; “Pulp Fiction” star Ving Rhames, who was born in 1959; “Kids in the Hall” star Bruce McCulloch, who was born in 1961; “Soul Food” star Vanessa A. Williams, who was born in Brooklyn in 1963; “The Facts of Life” star Kim Fields, who was born in 1969; “Pump Up the Volume” star Samantha Mathis, who was born in Brooklyn in 1970; Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek, who was born in 1981; and “Lost” star Malcolm David Kelley, who was born in 1992.

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A TIME TO HEAL: Florence Nightingale was born on this day in 1820. The English nurse and public health activist contributed perhaps more than any other single person to the development of modern nursing procedures and the dignity of nursing as a profession. She first came to prominence for tending to injured soldiers during the 1853-56 Crimean War. In 1859, she published “Notes on Nursing: What it is and What it is Not,” and the following year she founded the Nightingale Training School for Nurses. She died in 1910.

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A BORN WINNER: Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra was born on this day in 1925. A veteran of the D-Day invasion, the slugging catcher joined the N.Y. Yankees in 1946 and won three MVP awards during his 19-year career. He holds the record for most World Series championships, with 10 as a player and three as a coach. As a manager, he won pennants with the Yankees (1964) and Mets (1973). He was almost as well known for his humorous “Yogi-isms,” such as “Ninety percent of the game is half mental.” He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972 and died on Sept. 22, 2015, the 69th anniversary of his major league debut.

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

Quotable:

“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”

— Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, who was born on this day in 1925