April 18: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

April 18, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1900, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “BOSTON — The fourth annual Marathon race will be run under the auspices of the Boston Athletic Association over the usual course between Boston and Ashland tomorrow. The run covers a distance of twenty-five miles and was first held in 1896, the year of the revival of the Olympic games at Athens. The popularity of the event has increased yearly, many athletes coming down from Canada to compete. The record for the course was made in 1898 by Ronald McDonald, but it is expected that this record will be lowered tomorrow. Dick Grant, the Harvard School sprinter, will make the try of his life to win the race this year. Twice before he has competed, the first time in 1897. That year he was well in the lead in Newton; but, feeling hot, ran behind a watering cart to cool off, with the result that he contracted cramps and was obliged to drop out. Last year he again ran the race well in hand, but was seized with cramps when about nine miles from the finish, and though after he recovered he started after the leaders, he was too late to win out, being beaten out by Brignoli. Grant has been training faithfully and is in good condition. Brignoli, last year’s winner, will also compete, and is in first class condition. There is no question but that he will run faster than last year, and it will take a good man to beat him. B.F. Sullivan of the Highland Athletic Club, who finished in third place last year, will again try, as will several others of the old runners. The Canadian runners ought also to figure well at the finish.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1906, the Eagle reported, “SAN FRANCISCO — At 5:10 o’clock this morning San Francisco was visited by the severest earthquake it has ever known. The shock lasted three minutes, damaging thousands of buildings and totally wrecking many of them. The loss of life is reported to be very heavy, especially in the tenement districts along the waterfront. Water mains were broken by the earthquake, so that the Fire Department could get no water, and fires have broken out in various parts of the city. Telegraph wires were destroyed and communication with out-of-town places is cut off. The City Hall is a complete wreck. Many of the modern buildings suffered less than those of brick and frame. The shock coming so early in the morning caused indescribable terror and excitement. Most of the people were asleep and rushed into the streets undressed. Buildings swayed and crashed, burying the occupants in ruins.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1909, the Eagle reported, “Abraham Lincoln is the first individual in the history of the republic on whom has been bestowed the honor of minted portraiture in the coinage of the realm. Paper currency and postage stamps have commonly borne the likenesses of our great men (the only condition demanded being that they should be dead), but our metal money never. When the government first began to mint coins (in Philadelphia) in 1792 it was proposed to stamp them with the head of George Washington. But to this idea the Father of His Country was unalterably opposed, holding, as he did, that such a notion savored too strongly of monarchy — the European custom being to put a portrait of the sovereign on each piece of metal money. Hence it was, and by reason of his objection, that the Goddess of Liberty appeared on the first pennies issued by the Treasury. In collections of our coins are to be found a number of copper cents with a likeness of Washington on obverse or reverse, but these were all struck by private parties (some of them in England), without authority. The new Lincoln cents are to take the place of all other cents. That is to say, the coinage of the bronze Indian penny is to be entirely discontinued for the present at all events. From one point of view this is a pity, inasmuch as the piece with the feather-decorated savage must undeniably be considered, on the whole, the most satisfactory coin, artistically or otherwise, ever issued by the government. It has stood the test of time, and has been in all respects acceptable.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “The bell in Borough Hall tower at midnight tonight will ring in the anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride and the day selected to ‘wake up America’ to answer once more a call to arms for freedom. ‘Wake Up America Day’ will be celebrated tomorrow with patriotic demonstrations, parades and meetings all over the Greater City under the auspices of the Recruiting Committee of the Mayor’s Committee for National Defense. The ride of Paul Revere will be emulated in modernized fashion by the flight of ten airplanes from the Aviation School at Mineola, over the Borough of Brooklyn, across the East River and over Manhattan. The flying machines will be in squadron formation and will drop upon the city circulars and pamphlets calling upon the men of the nation to enlist.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “POLO GROUNDS — After only four games of the season, the Dodgers are leading the National League. And Manager Charley Dressen intends to stay on top, especially with Carl Erskine pitching today in the rubber game of the three-game series with the Giants. Leo Durocher, the Giants’ manager, says he will start right-hander Billy Connelly, who beat the Dodgers in his only start against them last September. Erskine, knocked out by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth inning Tuesday, is making his second start of the season. He was 0-3 against the Giants last year, and 4-6 lifetime. The Dodgers are hoping to repeat their 16-hit outburst in last night’s 12-4 victory against the Giants. But no repeat, please, of their 6-3 defeat by Sal Maglie yesterday afternoon. Hitting against Maglie once a series is more than enough.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include opera singer George Shirley, who was born in 1934; music journalist Robert Christgau, who was born in 1942; Oscar-winning actress Hayley Mills, who was born in 1946; “The Onion Field” star James Woods, who was born in 1947; “Ghostbusters” star Rick Moranis, who was born in 1953; “The Pope of Greenwich Village” star Eric Roberts, who was born in 1956; “Frasier” star Jane Leeves, who was born in 1961; New York Post columnist John Podhoretz, who was born in 1961; “Will & Grace” star Eric McCormack, who was born in 1963; TV host Conan O’Brien, who was born in 1963; “Doctor Who” star David Tennant, who was born in 1971; “Cabin Fever” director Eli Roth, who was born in 1972; media personality Kourtney Kardashian, who was born in 1979; “Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera, who was born in 1984; model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, who was born in 1987; and “Arrested Development” star Alia Shawkat, who was born in 1989.