January 14: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1899, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “BELFAST — The White Star Line steamship Oceanic, the largest ship ever built, was successfully launched at Harlan & Wolff’s yard this morning in the presence of an enormous crowd. A grand stand was specially erected to accommodate 5,000 persons. The Oceanic is 704 feet long and registers over 17,000 tons. In addition to the Ismays present at the launching were the other members of the firm of Bruce, Ismay & Co., the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn, Lord and Lady Dufferin, the Marquis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Ava, the Earl of Shaftsbury, Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, chancellor of the exchequer; the lord mayor and corporation of Belfast and a number of other titled and distinguished men. The Oceanic, unlike the Great Eastern, which was launched broadside, was launched stern foremost, though longer and weighing half as much again as the Great Eastern. The opening of a valve allowed a small quantity of water to escape, released the pressure on the piston of a hydraulic cylinder rod which held a steel trigger in the piston, and this, canting over, the ship at once began to move, seeming uncontrollable. But the rush of the huge steel structure was controlled and eventually checked by half a dozen blows of a hatchet, which, severing cords, freed the cables and six great anchors attached to the ship’s sides. The Oceanic has a coal capacity sufficient to enable her to circumnavigate the globe at a speed of twelve knots an hour without re-coaling.”
***
ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Eagle reported, “Control of the New York Baseball Club, including its franchise in the National League, players and lease on the Polo Grounds, was sold today for $1,000,000 cash to a syndicate headed by Charles A. Stoneham, Magistrate Francis X. McQuade and John J. McGraw. Charles A. Stoneham, who is a stock broker of twenty-five years standing in Manhattan, succeeds Harry N. Hempstead as president; McGraw becomes vice president, director and manager on the field; Judge McQuade is the new treasurer and John B. Foster remains the secretary. The other directors are Ross F. Robertson, Horace A. Stoneham, a brother of the new president; Col. John Whalen, who has long been interested in the club as counsel and adviser, and Leo J. Brady. Mr. Hempstead remains a large stockholder. While the deal has been hinted at for a number of weeks, its consummation at noon today came as a big surprise to the baseball world. The negotiations were completed by Mr. Hempstead, who is the son-in-law of the late John T. Brush, owner and president of the club at the time of his death several years ago. Mr. Hempstead represented the interests of his wife and Mrs. Brush, who were co-heirs of the holdings … Judge McQuade gained prominence during the past two years by his emphatic stand in favor of Sunday ball, all the semi-pro players appearing before him on charges of violating the Sunday law against baseball being immediately discharged.”
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.