February 9: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

February 9, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1911, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “George M. Cohan’s Theatre, at Forty-third street and Broadway, Manhattan, will throw open its doors to the public for the first time, on the afternoon of Monday, February 13. George Keister of 12 West Thirty-first street designed the theater. The Fire Department has pronounced it one of the safest in America. The seating capacity is slightly over one thousand. The exits are so numerous and so broad that the entire house can be emptied in one minute. A novel feature of the new house is a decorative scheme, which includes painted friezes, showing the life and successes of George M. Cohan and his family. The subjects chosen for these pictures are: ‘Give My Regards to Broadway,’ a large panel directly above the stage; ‘The Yankee Prince at Buckingham Palace’; ‘George Washington, Jr.,’ singing ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag,’ and others of a similar type.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1912, the Eagle reported, “County Clerk Charles S. Devoy refused to commit himself officially today concerning his rumored preference for Colonel Theodore Roosevelt over President Taft as a Republican presidential nominee. The rumor of his possible connection with a Roosevelt boom in Brooklyn gave the leaders of the Republican party no little concern today, and Naval Officer F.J.H. Kracke called upon the genial County Clerk to find out if possible exactly where Mr. Devoy stood. In this, according to the friends of Devoy, he was unsuccessful. Devoy told him there was nothing in the rumor yet, and gave him to understand that he was openminded as to his preference. However, it seems certain that there are plans being considered for the launching of a Roosevelt boom in Brooklyn. It would also appear that County Clerk Devoy and Controller Prendergast are interested in the movement. Both men were in conference for more than an hour this afternoon at the Controller’s office in Manhattan. Mr. Devoy admitted, after he came back from the conference, that Taft and Roosevelt were subjects of discussion.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Brooklyn Spectator reported, “Clouds of dense black smoke, pierced by leaping sheets of flame, were witnessed by hundreds of Bay Ridge residents on Monday morning about nine o’clock when the American tanker Spring Hill, rammed by the Pan Clio, Panamanian tanker, exploded and burned. The Spring Hill was in the Narrows, off Shore Road. The Norwegian tanker Vivi, spattered by burning oil after the explosion, pulled clear and escaped with comparatively minor damage. The Pan Clio, which rammed the Spring Hill and touched off its cargo of high octane gasoline, got off with a gashed forepeak. At the time of going to press, the death toll stood at nineteen. Seventy-four of the 121 seamen and Navy enlisted men burned in the explosion or suffering from submersion were still in the United States Marine Hospital at Stapleton, S.I. Coast Guard cutters, police launches, city fireboats, all raced to the three vessels, but it was noon before the fire was extinguished.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, an Eagle editorial said, “The return of the Wright brothers’ famous Kitty Hawk plane to its rightful place in the United States as well as the final burying of an old dispute seem assured by the discovery of a letter by the late Orville Wright clarifying provisions of his will. The historic little ship, first to carry a man aloft, has had some amazing travels. As the result of a dispute with the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, which long insisted the Langley machine was the first to fly, Mr. Wright shipped the Kitty Hawk to the Science Museum of London. During World War II, the British hid it in a deep quarry to protect it from bombs. The Smithsonian some years ago apologized for its earlier attitude and Mr. Wright, it is now learned, wrote to the British authorities that he wished the plane returned when arrangements could be made. British officials have indicated their agreeableness to return the plane, so it should not be long now before the famous first plane makes its last ‘landing’ — at home.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “SANDRINGHAM, ENGLAND (U.P.) — The royal family gave King George VI back to his loving subjects today. Hundreds of workers and tenants on the royal estate who knew him as squire and ‘guvnor’ as well as king filed sorrowfully past the plain wooden coffin lying in little St. Mary Magdalene Church. They were only the vanguard of tens of thousands of Britons from peers to commoners who will pay George VI final homage while he lies in state in great Westminster Hall in London next week. The royal family accompanied the coffin from Sandringham House 250 yards across the grass lawns of the royal estate to the church in a torchlight procession last night. But even as 200 estate workers, woodmen and gamekeepers began lining up to await the opening of the church doors, Queen Elizabeth II slipped inside again this morning for what may be her final private tribute to her father. The 25-year-old queen, garbed in black and obviously emotionally and physically tired, walked alone slowly through the yew trees from the royal residence to the church. She emerged a few minutes later and walked back to Sandringham House to take up pressing affairs of state.”

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Michael B. Jordan
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Barry Mann, who was born in Brooklyn in 1939; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Carole King, who was born in 1942; Oscar-winning actor Joe Pesci, who was born in 1943; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, who was born in 1944; “Rosemary’s Baby” star Mia Farrow, who was born in 1945; “Who’s the Boss?” star Judith Light, who was born in 1949; N.Y. Mets World Series hero Mookie Wilson, who was born in 1956; former NASA Chief Astronaut Peggy Whitson, who was born in 1960; country singer Travis Tritt, who was born in 1963; former N.Y. Mets catcher Todd Pratt, who was born in 1967; Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, who was born in 1975; “The Deuce” star and former Sheepshead Bay resident Margarita Levieva, who was born in 1980; “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan, who was born in 1987; and N.Y. Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who was born in 1997.