March 3: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 3, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1893, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON, D.C. — President elect [Grover] Cleveland called to pay his official visit to President [Benjamin] Harrison at the White House shortly before 11 o’clock this morning. A big crowd was waiting in front of the door of the executive mansion for the arrival of the President elect, and when he drove up cheered him loudly. Mr. Cleveland leaped lightly from the carriage, but instead of bowing to the crowd, shook his hands disapprovingly at them, and it was quite evident that he did not consider the steps of the White House the proper place for a demonstration. The people took the hint and became quiet at once.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Brooklyn Spectator reported, “Off to Washington, D.C., tonight to witness the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the United States and the first Democrat in 12 years to attain the highest office in the land, will be Bay Ridge and South Brooklyn residents prominent in social and political circles. With Representative Patrick J. Carley acting as chairman of the Congressional Committee on the Inauguration of the President, and Samuel J. Scaparti, of the Catamissa Democratic Club, serving as chief clerk under Congressman Carley, two prominent Bay Ridgeites will be occupying conspicuous places on the inaugural platform tomorrow. Leaving Bay Ridge tonight to be on hand when Mr. Roosevelt takes over the reins of office will be the Democratic executive leaders from the various assembly districts here. Tom Wogan of the 9th A.D., Kenny Sutherland of the 16th A.D., William J. Heffernan of the 7th A.D., and James J. Heffernan of the 12th A.D. are heading large delegations of members of their district organizations.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “HOLLYWOOD (U.P.) — Jennifer Jones of Tulsa, Okla., who has appeared in only one movie in her life — except when she rode in Wild Westerns under another name — placed on her mantel today the gilded plaster ‘Oscar’ symbolic of her reign for a year as the greatest actress in Hollywood. Miss Jones won the prize last night at the 16th annual awards of the Motion Picture Academy for her work in ‘The Song of Bernadette.’ Paul Lukas was named best male actor for his performance in ‘Watch on the Rhine.’ The voters surprised but did not disappoint the movie colony by naming ‘Casablanca,’ in which Humphrey Bogart took North Africa apart, as the best picture of 1943. Jack Benny handed the prize to producer Jack Warner. The veteran Charles Coburn received the award as best supporting actor for his role in the comedy of life in Washington, ‘The More the Merrier.’ Katina Paxinou made the one poignant speech of the evening as she accepted her prize as best supporting actress in ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls.’ ‘I accept the award on behalf of my colleagues in Athens — alive or dead,’ she began. The directorial prize went to Michael Curtiz, who made ‘Casablanca.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, Eagle columnist Jack Lait Jr. said, “The Hollywood and Vine whistle boys are eager for a gander at 20th-Fox’s new find, Marilyn Monroe, ever since they learned that the Johnston office censored 24 of the first 32 publicity photos she posed for.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “ROCHESTER (U.P.) — America’s oldest soldier was slowly ‘fading away’ today. James A. Hard, 111 years old and one of the two surviving Union Army veterans of the Civil War, was fighting what might be his last battle — this one for his life. He won a battle with death yesterday when his right leg was amputated above the knee. But hospital authorities said that due to his age he could ‘still go at any time.’ … Hard fought his first battles at Bull Run, Antietam, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg. ‘Lincoln once told me I’d make a good soldier,’ the grizzled veteran has said. ‘I did, too.’ Hard met Lincoln three times, once right after the Civil War started and twice later when the President reviewed Union troops. The only other surviving Union veteran of the Civil War is Albert Woolson, 106, of Duluth. Woolson and Hard met last at the 83rd Grand Army of the Republic encampment in Indianapolis in September 1949.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “(U.P.) — The shooting of five Congressmen in Washington was part of a plot to overthrow the United States Government by the assassination of its leaders. Private advices to the United Press from San Juan, Puerto Rico, said today that among those marked for death in the plot were President Eisenhower, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles and FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover. Police and Federal agents combed the city today for evidence to prove the terrorist Puerto Rican Nationalist party is engaged in a plot against the Government. Detectives in the Police Department’s top-secret Bureau of Special Services and Investigations worked hand-in-hand with FBI men in an attempt to track down the source of the Luger pistols used by four Nationalist fanatics Monday to shoot down five Congressmen in the House of Representatives. Authorities intimated that records of ownership of the weapons might lead to other conspirators who pose a potential threat of future terrorist acts.”

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Camila Cabello
Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Becker” star Hattie Winston, who was born in 1945; “Up Where We Belong” singer Jennifer Warnes, who was born in 1947; Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow, who was born in Brooklyn in 1949; Space Shuttle astronaut Bonnie J. Dunbar, who was born in 1949; Hooters guitarist John Lilley, who was born in 1954; “All My Children” star Darnell Williams, who was born in 1955; “Enchanted April” star Miranda Richardson, who was born in 1958; heptathlete and Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who was born in 1962; former NFL running back Herschel Walker, who was born in 1962; rapper and actor Tone Loc, who was born in 1966; N.Y. Rangers legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, who was born in 1968; “Modern Family” star Julie Bowen, who was born in 1970; “7th Heaven” star Jessica Biel, who was born in 1982; and “Havana” singer Camila Cabello, who was born in 1997.