June 5: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 5, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1892, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “June brides promise to be as plenty as June roses. All through May, which somehow is an unpopular month for weddings, the busiest preparations have been going on in the making of lovely outfits for some of Brooklyn’s most exclusive daughters. Goods have been specially imported to please the personal whims of these fair creatures. All women enjoy reading of elegant trousseaux, but to find on the breakfast table a note inviting one to see a whole outfit, that is a treat indeed. One is not long in accepting such an invitation, especially when said outfit is known to be the result of the most lavish expenditure. Chair, couch and table are all loaded with the dainty garments. What a bewildering array! Here the gleam and glitter of costly silks; there the soft radiance of lighter, more delicate textures.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “BELMONT PARK RACETRACK — War Admiral and his shadow, Pompoon, go after more gold and fame today. Recalling the famous duels of Cavalcade and Discovery three years ago, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and the horse that shadowed him both events come together with five other three-year-olds in the 69th running of the $50,000 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. Each time they have met this year, the shadow from J.H. Louchheim’s stable has moved a little closer. Pompoon was two lengths back of Samuel Riddle’s ace in the mile and a quarter of the Derby. A week later he reduced the margin to a head in the mile and three-sixteenths of the Preakness. The big question to the 40,000 fans expected to pack the picturesque Long Island course is whether the shadow can pass his rival over the longer mile and a half — a test that calls for both speed and stamina.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, NAPLES (U.P.) — The 5th Army completed the occupation of Rome, first Axis-held capital in Europe to be liberated, and swept on without pause across the Tiber River today in close pursuit of German forces fleeing in disorder toward a new defense line possibly 150 miles to the north. American tank and infantry vanguards already were streaming north of Rome under orders to annihilate the enemy armies when Allied headquarters announced the triumphant liberation of the religious capital of the world in a special communique on the 271st day of the Italian campaign. ‘Troops of the 5th Army occupied Rome on the night of June 4-5,’ the communique said. ‘Leading elements have passed through the city and are across the Tiber in some places.’ Adolf Hitler was reported by the official German news agency DNB to have ordered his forces to withdraw northwest of Rome to avoid drawing the ancient capital into the battle area. The clandestine radio Atlantic said the Germans were rushing three divisions from southern France and two others from northern Italy in an attempt to stem the Allied tide.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1959, the Brooklyn Record reported, “Rep. Francis E. Dorn (R-B’klyn) called for the United States to withdraw from the International Olympic Committee unless Nationalist China is again admitted as a member of that group. The Brooklyn Congressman called for the action in the form of a resolution he introduced today on the floor of the House of Representatives. At the same time, Rep. Dorn called for the resignation of Avery Brundage, president of the committee. Rep. Dorn also said that he would urge all contributors to the Olympic Committee to withhold all donations ‘until the matter is settled.’ The Brooklyn Congressman called the expelling of Nationalist China ‘shameful and against all tradition of the Olympics. This is the first step in eventually preventing Nationalist China from participating in the Olympics. The United States must not allow a friend of many years to be pushed aside by Communist blackmail. We must prove to all our allies that the United States will support every one of our friends.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include journalist and commentator Bill Moyers, who was born in 1934; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was born in 1941; USA Track & Field Hall of Famer John Carlos, who was born in 1945; musician and filmmaker Laurie Anderson, who was born in 1947; financial advisor and media personality Suze Orman, who was born in 1951; Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, who was born in 1952; Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy, who was born in 1953; “Matlock” star Nancy Stafford, who was born in 1954; jazz saxophonist Kenny G, who was born in 1956; singer-songwriter Brian McKnight, who was born in 1969; “Uncharted” star Mark Wahlberg, who was born in 1971; Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, who was born in 1979; and former N.Y. Jets quarterback Sam Darnold, who was born in 1997.

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NEW HEIGHTS: The first public demonstration of a hot-air balloon flight took place on this day in 1783. In Annonay, France, brothers Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier succeeded in launching the 33-foot-diameter globe aerostatique they invented. The unmanned balloon rose an estimated 1,500 feet and traveled, wind-borne, about 7,500 feet before landing after a 10-minute flight — the first sustained flight of any object achieved by man.

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GRIDIRON GREAT: Marion Motley was born on this day in 1920. A fullback and linebacker, he was one of the first two African-Americans to break the color barrier in professional football when he and teammate Bill Willis debuted in the same game in September 1946. After serving in the Navy from 1944-45, Motley played for the Cleveland Browns (1946-53) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1955), winning a championship in 1950. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968 and died in 1999.

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AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY: Robert F. Kennedy was shot on this day in 1968. The Democratic New York senator had just addressed supporters in a ballroom in L.A.’s Ambassador Hotel after his victory in the California presidential primary. He was shot three times while taking a shortcut through the hotel’s kitchen and died 26 hours later. The younger brother of slain President John F. Kennedy was 42. Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of his murder and remains in prison.

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

Quotable:

“How can you ask someone to live in the world and not have something to say about injustice?”

— track and field champion John Carlos, who was born on this day in 1945