October 14: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

October 14, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1923, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “By beating the New York Giants, 8 to 4, yesterday at the Polo Grounds before 46,302 cash customers, the New York Yankees, winner of the American League pennant, brought their World’s Series with the National League champions to an even break of two games to two in the series. Best four of seven games will decide the baseball championship of this green footstool and environs. Today the scene shifts to Yankee Stadium, tomorrow the play goes back to the Polo Grounds and so on. It is rather a strange feature of the series that the Giants won by 5 to 4 and 1 to 0 on the Yankees’ grounds, while the Yankees have won 4 to 2 and 8 to 4 in the Giants’ bailiwick.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, an Eagle editorial said, “Some call the mechanism just demonstrated at the offices of the Westinghouse Electric Company an electrical device and others call it a mechanical man. It resembles a man to the extent that it obeys a spoken order. It differs from some human beings in that it obeys the order promptly and correctly. It apparently does not wear clothes, smoke cigarettes or indulge in movies and automobiles. Perhaps these improvements will come with time and patient experiment. For the mechanical man there is a great field. He could be relied on not to boil an egg for five minutes when told slowly and distinctly to boil it for three. With a few added appliances he could go through many of the most essential motions of an official at a transit investigation in this city. He might be perfected to such a degree as to play games such as golf, football and tennis, with just the degree of excellence that would make him an ideal opponent. Let the mechanical man come, the sooner the better. It does not mean so much that he would supply a useful helper, asking no wages. What counts more is his possible value as a stimulant. We have already too many nearly mechanical human beings. Setting alongside of them a breed of pure automata would compel them to mend their ways. They would have to become definitely human, with thoughts and purposes of their own, or else admit that they could not compete with their mechanical counterfeits.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1931, the Eagle reported, “At a meeting at Philadelphia yesterday, officials settled upon the Yankee Stadium, New York, the scene of last year’s renewal of Army-Navy football hostilities, as the place where this year’s game will be played on Dec. 12, and set the admission prices at $10 for box seats and $5 for stand seats and, what is perhaps more important thinks the Associated Press, agreed that ‘All the glamor and color of the earlier Army-Navy games will be present.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “More than 1,000 persons, rallying last night in the Great Synagogue of East Flatbush, 777 E. 47th St., protested emphatically against Great Britain’s proposal to stop immigration to Palestine and implored that nation to ‘refrain from making any decision which would plunge into even greater despair Jews already weighted down with unprecedented oppression.’ The meeting, sponsored by the East Flatbush Palestine Emergency Council of 13 organizations, was part of a nation-wide protest against England’s plan to prevent additional Jews from settling in Palestine. A resolution was adopted asking Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and President Roosevelt to employ their utmost efforts in opposing the proposal. A cablegram to Mr. Chamberlain stated that ‘deepest anxiety has been aroused by the report that Great Britain is considering a reversal of policy for establishment of the Jewish national homeland.’ It contended that ‘stoppage of Jewish immigration in this hour of desperate need would be a final blow to our most cherished hopes.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — The London Daily Telegraph quoted diplomatic circles in Tehran today as reporting that Russia had proposed a military alliance with Iran. The dispatch said Russia reportedly backed the proposal with an offer to supply arms, including 300 airplanes, and Soviet Army ‘instructions.’ In return, according to the dispatch, Russia expects Iran to free herself from ‘the anti-Russian’ pact entered into in 1937 by Iran, Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan. Tehran sources reportedly interpreted the offer as designed to check any moves by Turkey against Iran’s frontiers.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, an Eagle editorial said, “Harris J. Klein, outspoken Brooklyn member of the Transit Authority, has proposed that timetables giving the schedule of subway trains between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. be posted in every station. This is the period when the trains are operated on a reduced schedule. We think it is a splendid idea. As Mr. Klein points out, there has been a sharp increase in crime on deserted subway platforms. It follows that if riders had advance information on the arrival of trains, they could avoid the long and sometimes dangerous waiting period. We hope the full Authority will adopt this measure immediately as a public service. The suggestion is typical of Mr. Klein’s sincere interest in the welfare of the traveling public.”

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Stacy Keibler
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include fashion designer Ralph Lauren, who was born in 1939; former N.Y. Mets outfielder Art Shamsky, who was born in 1941; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues), who was born in 1946; former National League batting champion Al Oliver, who was born in 1946; biotechnologist Craig Venter, who was born in 1946; World Golf Hall of Famer Beth Daniel, who was born in 1956; “Point Break” star Lori Petty, who was born in 1963; former N.Y. Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was born in 1964; sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, who was born in 1967; The Chicks singer Natalie Maines, who was born in 1974; singer-songwriter Usher, who was born in 1978; wrestler and actress Stacy Keibler, who was born in 1979; and “Girl Meets World” star Rowan Blanchard, who was born in 2001.