May 18: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

May 18, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1924, Brooklyn Daily Eagle columnist Frederick Boyd Stevenson said, “Uncle Sam has been studying the maps of the Old World. For some time now he has come to the conclusion that his geographical education was not complete with a mere knowledge of the map of the United States, with a glance, now and then, at the general maps of North and South America. Of course, the United States is a big proposition. We in the United States think this country is the biggest proposition on the face of the Earth. And it is pretty hard to successfully dispute that idea at that! But there are some other big propositions in this world — especially in the Old World. And Uncle Sam, who — before the World War — principally concerned himself with gazing in admiration on the map of the United States and reading and rereading the Monroe Doctrine, had rather got into the frame of mind that looking at any other map and reading any other kind of literature was a sheer waste of time — if it were not positive treason. But the war woke him up.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “LOS ANGELES (AP) — Plans to picket ‘every theater in the Chicago area this week’ were made by striking film craftsmen today in their campaign for a nation-wide boycott. Effectiveness of the picketing was shown, officials said, by pleas they received from southern California theater owners that the marchers be withdrawn. The leaders declared they had no intention of withdrawing the pickets and were pressing their campaign in the larger cities. Violence followed the return to work yesterday of 300 men from the machinists and culinary crafts. Police reported men in three automobiles overturned a truck carrying four employees from Columbia Studio. One of the four was severely beaten before officers arrived.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “Francisco Sarabia, the Lindbergh of Mexico, who pilots President Lazaro Cardenas on all his flights, will attempt a nonstop good will flight from Mexico City to Floyd Bennett Field this weekend, probably Saturday. He will attempt to better the average of 260 miles an hour he made in his record flight of 1,650 miles between Mexico City and Los Angeles last year. He hopes to make the 2,650-mile flight in nine hours, using a Gee Bee plane of Q.E.D. type with a 1,000 horsepower hornet motor. After a brief visit at the World’s Fair he will go to Washington to convey the best wishes of Mexico’s Chief Executive to President Roosevelt.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “PRESCOTT, ARIZ. (U.P.) — Out of the vastness of the rugged Superstition Mountains comes the report of an ancient civilization whose crumbling ruins indicated a primitive knowledge of modern man’s irrigation and air-conditioning methods. The story of the prehistoric culture which has lain unknown since its last inhabitants left centuries ago was told by Berwil C. Putnam, Arizona’s ‘peregrinating postman,’ who returned recently after spending 29 days in the Superstitions. The footloose mailman, whose ‘holiday hikes’ have led him into many unseen corners of the country, asserted he was dumbfounded to find an extensive cliff-community with crude methods of air-conditioning and irrigation yet intact.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “Receipt of a training grant of $200,000 to study and develop the role of the psychiatric nurse in community psychiatry has been announced by Maimonides Hospital, 4802 10th Ave. The five-year study, financed by the National Institute of Mental Health, will be supervised by Dr. Montague Ullman, director of the Department of Psychiatry at Maimonides Hospital, and associate professor of psychiatry at the Downstate Medical Center. Changing concepts of mental illness and its treatment have resulted in an increased emphasis on preventive and community psychiatry. A number of psychiatric disciplines, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and social workers, are staffing these community-oriented programs. However, the role of the psychiatric nurse has been traditionally limited to inpatient psychiatric facilities. Little is known about the function of the psychiatric nurse in the community; consequently, a valuable source of highly specialized nursing power remains relatively undeveloped.”

***

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Dallas” star Priscilla Pointer, who was born in 1924; Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, who was born in 1937; Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who was born in 1946; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rick Wakeman (Yes), who was born in 1949; Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait, who was born in 1952; “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” star Chow Yun-fat, who was born in 1955; “Toy Soldiers” singer Martika, who was born in 1969; “30 Rock” star Tina Fey, who was born in 1970; former N.Y. Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa, who was born in Brooklyn in 1974; figure skating champion Polina Edmunds, who was born in 1998; and “We Can Be Heroes” star Hala Finley, who was born in 2009.

***

IMMORTAL CLASSIC: “Dracula” was published on this day in 1897. Bram Stoker’s novel about an undead Transylvanian count has been adapted numerous times for film and TV and sired a genre that’s still bloody popular today.

***

HOT SPOT: Mount St. Helens erupted on this day in 1980. The volcano in southwestern Washington blew steam and ash more than 11 miles into the sky, resulting in 57 deaths and more than $1 billion in property damage. It’s been called the most disastrous volcanic eruption in U.S. history.

***

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

Quotable:

“I didn’t come to New York to be a star. I brought my star with me.”

— former N.Y. Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson, who was born on this day in 1946