November 18: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

November 18, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1868, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Further evidence of the troubled condition of the earth is gathered from several points. Vesuvius is in violent eruption, and the formation of new cones and extraordinary overflow of lava indicate grave internal disorder. Very many people are gathering in the neighborhood of the volcano, the essential fascination of the phenomenon being enhanced by the positively terrible and possibly dangerous character of the exhibition. On Monday there was an earthquake shock in Cologne. Simultaneously are reported shocks in Mexico, and great whirlwinds and floods there and in Lower California. Finally a recent ferryboat brought intelligence of earthquake shocks on Staten Island. This last news might be received skeptically, but the assertion of a Tribune correspondent, describing the occurrence, ‘that a strong smell of sulphur was felt,’ removes all doubt from the subject. In the natural order of development the shocks must shortly reach Red Hook.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1922, the Eagle reported, “ATLANTA, GA. — A commission and credentials will be issued to Walter S. George, United States Senator-elect, today, upon the arrival here of Governor Thomas W. Hardwick from New York. Mr. George expects to leave Atlanta immediately for Washington, where he will be joined by Mrs. W.H. Felton, who on Monday will seek to be officially seated in the Upper House of Congress before Mr. George presents his credentials, so that the distinction of being the first woman in the nation to be officially seated in the Senate be conferred upon Mrs. Felton, a program to which Mr. George is reported to have agreed.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — President Roosevelt said today he would suggest to Congress that it study the feasibility of permitting some 12,000 to 15,000 German and Austrian refugees now in this country on visitors’ permits to remain here indefinitely. Mr. Roosevelt’s statement was made coincident with further strain on United States-German relations marked by the recall for consultation in Berlin of German Ambassador to the United States Hans Dieckhoff. The President offered no comment at his press conference when asked concerning the German announcement that Dieckhoff has been recalled to report on the ‘strange attitude’ of American officials toward German internal affairs. Mr. Roosevelt declared his belief that it would be cruel and inhuman to force the refugees from Germany and Austria to return to their native land at the expiration of their visitors’ permits. He said he had presented his views to Secretary of Labor [Frances] Perkins. Visitors’ permits of most of the refugees are due to expire Dec. 30.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “Jackie Robinson has done it again. The Dodger second baseman received the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947 when he was a first sacker on the Brooklyn champions, and now the baseball writers have honored him again as the Most Valuable Player in the National League. Moreover, he got half of the 24 first-place votes cast. Jackie will be presented with the Kenesaw Mountain Landis plaque at the baseball writers’ dinner in February. Robinson polled 12 firsts, five seconds, three thirds and fourths and one fifth for a total of 264. Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter, both of the Cardinals, were second and third, respectively. Ralph Kiner, Pirate home run king, was fourth yet didn’t receive one first-place ballot. ‘Gee, I hardly know what to say,’ said Robinson when he heard the news. ‘I really didn’t expect it the way I fell off the last week of the season. I wouldn’t have been disappointed if one of our other fellows had gotten it. The way I figured it I thought it might be [Carl] Furillo. Carl carried us the last month. The way Musial came on, it could have been him, too. But I’m tickled to death that I was chosen.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “The only big-league club without a manager signed for 1955 is the Dodgers, following Lou Boudreau’s appointment by the Kansas City Athletics. But Walt Alston, of course, is expected to sign during the major-league convention in Houston, two weeks away. This waiting period certainly gave the Dodgers some extra publicity, one reason for the delay.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1960, the Brooklyn Record reported, “Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President-elect Senator John F. Kennedy, in her role as First Lady, will zoom American fashion to new world leadership, forecasts Herbert Mayer, director of the Mayer School of Fashion Design in New York City. ‘What decisions she makes in the selection of wardrobe for public appearances will have great influence on the prestige of the American designer. Students at the Mayer school already are designing clothes with Jacqueline as their prototype, and I hope she doesn’t let them, and other young American designers, down,’ he said. Indications that she will assist in this prestige building program were expressed by Mrs. Kennedy in a letter to the Fashion Foundation of America, made public by Mr. Mayer, chairman of its education committee: ‘I am very flattered and grateful for the Fashion Foundation of America Award. I shall certainly try to deserve it,’ she stated. The Fashion Foundation of America cited Mrs. Kennedy as among America’s ‘best dressed’ women in its annual Spring selections.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood, who was born in 1939; “Once Is Not Enough” star Brenda Vaccaro, who was born in Brooklyn in 1939; “Dynasty” star Linda Evans, who was born in 1942; “Falcon Crest” star Susan Sullivan, who was born in 1942; “Crooklyn” star Delroy Lindo, who was born in 1952; former “Saturday Night Live” star Kevin Nealon, who was born in 1953; “Big” star Elizabeth Perkins, who was born in 1960; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Kirk Hammett (Metallica), who was born in 1962; news anchor and author Rita Cosby, who was born in 1964; former N.Y. Yankees and Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield, who was born in 1968; “Wedding Crashers” star Owen Wilson, who was born in 1968; former N.J. Nets point guard Sam Cassell, who was born in 1969; TV journalist Megyn Kelly, who was born in 1970; “Boys Don’t Cry” star Chloe Sevigny, who was born in 1974; Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz, who was born in 1975; and former “Saturday Night Live” star Nasim Pedrad, who was born in 1981.

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

Quotable:

“I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone — the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.”

— statistician George Gallup, who was born on this day in 1901