June 4: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 4, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1916, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The best of speculation has it that this will be the most successful season the summer resorts of America have had in years. This speculation is based on indications, but the indications find their origin in facts. So this optimism on the part of the resort promoters bids fair to have foundation on solid ground. A tour of the resort field by special representatives of The Eagle and the glowing reports that they bring back from vacation regions give rise to the earnest hope, even the firm belief, that the outlook is most bright. Indications may fail, but facts always exist.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1922, the Eagle reported, “Norma Talmadge, in ‘Smilin’ Through,’ based on the stage success, with Harrison Ford and Wyndham Standing, is today’s feature at Loew’s Brevoort Theater.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “The newly created air conditioning department of the General Electric Company held its initial sales meeting at 120 Broadway, at which engineering, manufacturing, sales and advertising plans were presented to the field organization as a preliminary to the early start of active marketing operations on several new air conditioning products.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “LONDON, JUNE 3 (U.P.) — The Berlin Radio tonight began broadcasting reports that ‘the invasion is nowhere near.’ Meanwhile, continental dispatches said the Nazis were strengthening their fortifications along the Spanish frontier and transferring thousands of engineers from the Eastern front to France to repair bomb-shattered rail lines leading up to the Western invasion front. Apparently fearing German nerves would be unable to stand the double strain of day and night bombing from the East, West and South, and the threat of invasion, German propaganda minister Goebbels’ radio experts, who had been predicting the drive into Europe would come any day, suddenly switched tactics and said it would not come for some time. Berlin offered the explanation that D-Day was fixed for a few days before Whitsunday last week but claimed it was ‘called off by Roosevelt.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “The New York City Transit Authority, now in the process of deciding how much the transit fare shall be raised, today heard from department store heads in Brooklyn and Manhattan who pointed out that the 10-cent fare had caused them a ‘serious’ loss in subway trade. The agency received a study on the effect of fares on retail trade prepared by the transit committee of the Retail Dry Goods Association of New York. Among the signers was Kenneth C. Richmond, association president, who is also vice president and treasurer of Abraham & Straus. The report does not recommend what the fare should be. It declares store sales have fallen eight percent since the fare was raised from a nickel, and expresses fears of a further drop to 10 percent in subway travel should the fare be pegged at 15 cents. The report points out that the downtown Borough Hall shopping area depends on transit for 70 percent of its customers.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “ROCHESTER (U.P.) — Rebekah and Patrick Anders, a wife-husband medical team scheduled to be graduated from the University of Rochester’s School of Medicine and Dentistry next Sunday, had their first patient today. The young doctors had just finished their final examinations when the stork interrupted their commencement plans and presented them with a daughter.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “Attorney General Robert Kennedy has promised a House Judiciary Subcommittee that federal authorities will ‘detain for questioning’ three Americans now broadcasting anti-U.S. propaganda from Havana, if and when they try to return to the U.S.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who was born in 1928; “Coming Home” star Bruce Dern, who was born in 1936; former Daily News publisher Mortimer Zuckerman, who was born in 1937; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Michelle Phillips (The Mamas and the Papas), who was born in 1944; former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle, who was born in 1953; “Greenleaf” star Keith David, who was born in 1956; “Nite and Day” singer Al B. Sure!, who was born in 1968; “Party of Five” star Scott Wolf, who was born in 1968; “Saturday Night Live” star Horatio Sanz, who was born in 1969; “ER” star Noah Wyle, who was born in 1971; Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, who was born in 1975; “Gotham” star Robin Lord Taylor, who was born in 1978; model and actress Bar Refaeli, who was born in 1985; Paramore drummer Zac Farro, who was born in 1990; and “Total Eclipse” star Mackenzie Ziegler, who was born in 2004.

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DIRECT HIT: The Battle of Midway began on this day in 1942. A Japanese task force attempted to capture Midway Island in the Central Pacific, but American bombers from the island and from two nearby aircraft carriers sent the enemy into retreat. The Japanese lost four carriers, two large cruisers and three destroyers. Midway was one of the most decisive naval battles of World War II. Japan never regained its margin in carrier strength, and the Central Pacific was made safe for American troops.

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ROME FREE: Rome was liberated on this day in 1944. The U.S. 9th Army, commanded by General Mark Clark, entered the southern suburbs of Rome as the last of the German rear guard retreated from Mussolini’s former capital. Fearful of a last-ditch effort by the Germans to hold the city, the populace remained behind closed doors as Clark’s forces entered the Eternal City.

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

Quotable:

“A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.”

— Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who was born on this day in 1928