July 22: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 22, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1921, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “OTTAWA — Grover Cleveland Bergdoll, Philadelphia draft evader, who escaped to Germany, is unlikely to be extradited through Canadian influence. Officials of the Canadian Department of Justice, who have been investigating the case because of indications that Bergdoll escaped to Germany by the use of a forged Canadian passport, said today that they had found that a treaty of years’ standing between Canada and Germany prevented the extradition of a naturalized citizen of either country to the other for trial. Bergdoll, it is understood, has taken out citizenship papers in Germany. The question of extraditing him was investigated by the Government at the request of the Great War Veterans Association.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1928, an Eagle editorial said, “When the movies turned from the business of recording parades and like spectacles to that of telling stories on the screen, actors feared that the moving picture would destroy the stage. Now that the talking movie has made its appearance the alarm recurs. Joseph W. Weber, head of the American Federation of Musicians, voices it, and leaders in two important associations of actors concur with him. At the same time, these gentlemen condemn the synchronized voice and picture representation as ‘dehumanized’ drama. If it really lacks something of the direct human appeal of the stage, the alarmists have perhaps let themselves become unduly alarmed. The quality that they see in the stage drama and find lacking in its competitor should go a long way toward preserving the art over which they worry themselves.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “WEST MILFORD, N.J. — Lester F. Titus Jr. of Mocapin reports seeing not one, but formations of four flying saucers moving southward. West Milford police suggested that Mr. Titus was seeing Jersey mosquitoes. ‘They fly in formations of four sometimes,’ an officer said.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “NEWARK, N.J. — Fred Pontoriero brought his dog to recruiting headquarters yesterday and offered to enlist the dog in the K-9 Corps. ‘No, thanks,’ said the Army, ‘but won’t you join up?’ Mr. Pontoriero declined and took his dog home.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — The British government announced today that it will introduce legislation which would remove one of the bars to Princess Margaret’s romance with divorced R.A.F. Group Capt. Peter Townsend. The proposed legislation would revise the regency act, which as it now stands would make Princess Margaret regent in the event of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The government bill is expected to provide that the Queen’s husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, would become regent until Prince Charles comes of age in event of Elizabeth’s death.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “GENEVA (U.P.) — Authoritative diplomatic sources said today the Western Allies have agreed to open immediate negotiations on a Southeast Asian defense pact against Communist aggression. The discussions will be taken up through diplomatic channels among the United States, Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand, these sources said. More formal talks probably will be held later in Washington. Thailand and the Philippines will be fully consulted on the pact plans, it was explained. The three associated states of Indo-China will be excluded, since they were ‘neutralized’ and barred from entering any foreign pacts under terms of the Indo-China settlement reached at Geneva. The Colombo powers — India, Burma, Ceylon, Pakistan and Indonesia — will be kept informed, at Britain’s insistence. The hope is to have them ultimately associate with any future Southeast Asian defense arrangement.”

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David Spade
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George Clinton (Parliament-Funkadelic), who was born in 1941; former N.Y. Yankees closer Sparky Lyle, who was born in 1944; “Lethal Weapon” star Danny Glover, who was born in 1946; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Don Henley (The Eagles), who was born in 1947; “The Cotton Club” star Lonette McKee, who was born in 1954; “Platoon” star Willem Dafoe, who was born in 1955; “Carlito’s Way” star John Leguizamo, who was born in 1960; Indigo Girls cofounder Emily Saliers, who was born in 1963; “Just Shoot Me!” star David Spade, who was born in 1964; former N.Y. Jets wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who was born in 1972; “Only Murders in the Building” star Selena Gomez, who was born in 1992; and Prince George of Wales, who was born in 2013.