July 28: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 28, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1889, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reprinted the following story from the Baltimore American: “Captain Travers, of the schooner Hester A. Seward, just arrived from the Bahamas, told a reporter that just before he left the islands, July 4, the natives captured a shark eighteen feet long. When it was cut open a half barrel of salt pork was found intact in its stomach, beside a number of other articles which the monster had swallowed. Mr. Miller, also, had a shark story. Two months ago the dead body of a monster shark was washed up on the beach at Abaco. Inside the huge mouth was found a small barrel. It was wedged so tightly that it would neither go up nor down. In the barrel, the head of which was off, was found all the food the fish had managed to get inside its teeth. The barrel caught all the food and the shark starved to death.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Eagle reported, “Lt. Col. Charles C. Cresson, assistant trial judge advocate, Eastern Department, has announced that the trial of Erwin Bergdoll, alleged draft dodger, who surrendered several days ago, has been set for Aug. 10. He will be tried under the 58th Article of War, which is deserting during war time.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “TORRINGTON, CONN. (AP) — Here’s another product of the heat wave: Two young men had a flat while driving with women companions. So the men ducked out of sight. A passing driver saw only two pretty girls in distress and fixed the tire. ‘Pretty soft,’ quoth the youths, driving away.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “CLEVELAND, JULY 27 (AP) — Robert C. Byers, 42, of Columbus, has 36 days in which to whet his appetite on workhouse fare for a dinner, the stakes in a publicity wager he won through a kidnap hoax. Byers entered his optional period of incarceration today after refusing to pay a fine of $50 and costs levied as he pleaded guilty to making a false police report of his fictional abduction a week ago. ‘I bet Al Gorman of Jacksonville, Fla., at the Elks’ Convention in Columbus I could get front page newspaper publicity within 72 hours at a cost of less than $100,’ Byers explained. ‘The loser was to buy the winner a dinner.’ He said food, telephone tolls and gasoline cost him approximately $25 between Thursday night, July 18, and his return to Columbus, July 20. The fine and costs in that city amounted to $55, he said, bringing the total to $80.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — The Bureau of Narcotics today reported an ‘extremely disturbing’ increase in cocaine seizures last year — almost six times the number recorded in 1947. In an annual report on narcotics traffic, Bureau Commissioner H.J. Anslinger said his agents seized more than 209 ounces of cocaine last year, compared with 36 ounces the preceding year. Seizures of marijuana, morphine and heroin shipments also were on the upswing, he said.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Jet planes capable of speeds of 600 miles an hour made a futile attempt to intercept mysterious glowing objects that streaked over the Capital for the second consecutive weekend. The Air Force, which always has maintained a skeptical attitude about ‘flying saucers,’ said today it was investigating the unidentified objects, described as ‘glowing white lights,’ that were spotted by radar and then visually by Air Force and commercial pilots Saturday night. ‘We don’t know what they are, but we are investigating,’ an Air Force spokesman said today. ‘We have no concrete evidence that they are flying saucers. Conversely, we have no concrete evidence that they are not flying saucers.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1961, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter said, “In a tense, two-hour struggle Tuesday night between differing factions, the 86th St. Board of Trade cast a majority vote (20-6) to urge the construction of a parking lot on the south side of 87th St. between Fourth and Fifth Avenues and to take a stand against the destruction of four businesses on the opposite side of the street. In so doing, they aligned themselves with some of the older members of the street, and went on record as being opposed to the city’s plan to cut into two established businesses — Birnbaum’s hardware and appliance store, 446 86th St., and Daisy Darling, 472 86th St. The city had recommended lopping off the entire rear block, along 87th St., including the rear of these two stores. During the long debate, Sam Birnbaum, owner of the appliance store, pleaded for support from some of the members who were apparently willing to allow the city to slash through the rear part of his and Mr. Smith’s property. Mr. Birnbaum, making an impassioned plea for the support of the Board against the city’s plan, threatened to ‘spend my last drop of blood. I’ll fight it. It’ll take you 10 years to get your parking lot.’ He claimed that not only had the city proposed using his property for a parking lot but also wanted to use his store front as an arcade. Other property that would be affected by such a project would include two automobile agencies on 87th St.”

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John David Washington
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

Elizabeth Berkley
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Garfield” cartoonist Jim Davis, who was born in 1945; “Lou Grant” star Linda Kelsey, who was born in 1946; “All in the Family” star Sally Struthers, who was born in 1947; Devo co-founder Jerry Casale, who was born in 1948; former Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse, who was born in 1954; “Full House” star Lori Loughlin, who was born in 1964; “Saved by the Bell” star Elizabeth Berkley, who was born in 1974; political aide Huma Abedin, who was born in 1975; four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobili, who was born in 1977; former N.Y. Islanders left winger Zach Parise, who was born in 1984; and “Ballers” star John David Washington, who was born in 1984.