December 14: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 14, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1881, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The American committee on the Bartholdi statue of ‘Liberty’ met last night in New York, Mr. William M. Evarts presiding. It was decided not to issue the address to the American people until the next meeting on Tuesday, December 27. Subscriptions will be asked from all parts of the country.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1902, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON, DEC. 13 — Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, wife of the former President of the United States, is dangerously ill at her home in this city. She has been suffering with a severe attack of bronchitis for some time and now vascular disease of the heart, together with kidney complications, have developed, and the gravest apprehensions of the outcome are felt.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1922, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — Brooklyn will be given an additional representative in Congress, if plans now pending before the Census Committee of the House for the reapportionment of national representation are carried through. According to its chairman, Isaac Siegel of New York, the committee will be called probably within the next two weeks to pass upon the increase of representatives from 435, as based on the 1910 census, to 460, as based upon the 1920 census. Under this plan the State of New York, which now has 43 Congressional districts, would be divided up again into 45 such districts. Whereas there are now eight Congressional districts in Brooklyn, under the new census plan there would be nine. It is still uncertain where the other district would be located, but it would probably be in Manhattan or the Bronx. Brooklyn’s growth in population within the last decade, according to Congressman Siegel, makes it sure of receiving a ninth representative in Congress.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “Take the children to see ‘Babes in Toyland,’ the screen fantasy which Hal Roach has devised from Victor Herbert’s operetta. It was placed on view yesterday at the Astor Theater, where, together with Bo-Peep, Mother Goose, Old Man Barnaby and all the other odd folk of never-never land, it offers that precious pair of zanies, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Mr. Laurel is readily identified as Stanley Dum, Mr. Hardy as the obese Oliver Dee, who board with the old woman who lives in a shoe. Here the kiddies will delight also to the sight of a fat and jolly Santa Claus going earnestly about his personal business of placing huge orders for toys; of Tom-Tom, and Mickey Mouse and the Three Little Pigs; of the gloomy Bogyman being routed by the wooden soldiers when he tries to storm the sacred portals of Toyland. You can bet that ‘Babes in Toyland’ is loads and loads of fun, not only for the youngsters, but grown-ups, too, and Christmas this year just won’t be complete until you’ve seen it — and stayed to see it twice.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “Edmund Gwenn, English actor, will arrive here shortly to play the leading role in ‘Laburnum Grove,’ which Gilbert Miller will present here in association with Lee Shubert.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “The pre-holiday rush is in evidence at the American Woman’s Association as one looks over the events scheduled for the coming week. The major program event for December will be the concert of the Trapp Family Singers Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Baron and Baroness Georg von Trapp, their five daughters and two sons compose this unique family group. Dr. Franz Wasner, the young composer, is the director. These nine musicians are as outstanding for their artistic integrity as for their great personal appeal, and their concerts are a rare treat.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “UNITED NATIONS HALL, FLUSHING (U.P.) — The United States’ 11th-hour disclosure that its overseas armed forces have been slashed to less than 550,000 troops started the showdown East-West battle today over a world census of fighting forces. Soviet Foreign Minister V.M. Molotov demanded final action on the troops census issue early this morning after Secretary of State James F. Byrnes unveiled a partial inventory of America’s troops abroad. Before the historic session ended, Molotov, Secretary Byrnes and British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin pledged their countries unswervingly to the cause of world disarmament and said they believed the long march toward this ideal already had begun. They urged the Assembly to give quick approval to the disarmament resolution which spells out the principles by which the United Nations hope to reduce and perhaps someday eliminate arms and armies.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “KITTY HAWK, N.C. (U.P.) — A four-day celebration of the air age’s golden anniversary began here today on the site of Orville Wright’s historic 120-foot flight on Dec. 17, 1903.

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Vanessa Hudgens
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include singer and actress Abbe Lane, who was born in Brooklyn in 1932; former Walt Disney Company president Michael Ovitz, who was born in 1946; International Tennis Hall of Famer Stan Smith, who was born in 1946; “E.T.” star Dee Wallace, who was born in 1948; Waterboys singer Mike Scott, who was born in 1958; “Fame” star Cynthia Gibb, who was born in 1963; Baseball Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, who was born in 1965; “The Evil Dead” actor Ted Raimi, who was born in 1965; “The Truman Show” star Natascha McElhone, who was born in 1969; singer-songwriter Beth Orton, who was born in 1970; “The Good Shepherd” star Tammy Blanchard, who was born in 1976; “High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens, who was born in 1988; rapper Offset, who was born in 1991; “Nobody Love” singer Tori Kelly, who was born in 1992; and Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV, who was born in 1998.