February 20: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

February 20, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1843, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Ralph Waldo Emerson reads his fourth lecture this evening, at the Society Library, New York. In old times it was fashionable to deliver lectures, but ‘Tempora mutantur, etc.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1862, the Eagle reported, “The President’s son William, aged eleven years, is so ill as to preclude the prospect of his recovery.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Eagle reported, “Brooklyn residents will celebrate Washington’s birthday Tuesday, Feb. 22 by attending many functions here and in Manhattan. Dances, dinners, commemorative masses, motion pictures, speechmaking, special theatrical performances, a radio address by President Coolidge and the famous annual parade by Brooklyn’s old-time firemen will feature the day. Just so long as one vamp survives, the old Kings County Volunteer Firemen’s Association will continue to hold its annual Washington’s Birthday parade, says Boro President James J. Byrne in announcing plans for Tuesday’s event. Governor [Al] Smith will be in the reviewing stand at Boro Hall when the veteran fire fighters, thinner in ranks but dauntless in spirit, pass by at 11 o’clock. Later the governor will attend William H. Todd’s luncheon to the marchers at the Hotel Bossert. Since the volunteer firemen disbanded in 1869, they have paraded in Brooklyn on Washington’s birthday. Each year, those who view the parade miss a familiar face.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle reported, “Gloria Vanderbilt, heiress to a $4,000,000 fortune, was 11 years old today, but her mother had no part in the birthday celebration. Instead, Mrs. Gloria Vanderbilt, who lost a bitter court fight over little Gloria’s custody to the child’s paternal aunt, Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, went to work in the dress shop she opened with her sister, Lady Furness, and another partner. ‘I won’t see my child until Saturday,’ said Mrs. Vanderbilt as she prepared to leave for her new business. ‘I presume she will spend her birthday by going to school as usual at the Greenvale School, Roslyn, L.I. She will, I suppose, have dinner with her aunt at Old Westbury.’ Asked if a birthday party had been planned, Mrs. Vanderbilt replied, ‘I think her aunt gave something or other last Saturday. She asked if she could have Gloria Saturday and I said ‘yes.’ Mrs. Vanderbilt was attired in a businesslike frock of plain black silk with a white collar, and a small black hat with a stiff veil. ‘I won’t stay home and meditate,’ she said. ‘I’ve opened the shop, and I’m not going to let it run itself.’ Asked if she would show the child her dress salon, Mrs. Vanderbilt replied: ‘She has seen it already. She said ‘very pretty.’ ‘The child is not much interested in dress,’ Mrs. Vanderbilt sighed. ‘I hope as she grows older she’ll become more interested, and will buy clothes at my shop.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “More than 1,000 Brooklyn pharmacists, working in constant fear of narcotics thieves and desperate hold-up men, sought protection from private agencies today in the face of inadequate police safeguards. Abraham Sarason, executive secretary of the consolidated Brooklyn Retail Pharmacists, said his organization was negotiating with representatives of a private protective agency in hopes of curbing the wave of drug store robberies. ‘I’ve communicated with Police Commissioner Monaghan on several occasions,’ Sarason said, and, although the police have shown a willingness to co-operate, ‘the situation is getting worse instead of better.’ From all corners of the borough, worried pharmacists have reported they will not remain open until their normal late hours. Stores that were open until midnight now close at 9 or 10 p.m., he said. One druggist in East Flatbush, Sarason declared, was so terrorized by a series of hold-ups in the vicinity that he locked his door during business hours and refused to allow anybody except known customers to enter his store.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1959, the Brooklyn Record reported, “On Thursday evening, Feb. 26, at 8 p.m., Dr. Frank M. Fulton of Seattle, Washington, Grand Master of Masons of the State of Alaska, will present the new 49-star flag of the United States to H. Lloyd Jones, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York … The old flag which served the Masonic Fraternity of this city for many years will be retired with proper ceremonies and will be placed in the Masonic Museum at 71 West 23rd Street, Manhattan.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Catcher Elston Howard, pitcher Bill Stafford and infielder Phil Linz signed their 1963 contracts yesterday as the New York Yankee pitchers and catchers joined early arrivals for the official opening of their training camp. Ralph Terry, the lone batteryman still unsigned, was scheduled to meet again with general manager Roy Hamey. Terry, who won 23 games last year plus two more in the World Series against the San Francisco Giants, is asking for an $18,000 raise. He earned just under $30,000 last year. Howard, Stafford and Linz all received raises. Howard went from $40,000 to $45,000; Stafford from $18,000 to $20,000; and Linz, a utility infielder, from $7,500 to $10,000.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito, who was born in 1942; Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who was born in 1942; “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Anthony Stewart Head, who was born in 1954; actress and author Patty Hearst, who was born in 1954; swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Steve Lundquist, who was born in 1961; Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who was born in 1963; “3rd Rock from the Sun” star French Stewart, who was born in 1964; supermodel Cindy Crawford, who was born in 1966; “MADtv” star David Herman, who was born in 1967; “Melrose Place” star Andrew Shue, who was born in 1967; “The Haunting” star Lili Taylor, who was born in 1967; former N.Y. Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury, who was born in Brooklyn in 1977; former N.Y. Mets pitcher Justin Verlander, who was born in 1983; and “Diamonds” singer Rihanna, who was born in 1988.