March 19: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 19, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1892, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Ex-President Cleveland yesterday celebrated at Lakewood, N.J., the fifty-fifth anniversary of his birthday. He declined an invitation to a banquet in Delmonico’s, preferring to spend the day with his family … President and Mrs. Harrison entertained many senators and representatives at dinner in the White House.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Eagle reported, “The sensitiveness of royalty in regard to certain things is illustrated by a story which is just now current in London. It is well known that the Queen consort is quite deaf. Some time ago, when Queen Alexandra was still Princess of Wales, a semi-official dinner was given at Marlborough House and among the guests was a youthful attache of one of the embassies. Before the young man started for the princely residence his chief coached him in regard to the etiquette which he would be expected to observe. ‘Remember that the Princess is very deaf,’ continued the ambassador, ‘and you may have to repeat your answers when she talks to you.’ At the dinner the Princess turned to the young man and said: ‘How long have you been in England, Mr. Blank?’ ‘Three years, your royal highness.’ ‘I beg your pardon, but I did not catch what you said.’ The guest repeated his previous statement and again the Princess indicated that she had not heard. Then the youth, despairing of making himself intelligible in a verbal way, slowly raised three fingers in full view of the assembled company. The Princess bowed coldly and since then the attache’s name has not appeared on the Marlborough House visiting list.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “Owing to Pola Negri’s sudden illness, necessitating the cancellation of her engagement, the Brooklyn Paramount’s stage presentation, ‘International Revue,’ has to content itself with a single headliner — Bing Crosby. It is Crosby’s final week at the local Publix house, and he does himself proud in a new repertoire of ‘rhythm songs.’ Others in the stage show are the Yacopi Troupe, Gypsy Markoff and the David Bines Ballet Corps. Merle Clark and Elsie Thompson continue at the twin organs.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “More than 12,000 individual programs supporting 60 separate war campaigns were broadcast by C.B.S. on the home front in 1943, the Columbia Broadcasting System revealed in its annual report, made public today. The promise of postwar television in full and natural color, with larger pictures and higher fidelity, and a plea for freedom of radio also are contained in the report. During the year, William S. Paley, C.B.S. president, went on leave to devote his full time to special missions abroad for the Office of War Information. Three vice presidents are now with the armed forces. They are Col. Lawrence W. Lowman, Comm. Harry C. Butcher and Lt. Comm. Mefford R. Runyon. In sheer numbers the total of C.B.S. broadcasts dealing with war projects leaped from 12,984 in 1942 to more than 17,000 in 1943, the report stated. The latter figure represents 3,380 hours, or approximately 36 percent of the network’s full operating time. War themes increased during the year from 48 percent to 58 percent. Almost one-half of all network time purchased by C.B.S. advertisers in 1943 was devoted to war projects.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — Russia declared today that the Atlantic Pact means ‘war on the Soviet Union,’ but Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin hailed it as the West’s means of escape from destruction by the Kremlin. All other nations of Western Europe, fearful of the Soviet menace, hailed Article Five as a provision of the pact which has placed them at long last under military protection equal to that of Russia and her satellites. Article Five states that ‘the parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North Africa shall be considered an attack against them all.’ ‘This pact means war on the Soviet Union,’ said Radio Moscow in an English language commentary, the first Russian reaction to be heard in the West. In the broadcast, however, Moscow avoided giving details of the North Atlantic Treaty. In addition to denouncing the pact in familiar ideological language, Moscow pointed to Communist anti-pact demonstrations throughout Europe as proof that the treaty did not have popular support. ‘The Atlantic Pact is being put over by one of the greatest lies in the long and crooked history of diplomacy,’ said the Daily Worker in London, ‘the lie that the Soviet Union … is plotting to invade Western Europe and launch a third world war.’ Bevin took to the world-girding British radio in person last night to explain to the people of Britain and the dominions why the British Government joined the North Atlantic Powers. He said the Soviet Communists were trying ‘to create a situation of chaos in order that the will of the Kremlin could be carried out and the whole of Europe brought into bondage.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “LAS VEGAS, NEV. (U.P.) — Centerfielder Willie Mays of the New York Giants is a cinch to fill the No. 5 slot in the batting order adequately if his Spring training show means anything. Mays hammered out his fifth homer of the Spring as the Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 9-6, yesterday and now is tied for the home run leadership of the Grapefruit League with Pittsburgh’s Frank Thomas and Baltimore’s Jim Fridley. The victory was the fifth straight for the Giants, who resume their traditional Spring series with the Cleveland Indians today. The Indians bowed to the Baltimore Orioles, 7-6, yesterday.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (UPI) — The Government will open the door today to licensing of two types of measles vaccines aimed at wiping out a disease almost as common to childhood as skinned knees. Health, Education and Welfare Secretary Anthony J. Celebrezze announced yesterday he would take the final step toward licensing the vaccines by ordering additional standards governing their manufacture to be published today in the Federal Register. Although there usually is a 30-day wait after publication of the standards, Celebrezze said this had been waived and the new standards would be effective immediately. This means that several companies which have been waiting for the final word from the government will be able to begin producing and marketing the vaccines almost immediately. However, a Public Health Service official said he expected no rush like the one that followed licensing of polio vaccines. He noted that although they can occur at any time, measles epidemics are most common in the late winter and early spring. This means the most critical period this year is already past.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen are talking a special of nothing but their songs with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.”

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Bruce Willis
Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Nanny” star Renee Taylor, who was born in 1933; “Dr. No” star Ursula Andress, who was born in 1936; musician Ruth Pointer, who was born in 1946; “Fatal Attraction” star Glenn Close, who was born in 1947; “Die Hard” star Bruce Willis, who was born in 1955; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who was born in 1958; basketball player Tyrone Hill, who was born in 1968; “Star Trek: Enterprise” star Connor Trinneer, who was born in 1969; football player Sheldon Brown, who was born in 1979; former N.Y. Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who was born in 1986; L.A. Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was born in 1988; and Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson, who was born in 1996.