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October 6: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

October 6, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History
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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — President [Woodrow] Wilson continues to improve and passed a satisfactory night, said a bulletin issued at 11 a.m. today and signed by Rear Admiral Grayson, the President’s physician; Rear Admiral Stitt, head of the Naval Medical School here; and Dr. Sterling Ruffin of this city … Amplifying the bulletin, Dr. Grayson said there was a slight improvement in the President’s condition, and that he again insisted upon attending to public matters he considered pressing. The President particularly desired to write a message to the Industrial Conference to be read at the opening session today. Dr. Grayson said he was not yet ready for the President to do any work and would continue to insist that he have absolute quiet and rest and keep his mind away from official matters. The physician fears that any excessive activity on the part of the President might cause a reaction … The President’s illness prevented members of the Supreme Court from making their customary call on him on the opening day of court.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1929, the Eagle reported, “Alfred Hitchcock, who directed ‘Blackmail,’ the first talking picture produced in England, is now the acknowledged ace of directors in that country. Hitchcock is but 29 years old, yet he is in the vanguard of English production chiefly because he has assimilated production values and applied himself diligently to the study of motion picture technique. Six years ago he was a clerk in a cable office. He did not approve of the sub-titles several of the motion picture companies were using in their pictures. He criticized them so effectively that he was put to work by Famous Players to write English translations of the American titles. That explains how young Hitchcock broke into the movies. He subsequently became a director and has been responsible for the production of many important pictures in England, notably ‘The Lodger,’ which ranks as one of the foremost box office successes produced in that country.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle said, “John H. McCooey was reported to be willing to back John F. Curry in the nomination of a Tammany Hall candidate for Mayor other than James J. Walker. In a situation that was obviously far from settled the indications were that Curry will drop Walker and pick a nominee who will be satisfactory to Governor Roosevelt, former Governor Smith and Lt. Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, the Democratic candidate for Governor. The two Tammany Democrats said to be receiving the most serious consideration are former Police Commissioner Grover Whalen and Surrogate John P. O’Brien. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Edward J. Flynn of the Bronx called a meeting of his executive committee for this afternoon to determine what position his organization will take in the municipal uproar caused by the resignation of Walker. Flynn and his district leaders will determine also, first of all, what their attitude is going to be toward [Acting Mayor Joseph V.] McKee, whether they will support him as an independent. A strong element in the Bronx, annoyed by his economy measures, is against the Mayor and with Tammany.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1935, the Eagle said, “The completion of the new main entrance and entrance hall of the Brooklyn Museum marks another notable improvement in the cultural institutions of the borough. It was altogether fitting that it should have been celebrated by an exhibit of Spanish painting and of primitive art forms from Latin America, which was viewed by a throng of over a thousand interested Brooklynites. Nearby, the new northern section of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was recently developed and only a  short distance down Flatbush Avenue is the splendid new Brooklyn Zoo. To complete the picture in the vicinity of Prospect Park the one remaining need is the construction of the Central Library Building, thus eliminating the eyesore created by the present so-called ‘ruins.’ PWA funds have been asked by Mayor LaGuardia for this purpose, and it is hoped that they will be forthcoming. With work already begun on the new Brooklyn College in Flatbush and orders issued to begin demolition of buildings on the first of next month to create the long-needed Brooklyn Bridge Plaza, Brooklyn is certainly on the move.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle said, “Ike seeks an injunction to halt the longshoremen’s strike for 80 days. It’s hoped the dockers will work hard all Winter — so they can enjoy their vacation during John L. Lewis’ Spring coal strike.”

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Rebecca Lobo
Stephan Savoia/AP
Tony Dungy
Ron Schwane/Pool/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Joanie Loves Chachi” star Ellen Travolta, who was born in 1939; “The Wicker Man” star Britt Ekland, who was born in 1942; Super Soaker inventor Lonnie Johnson, who was born in 1949; Commodores co-founder Thomas McClary, who was born in 1949; REO Speedwagon singer Kevin Cronin, who was born in 1951; Los Lobos co-founder David Hidalgo, who was born in 1954; Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dungy, who was born in 1955; bowling and horseshoes legend Walter Ray Williams Jr., who was born in 1959; “Leaving Las Vegas” star Elisabeth Shue, who was born in 1963; former N.Y. Yankees outfielder Ruben Sierra, who was born in 1965; “NYPD Blue” star Jacqueline Obradors, who was born in 1966; “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” star Amy Jo Johnson, who was born in 1970; “Fantastic 4” star Ioan Gruffudd, who was born in 1973; Basketball Hall of Famer and former N.Y. Liberty center Rebecca Lobo, who was born in 1973; “Suburgatory” star Jeremy Sisto, who was born in 1974; and social media personality Addison Rae, who was born in 2000.

Addison Rae
Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

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GREAT CHEMISTRY: Florence Seibert was born on this day in 1897. The biochemist from Pennsylvania developed the test for tuberculosis that was adopted by the U.S. and used worldwide by the World Health Organization. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1990 and died in 1991.

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A CHANGE IS GONNA COME: Joseph Lowery was born on this day in 1921. The Alabama native and United Methodist minister co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Known as the “Dean of the Civil Rights Movement,” he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. He died in 2020.

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

 

Quotable:

“If you don’t know where you come from, it’s difficult to determine where you are. It’s even more difficult to plan where you’re going.”

— civil rights leader Joseph Lowery, who was born on this day in 1921





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