December 8: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 8, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Showing today and tomorrow at the Dyker is ‘West of Shanghai’ and ‘Love Is on the Air.’ … ‘Love Is on the Air’ combines mystery, comedy and thrilling drama and uses a radio commentator as its leading character. It brings to the screen a brand-new leading man — a big, good-looking athletic lad named Ronald Reagan. In ‘Love Is on the Air’ Reagan takes a crack, over the air waves, at the crooked politicians of the town. One of them is sponsor for a profitable program and threatens to take it away. But by some high-class amateur detective work the commentator is able to round up the gang of crooks, including the politician mentioned, and so keeps his job and wins his girl. The romantic interest is carried by June Travis.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “While war flared 6,000 miles away in the Pacific, Brooklyn and Long Island prepared defenses at vital port facilities, army and navy stations, utility and defense production plants and airports. Mayor LaGuardia placed New York City on a war footing. Japanese nationals were warned to stay off the streets or were rounded up by police. Sailors and soldiers returned to their posts as rapidly as they could be located. Coast Guard officials announced that mines or a submarine net will block all but a 2,000 foot channel through the lower bay. Protective devices will be installed in the bay between Norton’s Point, Coney Island, and Hoffman Island. The army followed with an announcement that several mine tenders have been turned over for duty with bases at Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook. Mayor LaGuardia coupled his duties as head of the city’s defense preparation with direction of national civilian defense moves. Following his order to all city air raid wardens to stand by to take their posts, he issued instructions to regional directors of the Office of Civilian Defense to get in touch with the Governors of their States with a view to drawing up intensified civil training programs.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Gen. George C. Marshall faced detailed cross-examination today on his belief that Hawaiian defenses should have broken up the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Congress’ Pearl Harbor investigating committee scheduled a daylong Saturday session to speed up examination of the former army chief of staff. He plans to leave for China on a special diplomatic mission as soon as his testimony is completed. Marshall already has told the committee he believes the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941, could have been broken up if not completely stopped had the Hawaiian defenders been properly alerted. He said the forces on hand were adequate to do the job. He considered a Nov. 27 message he sent to Lt. Gen. Walter C. Short in command of the Hawaiian defenses ‘an adequate warning’ to be on the alert against surprise Japanese action. He didn’t recall whether he even saw Short’s reply that the post had been alerted only against sabotage, but added: ‘At any rate, that was my opportunity to intervene, which I did not do.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. (U.P.) — Police caught a snowman directing traffic last night. Somebody had erected the snowman in the middle of an intersection. It looked so much like a traffic officer that drivers were obeying its arm signal to turn.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1955, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter said, “RICHMOND, VA. — The Associated Press, attentive to details, sent a story Nov. 28 quoting Harry Truman as saying of Vice President Richard Nixon: ‘I don’t even want to discuss that ―――.’ Later in the morning, the wire carried this correction: ‘Dashes in second paragraph A65LA should be spaced as follows: ―― ‒ ―.’”

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AnnaSophia Robb
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Butler (The Impressions), who was born in 1939; Oscar-winning actress Kim Basinger, who was born in 1953; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Phil Collen (Def Leppard), who was born in 1957; political commentator Ann Coulter, who was born in 1961; “Desperate Housewives” star Teri Hatcher, who was born in 1964; Baseball Hall of Famer and former N.Y. Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina, who was born in 1968; “Lost” star Dominic Monaghan, who was born in 1976; “Lost” star Ian Somerhalder, who was born in 1978; singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, who was born in 1979; former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers, who was born in 1981; rapper and actress Nicki Minaj, who was born in 1982; eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard, who was born in 1985; and “Soul Surfer” star AnnaSophia Robb, who was born in 1993.

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WILD CHILD: Jim Morrison was born on this day in 1943. As the lead singer of the Doors, he is considered one of the fathers of contemporary rock. Known as “the Lizard King,” he brought avant-garde theatrics to his musical performances and mystical influences to his songs. He died of a drug overdose on July 3, 1971.

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THE END: John Lennon died on this day in 1980. The rock and roll legend was murdered outside his Manhattan apartment building by deranged gunman Mark David Chapman. The death of the international peace activist and former Beatle shocked the world. In 1985, New York City dedicated an area of Central Park frequented by Lennon as “Strawberry Fields.”

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THE ASH HEAP OF HISTORY: The Soviet Union ceased to exist on this day in 1991 when the republics of Russia, Byelorussia and Ukraine signed an agreement creating the Commonwealth of Independent States. The remaining republics, with the exception of Georgia, joined in the new commonwealth as it began the slow and arduous process of removing the yoke of Communism and dealing with strong separatist and nationalistic movements within the various republics.

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

Quotable:

“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Lennon, who died on this day in 1980