June 21: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 21, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1849, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published the following proclamation by President Zachary Taylor: “The President, with deep regret, announces to the American people the death of James K. Polk, late President of the United States, which occurred at Nashville on the 15th inst. A nation is suddenly called upon to mourn the loss of one, the recollection of whose long services in its councils will be forever inscribed on the tablets of history. As a mark of respect to the memory of a citizen who has been distinguished by the highest honors which his country could bestow, it is ordered that the Executive Mansion, and the several Departments at Washington, be immediately placed in mourning, and all business suspended tomorrow. It is further ordered, that the War and Navy Departments cause suitable military and naval honors to be paid, on this melancholy occasion, to the memory of the illustrious dead. (Signed) Z. Taylor, Washington, June 19, 1849.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1870, the Eagle reported, “Dr. Josiah Bartlett, of Concord, Mass., after fifty years of practice, has been presented with $1,112 by his distinguished patients.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1892, the Eagle said, “CHICAGO, ILL. — [Grover] Cleveland and tariff reform is to be the Democratic war cry for 1892. Like a restless torrent, the popularity of the ex-President has swept everything before it. When asked what state he hails from the Democracy of the Union will reply that ‘He hails from every commonwealth responsive to the will of the plain people.’ Mr. Cleveland’s nomination for the presidency by the convention which assembles today is conceded in Chicago this morning by friends and enemies alike. One by one the obstacles to his renewed candidature have disappeared, until hardly a vestige of opposition remains to be encountered. Two causes have contributed to this salutary and felicitous result. One is the splendid leaders, the masterly generalship, the commanding ability of Cleveland’s chief supporters. The other is the readiness of the Democratic party, through its authoritative organizations, to express in convention action the manifest desire of its constituents throughout the land.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1924, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (AP) — Mount Everest, the great irregular cone in the Himalayas, whose peak constitutes the outermost point on the earth’s crust, is still unconquered. The third expedition of intrepid climbers, like its predecessors, has failed, two of the explorers perishing in the final effort. While the disaster occurred probably a fortnight ago, the full details have not yet come through. Brief dispatches received by Sir Francis Younghusband, president of the Royal Geographic Society, however, indicate that the two victims, George Leigh Mallory and A.C. Ervine, succumbed when the climbers were caught by a monsoon. The end came after the explorers had won their way by hard struggles through weeks of terrible blizzards to a position which promised them a chance of success. While the dispatches did not definitely say the expedition was abandoned for this season, Sir Francis is of the opinion that such is the case.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “It’s not hard to find Brooklyn represented in practically anything that can use representation, and you can also find those same Brooklynites right on or near the top of their particular field. As a result, it’s not at all unusual to find three Brooklyn girls, all mighty good players, in the All-American Girls Professional Ball League. Mildred Deegan, Betty Trezza and Margaret Wigiser are the players. Millie and Maragaret are with the Rockford Peaches, and Betty is the second baseman with the Fort Wayne Daisies.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “CONVENTION HALL, PHILADELPHIA — The most turbulent and spectacular Republican National Convention in two decades was called to order at 11 a.m. today, with Governor [Thomas] Dewey of New York expected to lead the early balloting for the Presidential nomination. As Walter S. Hallanan of West Virginia, arrangements committee chairman, pounded his gavel to bring the G.O.P.’s 24th Presidential conclave to session, enthusiasm was widespread among the 1,094 delegates and packed spectator galleries that a Republican would be back in the White House next January. Most political observers agreed that Dewey, optimistic that he would be nominated on an early ballot, possibly the third or fourth, would pace his closest rivals, Senator Robert A. Taft of Ohio and former Minnesota Governor Harold E. Stassen, in the trial heats.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “Summer, which comes in officially at 1 p.m. today, gave Brooklynites a blistering preview yesterday, setting the year’s record high of 92.6 degrees — and there is no relief in sight. The forecast for today was for fair and continued hot weather, with a high around 90 degrees. The weatherman looked hard and long but saw no signs of any mass of cool air in the immediate offing. It is a long shot when the Summer Solstice occurs at exactly high noon on June 21, standard time, which is the case this year.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “When Hoot Evers delivered his game-winning pinch-hit homer for the Giants against the Cardinals on Saturday he gave the other Giant pitch-hitters something to think about. And it paid off with huge dividends yesterday in the Polo Grounds. For the second straight day, the Giants beat the Cards because of pinch home runs. Only yesterday they set a major-league record for two pinch homers in a single inning. These were delivered by Bobby Hofman and Jim Rhodes and provided the big blows in the 7-6 victory. In between Wes Westrum struck a round-tripper, thus making three straight circuit blows in the sixth which produced four runs. Willie Mays opened the sixth with his third single and came home with Hofman, pinch hitting for Bill Gardner, smashing his third homer into the upper left-field stands.”

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Lana Del Rey
Georges Biard/Wikimedia Commons

Prince William
USAID/Vietnam/Wikimedia Commons

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Love Boat” star Bernie Kopell, who was born in Brooklyn in 1933; “Goodnight, Beantown” star Mariette Hartley, who was born in 1940; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ray Davies (The Kinks), who was born in 1944; “Family Ties” star Meredith Baxter, who was born in 1947; “Family Ties” star Michael Gross, who was born in 1947; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joey Kramer (Aerosmith), who was born in 1950; former N.J. Nets center Derrick Coleman, who was born in 1967; “Cape Fear” star Juliette Lewis, who was born in 1973; “Smallville” star Erica Durance, who was born in 1978; “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Chris Pratt, who was born in 1979; former N.J. Nets forward Richard Jefferson, who was born in 1980; The Killers singer Brandon Flowers, who was born in 1981; William, Prince of Wales, who was born in 1982; and “Young and Beautiful” singer Lana Del Rey, who was born in 1985.

Chris Pratt
Dick Thomas Johnson/Wikimedia Commons

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SOLAR SOLITUDE: The first manned private spaceflight took place on this day in 2004. Michael Melvill, flying the privately financed SpaceShipOne, flew 62 miles in altitude, leaving Earth’s atmosphere. The spacecraft was designed by Burt Rutan and financed by Paul Allen, philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder. SpaceShipOne made the flight from Mojave Airport in California.

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GET ON BOARD: Today is “Go Skateboarding Day.” It was established in 2004 by the International Association of Skateboard Companies and is the sport’s official holiday. For more information, visit www.theiasc.org.

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

Quotable:

“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.”

— theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who was born on this day in 1892