March 28: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 28, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1923, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “In the first real practice game of the season, Columbia University’s baseball team was nosed out, 6 to 5, by the Brooklyn Royal Giants yesterday afternoon at South Field. Coach Andy Coakley of the collegians used three twirlers against the visiting aggregation, starting Jack Van Brocklin, last year’s freshman, and following him with Bliss Price, mainstay of the Morningsiders in 1921, and Lou Gehrig. Featuring the contest were two home runs, one by a Columbian and the other by the Brooklyn nine. Gehrig was responsible for the Blue and White’s circuit drive, which he pounded out in the seventh, during which frame four runs were scored by the Lions.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1929, the Eagle reported, “The dialogue for ‘The Wild Party,’ Clara Bow’s first all-talking film, which will begin an indefinite engagement at the Rialto Theater on Saturday, was written by John V.A. Weaver, author of ‘Her Knight Comes Riding,’ and a former literary editor of the Eagle. Weaver also wrote the dialogue for ‘Close Harmony,’ scheduled for early exhibition at the Brooklyn Paramount. In ‘The Wild Party,’ Miss Bow will have the role of a co-ed who falls in love with a serious-minded, however handsome professor of anthropology. Frederic March, erstwhile Belasco stage player, will be the professor.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1931, the Eagle reported, “ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ban Johnson, 67, former president of the American League, who built baseball to its commanding position as the national pastime, died at St. John’s Hospital here at 8:10 o’clock this morning from diabetes and complications. The death of the stalwart and, at times stormy, old figure of baseball ended a six-year quest of health in which Johnson went from hospital to hospital and sanitarium to sanitarium in search of relief from his dread enemy, diabetes. Johnson’s body will be taken to Spencer, Ind., for burial in a mausoleum he built there several years ago at a cost of $25,000. The body will lie in state at the Marshall undertaking establishment here probably until Sunday.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “BOSTON (U.P.) — Black market practices flourish in Sicily and southern Italy even under the Allied military government, according to Adlai E. Stevenson, special assistant to the Secretary of Navy who returned recently from an inspection tour. Stevenson told the Beacon Society of Boston that black market operators control both food and ration cards. The legal price of bread, he said, is 3½ cents a kilo but black market dealers demand from 80 cents to $1.30.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Representative J. Parnell Thomas, chairman of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, said today he has ‘definite’ proof that the American Communist party is directed from Moscow. The New Jersey Republican declined to elaborate on the nature of the evidence but said it would be disclosed in a report to be made public ‘today or tomorrow.’ ‘It will show definitely,’ he said, ‘that the Communist party in America is an agency of a foreign government.’ FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover told the committee previously that the American Communist party was a puppet outfit directed from Moscow. He said Communist orders came from Paris but that they were only relayed from Russia. Thomas also reaffirmed his intention to have the committee make a ‘thorough’ investigation of Communist infiltration of the Hollywood movie capital. Another member urged the committee to give first priority to exposing Communists in government and labor unions.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “At Radio City Saturday evening Arturo Toscanini celebrated his 82nd birthday by conducting a broadcast and telecast performance with the NBC Symphony Orchestra of the first two acts of Verdi’s opera, ‘Aida.’ It was an appropriate choice, for ‘Aida’ was the vehicle for his debut as a conductor in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 19 and was also the first work he conducted at the Metropolitan when he made his first appearance there in 1908. We don’t know when we have heard a more exciting performance of this popular opera, even though it was not a well-balanced one.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “PADUCAH, KY., MARCH 27 (U.P.) — Alben W. Barkley came out of political retirement at 76 tonight by announcing he will seek to regain the United States Senate seat he held for 22 years. The former Vice President, who said he feels as spry as ever, announced from his stately Southern home that he is not entering the race to gratify any personal ambition but in answer to the request of many Kentuckians.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “A new high in the cost of living in the New York metropolitan area was set last month, the Department of Labor said yesterday. The Regional Bureau of Labor Statistics said higher prices for food, medical care, reading and recreation pushed the price index for the New York area to 107.6 — as compared with the base index of 100. To the housewife, this means it cost $10.76 in February to buy what $10 would have purchased in 1957-59.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Four Weddings and a Funeral” director Mike Newell, who was born in 1942; Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry, who was born in 1944; Oscar-winning actress Dianne Wiest, who was born in 1948; Country Music Hall of Famer Reba McEntire, who was born in 1955; sportscaster Chris Myers, who was born in 1959; former N.J. Nets coach Byron Scott, who was born in 1961; rapper and actress Salt, who was born in 1966; “Wedding Crashers” star Vince Vaughn, who was born in 1970; model and actress Shanna Moakler, who was born in 1975; “Save the Last Dance” star Julia Stiles, who was born in 1981; “Joanne” singer Lady Gaga, who was born in 1986; and “Hollywood” star Laura Harrier, who was born in 1990.