January 21: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 21, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1862, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “By telegraph we learn that ex-President John Tyler died at Richmond on Friday last after a brief illness. John Tyler was born in Charles county, Va., in the year 1790, and was consequently in his 73rd year. He commenced his political life at an early age, having been elected to the Legislature of Virginia at the age of twenty-one; five years later he was elected to the House of Representatives. Political honors were showered upon him by his native State; in 1826 he was elected Governor. He had served but a year and a half when he was chosen to represent Virginia in the Senate of the United States. In consequence of some difference between him and General [Andrew] Jackson, he resigned this position and went into retirement, from which he emerged in 1840 when he was selected by the Whig party as their candidate for the Vice Presidency. General [William Henry] Harrison’s name carried the election by a large majority. Harrison’s death, a month after his inauguration, placed Mr. Tyler in the Presidential chair. As is well known, he repudiated many of the cherished schemes of his party and his administration gave little satisfaction to either party. Since 1845, he has lived in retirement, emerging but once when he appeared as a representative of Virginia in the Border State Convention which met to devise some scheme of compromise. His beautiful residence has been occupied by Union soldiers, his magnificent State has been ravaged by war, and the country so prosperous when he administered its affairs is rent with civil war. John Tyler did perhaps as little as any man to prevent these evils.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1902, the Eagle reported, “Douglas MacArthur has been chosen manager of the West Point football team for 1902.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1924, Eagle sportswriter Arthur Mann said, “During the past few years we have learned to think of sprinting in terms of Charles Paddock of Pasadena, Cal. Unquestionably he has led all other sprinters in performances, consistency and color. On the basis of these qualities, I propose to have him head the list of sprinters who, I believe, will emerge victorious from the Olympic try-outs which will be held at Harvard Stadium this coming June.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “PITTSBURGH (U.P.) — The nation’s steel production was choked to a negligible trickle today as 750,000 C.I.O. United Steel Workers struck in 30 States in the largest walkout in history. The strike was called after management refused to accept President Truman’s proposal of a wage increase of $1.48 a day. Operators, headed by the giant United States Steel Corporation, offered $1.20. After the failure of the President’s 11th hour intervention in the wage dispute the union’s once-postponed strike call became effective at one minute after midnight. More than 1,200 plants were closed. Virtually all had banked furnaces and shut down mills in anticipation of the walkout. Some were closed as early as a week before the deadline by premature walkouts. Local grievances and disagreements over maintenance arrangements for the shutdown were blamed for the early walkout. The U.S. Steel Corporation estimated the strike would cost the nation 200,000 tons of steel a day, enough to build 1,570,000 refrigerators. The Aluminum Company of America was also closed. The Aluminum Workers Union merged with the Steel Workers in 1944. Civilian Production Administrator John D. Small in Washington termed the walkout a ‘national disaster.’ He warned that some of the nation’s factories may be forced to shut down within two weeks for lack of steel. Preparations were made for suspension of outstanding steel priorities.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “PITTSBURGH (U.P.) — Josh Gibson, 35, the Negro ‘Babe Ruth,’ died yesterday of a stroke. Gibson was the star catcher of the Homestead Grays and won the Negro National League batting championship in 1945 when he batted .393. Born in Buena Vista, Ga., Gibson came to Pittsburgh at an early age, played sandlot ball, and in 1927 joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords. In 1930 he joined the Grays, but returned to the Crawfords in 1932. He rejoined the Grays in 1937 and had been with them since. Due to incomplete records, it is not possible to compile Gibson’s lifetime batting average. However, he was a power hitter and his smashing home runs won many a game for the Grays. In 1938 he slammed out four home runs in a game against the Memphis Red Sox at Zanesville, Ohio. His longest hit was 513 feet at Monessen, Pa.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “Last week’s production of the famous Broadway show, ‘Burlesque,’ hit a high point in the Thursday night Kraft series. All too often our readers’ mail complains that this series seems eager to drown the audience in sentimentality. However, director Fred Carney, working with a top-flight cast headed by Constance Ford and brother Art Carney, rode the rough spots of a sentimental old-time war horse and turned it into a thoroughly pleasant and often touching 60 minutes. While talking to Art during rehearsals, we asked him how he liked being a dramatic actor. ‘Well,’ said Art, one of the nicest guys this reporter’s met in a long time, ‘I liked working with Bob Mulligan on Suspense and Paul Nickell on Studio One. This is the first time my brother Fred is directing me. I’ll let you know what I think about Fred after Burlesque.’ We haven’t talked to Art since the show, but we’ve got news for him: The Carneys make the best brother act in TV.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus, who was born in 1940; “L.A. Law” star Jill Eikenberry, who was born in 1947; “Caribbean Queen” singer Billy Ocean, who was born in 1950; former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who was born in 1951; painter and sculptor Jeff Koons, who was born in 1955; “Ice Castles” star Robby Benson, who was born in 1956; Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis, who was born in 1956; Basketball Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, who was born in 1963; “NYPD Blue” star Charlotte Ross, who was born in 1968; “Lost” star Ken Leung, who was born in 1970; “Paranormal Activity” director Oren Peli, who was born in 1970; singer-songwriter Cat Power, who was born in 1972; decathlete and Olympic gold medalist Ashton Eaton, who was born in 1988; and “Baywatch” star Kelly Rohrbach, who was born in 1990.