August 27: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

August 27, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1846, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Long Island — the saddest fight, for us, that occurred during the long contest our fathers held for their national independence. Seventy years ago today, Washington stood on our Island shores, and wrung his hands, while tears of the bitterest anguish gathered on his cheeks — sighs of agitated passion which he is said never to have given way to, on any other occasion, before or afterward! He found the ‘Maryland regiment,’ composed of young men — the flower of some of the finest families in the South — cut to atoms in that disastrous slaughter! He found the first battle where he commanded in person going against him — and at night three thousand of the troops Congress had entrusted to his care, either lifeless as the cold ground on which they lay, or prisoners in the hands of an enemy whose barbarous treatment of them, he well knew, would be little preferable to death! No wonder that, in that dreary hour, the soul of one elsetime as serene as a god’s, felt sick within him. No wonder his lips shed words of agony, bitter as blood-drops from a wounded heart. Ah, we who live in the ease of profit and security of the present can but poorly realize such a day as the 27th of August, 1776.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1873, the Eagle reported, “At Lancaster, New Hampshire, the fourth annual meeting of the Woman Suffragists is being held. Beside one or two names of local note there are mentioned those of Mrs. Livermore and Lucy Stone. It is gratifying, or ought to be, that something has occurred to vary the general stupidity of these gatherings. Miss Anthony can exclaim ‘Veni, Vidi,’ and there pause, but victory may yet come for oppressed women, as a result of Judge Hunt’s repulse. Miss Anthony’s supposed defeat may be the needed stimulus in all future gatherings of the girls like this in New Hampshire today, and the right to vote may yet be accorded in time for Susan B. to exercise it.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1929, the Eagle reported, “JERUSALEM — Eight Americans were today listed among the dead in the Arabs’ attack on the Jewish population of Palestine. Following is the casualty list: Brooklyn dead: Benjamin Hurwitz, 17, student at the Hebron Slabodka Rabbinical School; Wolf Greenberg, 17, student at Hebron Yeshiva. Brooklynites slightly wounded: Moses Sanders, student at the Slabodka Rabbinical School; Samuel Sanders, student at the Slabodka Rabbinical School. The following Brooklynites escaped uninjured: — Gold, Israel Snow, Mr. Forman and wife, — Kuchner, Baruch Kaplan and Rabbi Harold Goltesman. Other American dead: William Berman, 24, Philadelphia, a graduate of C.C.N.Y., student at Slabodka Yeshiva, Hebron; Jacob Wexler, 17, Chicago, student at Hebron Yeshiva; Henry David Epstein, 17, Chicago; Krashner (first name not given), Chicago, student at Hebron Yeshiva; David Scheinberg, 22, of Pennsylvania, student at Hebron Yeshiva; Henry Frohman, Chicago; Franklin Winchester, Springfield, Ill., student at Hebron Yeshiva.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Dorothy Wiltse, ace pitcher of the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League, is setting an example that many major league pitchers would like to follow. As a matter of fact, Bobo Newsom of the Athletics did his best, but didn’t quite make it. We’re talking about Dorothy’s feat of pitching and winning a doubleheader against the Rockford Peaches on Aug. 19. It was the highlight of the week as far as the All-American League was concerned and the scores were 1-0 and 5-1. Two days later, Bobo tried the iron man stunt against the Detroit Tigers, and was knocked out of the box both times, although the A’s went on to win the first game in 11 innings. Possibly, Bobo would like to hear how Dorothy does it. Some other major league hurlers would probably like to know her strikeout formula as well, because the 21-year-old California right hander is leading the league with the total of 250 strikeouts! Her pitching record of 24 wins and nine losses is a record second in the league to Connie Wisniewski’s record of 28-9. Connie is the top pitcher for the Grand Rapids Chicks. Margaret Wigiser, Brooklyn’s gift to the Rockford Peaches, is third in the league’s batting race with an average of .255. Helen Callaghan went on a hitting spree to raise her average to .290 and take the league lead away from Dorothy Kamenshek, who held it for most of the season. Dorothy has a mark of .279.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “Clark Gable vows he’ll retire from the films when his contract expires in 1955 … Ronald Reagan’s busted gam will probably keep him off the screen till next year … Burl Ives, heretofore known as a purveyor of folk ballads, debuts as a dramatic actor tonight at Mt. Kisco, N.Y., in ‘[The] Man Who Came to Dinner.’ This is an appropriate role for Ives, who looks like the most well-fed actor you ever saw.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “SAN JUAN (U.P.) — Doris Torresola, sister of the would-be assassin killed in the 1950 attempt on President Truman’s life, has been released on $14,000 bail, it was announced today. Miss Torresola was arrested in March when Puerto Rican nationalists were rounded up here and in the United States after four of their number shot up the U.S. House of Representatives.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Once Upon a Time in America” star Tuesday Weld, who was born in 1943; “The Spy Who Loved Me” star Barbara Bach, who was born in 1946; “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” star Charles Fleischer, who was born in 1950; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alex Lifeson (Rush), who was born in 1953; “Prison Break” star Peter Stormare, who was born in 1953; “Inside Moves” star Diana Scarwid, who was born in 1955; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), who was born in 1956; New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was born in 1958; gospel star Yolanda Adams, who was born in 1961; “Grey’s Anatomy” star Chandra Wilson, who was born in 1969; Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Thome, who was born in 1970; “Scrubs” star Sarah Chalke, who was born in 1976; “Breaking Bad” star Aaron Paul, who was born in 1979; track and field athlete and Olympic gold medalist Tori Bowie, who was born in 1990; and N.Y. Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, who was born in 1994.

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GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed on this day in 1928. The signatory nations promised not to use war to resolve “disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them.” The pact was first signed by France, Germany and the U.S., who were ultimately joined by 58 other nations.

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STOLEN MOMENTS: Rickey Henderson stole his 119th base of the season on this day in 1982, breaking the single-season record set by Lou Brock in 1974. Henderson stole 11 more that season to finish with 130. In 1991, Henderson eclipsed Brock for most career steals when he stole his 939th in a game against the Yankees. He finished his career with 1,406. Both of his records still stand.

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

Quotable:

“If the Third World War is fought with nuclear weapons, the fourth will be fought with bows and arrows”

― Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burman, who was assassinated on this day in 1979