November 15: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 15, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1867, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Whether the comparatively near presence of meteors indicates a celestial situation by which our globe and its inhabitants may be sympathetically affected has long been disputed. Whatever the theory, we have confident facts. At this time of the year we are in the meteoric region, and a large number of shooting stars were seen yesterday morning after most of the watchers had gone to bed. Simultaneously with the heavenly phenomena extraordinary terrestrial events occur. Not only is the population of the world in an unrestful state which manifests itself in wars, conspiracies, revolutions, and much political excitement of all kinds, but the planet is physically disturbed. Vesuvius is in volcanic eruption. On Wednesday evening red-hot stones were thrown out. The next day fire ascended in a steady pillar, lava poured forth freely, and the earth trembled. The eruption is of unusual magnitude, and recalls that one in the first century which destroyed Herculaneum and Pompeii, and moved Bulwer to write a brilliant romance, and Petrella to compose an opera noisy enough to deafen Verdi himself. While this is going on, the West Indies are visited by tremendous hurricanes. The crops of the southern portion of Porto Rico have been destroyed, and two hundred lives lost. A fearful flood following the tempest completely submerges the Island of Tortola and destroys ten thousand lives. The pecuniary loss connected with these calamities of course cannot now be estimated. The hurricane cost one steamship company at St. Thomas $12,000,000.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Eagle reported, “The new Madison Square Garden, which is being constructed at 8th Ave. and 50th St., Manhattan, is rapidly nearing completion, and plans for the grand opening have been completed. The initial event will serve to reintroduce ice hockey to the New York public, after a lapse of some years, and will bring together the 1925 world’s champions, the Canadiens of Montreal, and the newly assembled team representing the New York Hockey Club, in an international match. This opening game will be held on Dec. 15 and will be a benefit for the Neurological Institute … The New York Hockey Club will be a member of the seven-club international league which will include representatives of Ottawa, which won the world’s championship in 1920, 1921 and 1923; Montreal, Toronto, the Canadiens of Montreal, who won the world’s championship in 1925; Boston and Pittsburgh.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (AP) — The British Government today gave urgent consideration to a bold scheme under which the United States and the British Empire would find homes for thousands of German Jews seeking refuge from violence and restrictive laws in Germany. United States Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy, who has been working day and night on the problem since the latest wave of anti-Jewish violence began, was believed to be the author of the plan. It was understood on the highest authority that Prime Minister Chamberlain and Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax, after a long session with the Ambassador, had agreed to co-operate in the plan to move thousands of Jews. Although Kennedy declined to reveal details of the plan, it was understood that it called for efforts to move not merely a few thousands but the majority of the Jews — estimated at 600,000 — out of the Reich. British dominions, colonies and mandated territories, countries of South America, the United States, France, Belgium and the Netherlands would be asked to assist.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “Crews of the navy’s new speed boats now in operation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard have developed a method of arm signaling to replace flag signals. This is the result of preliminary tests of the first contingent of the new ‘combatant unit’ of the fleet, the P.T. (patrol torpedo) boats at the yard. In tests conducted on the high seas along the Jersey coast in the last week the crews of the new boats found that the traditional flag signaling of the navy was impractical under the high speed which the new boats attain. The men developed hand or arm signals to be used at close range to indicate turns, changes of speed, muffling of motors and other tactical maneuvers.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — Princess Elizabeth rested comfortably at Buckingham Palace today after the birth of her first son, a Prince who may some day be King, and all Britain threw off its somber austerity reserve for a rousing celebration. The Prince, second in line to the British throne after his mother, arrived at 9:14 p.m. (4:14 p.m. Brooklyn time) yesterday. Elizabeth, 22, was in labor less than two hours, and the delivery was understood to have been relatively easy … The Daily Express speculated that the child would be known as Prince George of Edinburgh. Elizabeth was known to have a strong preference for the inclusion of the name of her father, King George, in that of her firstborn … Several hundred persons gathered this morning before the palace where 10,000 massed last night when the birth was imminent and shouted their regard for the members of the royal family. Of Philip they roared, ‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “KANSAS CITY, MO. (U.P.) — A general manager for Kansas City’s new American League team may be named today and the No. 1 candidate for the job was reported to be Parke Carroll, who served in the same capacity for the New York Yankee-owned Kansas City Blues. Arnold Johnson, owner of the new Kansas City Athletics, arrived here yesterday from Pittsburgh and went into an immediate closed session with attorneys and city officials on organizational plans.”

***

Shailene Woodley
Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Downtown” singer Petula Clark, who was born in 1932; “Law & Order” star Sam Waterston, who was born in 1940; “The Shawshank Redemption” star Bob Gunton, who was born in 1945; “Vacation” star Beverly D’Angelo, who was born in 1951; “Animal House” star James Widdoes, who was born in 1953; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Michael Hampton (Parliament-Funkadelic), who was born in 1956; former Tonight Show Band leader Kevin Eubanks, who was born in 1957; “The Craft” star Rachel True, who was born in 1966; former N.Y. Knicks point guard Greg Anthony, who was born in 1967; Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, who was born in 1974; “NCIS” star Sean Murray, who was born in 1977; model Lily Aldridge, who was born in 1985; “The Fallout” star Shailene Woodley, who was born in 1991; and swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Blake Pieroni, who was born in 1995.