April 13: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

April 13, 2024 Dozier Hasty

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ON THIS DAY IN 1842, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “CONGRESS. — In the Senate Monday, Mr. Preston introduced a bill to incorporate the National Institution of Science, and establish a Smithsonian Institute, which was read twice and referred.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1843, the Eagle reported, “Today the city of New York celebrates officially, and most appropriately, the centennial anniversary of the birthday of Thomas Jefferson — the great Apostle of Liberty and the Friend of Man. While we write, flags are waving from the public buildings, and the shipping is gorgeously decorated with streamers, though such is the stillness and ‘ethereal mildness’ of the atmosphere that they are rather disposed to droop lazily at their masts than to fly and flutter. By and by the roar of the cannon will be heard, and the sounds of martial music will greet the ears of such as are rambling on the Heights in quest of health, or loafing round the docks.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Eagle reported, “The Democratic tariff bill was introduced by Mr. Underwood into the House of Representatives last Monday, with the opening of the special session of Congress. An attempt is to be made to reduce the cost of living, and the tariff on most of the necessities of life is either to be decreased or done away with altogether. The loss of revenue that will result is to be made good by an income tax, graduated so as to tax larger incomes at a higher rate. No income under $4,000 will be taxed.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “TORONTO — Once regarded as a ‘joke’ hockey player, Muzz Patrick, the boss’ son, today had reached high-calibre rating in the Ranger artillery. The Leafs, facing extermination tonight in the sixth game of the Stanley Cup series, were frankly puzzled by the behemoth. They don’t know how to cope with him. He beat them Thursday night, may do it again. At any rate, the Rangers are 13-10 favorites tonight or 5 to 2 to win the Cup with a victory either tonight or Tuesday. It was Captain Trapper Coulter, backline boss of the Rangers, the tight-lipped walloper who pairs with the younger Patrick on the defense, who broke down and gave the explanation. ‘I’ve never seen a youngster with better co-ordination than Murray,’ said Coulter. ‘This was only his second year of big league hockey, but working beside him I saw him learn more than the average hockey player learns in three years … Why, it’s gotten now so that I trust his own judgment over my own.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — President Harry S. Truman took up the burden of the world’s most powerful office today with a pledge to win the war which Franklin D. Roosevelt’s leadership had carried to the verge of victory. Shocked as all others by news of Mr. Roosevelt’s death, Mr. Truman spoke his promise to the world a few minutes after taking the oath of office last night. ‘The world may be sure,’ he said, ‘that we will prosecute the war on both fronts, east and west, with all the vigor we possess to a successful conclusion.’ Conferences with army and navy leaders are understood to be high on the new President’s list today. The new President took the oath of office at 7:08 last night. Mr. Roosevelt, at 63, had served 12 years, 1 month and 8 days in the office whose cruel exactions killed him, but also stimulated his desire to stay on. No other man had served more than eight years.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “Jackie Robinson got his first hit as a big leaguer and batted in a run at Ebbets Field yesterday, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Yankees. The Dodgers couldn’t score again and were held to four hits, all told. The American Leaguers easily won, 8 to 1, and went one up in the exhibition series. The final will be played today and Brooklyn must win to halve the eight-game set.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1956, the Brooklyn Spectator reported, “The first World Championship Pennant in Brooklyn’s history will be hoisted on the scoreboard flagpole at Ebbets Field on Tuesday afternoon, April 17th, before the Dodgers-Phillies game which opens the National League’s 1956 season in Brooklyn. The World Championship Pennant-Raising will climax one of the most colorful pre-game ceremonies ever staged at the Brooklyn Ball Park. In addition to the presentation of World Series Awards, the program will include a parade which may break all records … even for Brooklyn. For a dozen lucky Dodger fans there will be a special designation. These fans will be selected at predesignated moments at 12 different Ebbets Field turnstiles. When the gong sounds, the lucky fan then passing through the turnstile will be notified by a representative of the Brooklyn organization that he is one of Brooklyn’s World Championship Pennant-Raising Guard of Honor.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include geneticist and Nobel laureate Michael Stuart Brown, who was born in Brooklyn in 1941; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Al Green, who was born in 1946; “Beauty and the Beast” star Ron Perlman, who was born in 1950; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Max Weinberg (E Street Band), who was born in 1951; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Destri (Blondie), who was born in Brooklyn in 1954; “Miami Vice” star Saundra Santiago, who was born in 1957; “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” star Caroline Rhea, who was born in 1964; “NYPD Blue” star Ricky Schroeder, who was born in Brooklyn in 1970; former N.Y. Knicks point guard Baron Davis, who was born in 1979; “Girls” star Allison Williams, who was born in 1988; and “Matilda the Musical” star Brooklyn Nelson, who was born in 2004.

Allison Williams
Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House — with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

— President John F. Kennedy to a roomful of Nobel Prize winners, April 1962