December 13: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 13, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1899, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON ― The House met at 11 o’clock today. The speaker appointed a committee to join the committees of the Senate and District of Columbia in preparing plans for the centennial celebration of the establishment of the seat of government in Washington.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1900, the Eagle reported, “Winston Spencer Churchill, member of the House of Commons and war correspondent, made his American debut as a lecturer last night in the ball room of the Waldorf-Astoria. His topic was the South African War. The audience was large and fashionable. The young Englishman was escorted to the platform by a reception committee which included, among others, Bourke Cochran, General Stewart L. Woodford, the Rev. Dr. Charles Cuthbert Hall, Stephen V. White, Rear Admiral Erben and Nathan Straus. Mark Twain presided, and made speeches before Mr. Churchill began and after he had finished.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1930, the Eagle reported, “Today the tumult and the shouting begin and the sales talks die. Army meets Navy for the first time since 1927 upon the gridiron of Yankee Stadium before the highest priced gate in all football history. And as both move on to battle, the skies clear up and there is every indication that this will be, after all, a ‘sellout,’ which may bring the game football’s first ‘million-dollar gate.’ Clear skies and snappy temperatures ― genuine football weather although the date is in December ― brought an eleventh-hour rush for tickets, just as it made it certain that the playing of the game would not be marred by a rainy, muddy field. At the Hotel Astor, where the colonels and majors are parking their spurs, and at the Hotel Commodore, where the admirals and captains have slung their hammocks, one hears that this is a ‘charity’ game for the benefit of the unemployed. But among the boys who will play the game one hears that it is to be the epic battle of the year.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1930, the Eagle reported, “Top hats and dress coats were in order at City Hall this morning as one of the most distinguished reception committees in the city’s history gathered in the historic corridors to extend New York’s formal welcome to Prof. Albert Einstein. Outstanding figures in science, law, education, journalism and philanthropy alighted from expensive motorcars to do honor to the diffident little professor from Germany, whose force of intellect has raised him from a humble examiner of patents in Zurich to what George Bernard Shaw described as ‘the creator of a universe.’ Among the members of the committee are Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, John D. Rockefeller Jr., Professors John Dewey, Michael Pupin, Frederick Woodbridge, Frederick Robinson and Paul Saurel; Dr. Simon Flexner, Abraham Flexner, Nathan Straus, Felix Warburg and Otto H. Kahn. Einstein, who is remaining aboard the liner Pelgenland during his visit to New York, put in a busy day yesterday and capped it by attending the performance of ‘Carmen’ last night at the Metropolitan Opera House, with Jeritza in the title role. Before entering the auditorium, Einstein chatted with officials of the opera organizations in the office of William J. Guard, publicity director. Guard wrote the following definition of relativity on a slip of paper: ‘Relativity: there is no hitching post in the universe ― so far as he knows.’ Einstein read this with a smile, then wrote beneath it: ‘Read and found correct. A. Einstein.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1936, the Eagle reported, “A complete revamping of regulations and ordinances relating to motorists is provided in the new traffic code which comes before the Board of Aldermen for approval next Tuesday, backed by the recommendation of the Traffic Committee. It is almost certain to be adopted. Among the more important changes proposed is the outlawing of right turns on a red light, the establishment of a system whereby fines for minor infractions can be paid without a personal appearance in court, the establishment of police control over pedestrians at important intersections, and the establishment of a new offense, mid-way between a minor infraction and reckless driving, to be known as ‘dangerous driving.’ ‘We have tried to make the principles of the bill conform with the driving laws approved by public opinion and practical traffic managers,’ the committee report stated. ‘A great and commendable movement in the nation for uniformity of traffic regulations receives in the terms of this bill a cordial and complete response. We have studied every method to achieve safety approved by experts which may be attained in the enactment of a law. We have tried by adopting uniformity in principle with other cities to make the visiting driver feel at home in New York and to train the New York driver to feel at home as far as compliance with law is concerned in any part of our country.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “ONEIDA, WIS. (U.P.) ― Mrs. Carl Dwyer hopes Friday the 13th will improve her luck. It couldn’t be much worse. Returning home yesterday, she discovered that burglars had been there. On the way to report the robbery, her automobile broke down. She went to the home of relatives, found them gone, went to the barn and hitched up a horse to tow her car. The horse fell dead. She walked home. Later she returned for her car. The battery had been stolen.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Mary Poppins” star Dick Van Dyke, who was born in 1925; “That’s Incredible!” host John Davidson, who was born in 1941; Baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, who was born in 1942; “Motor City Madhouse” singer Ted Nugent, who was born in 1948; “Just Shoot Me” star Wendie Malick, who was born in 1950; “Boardwalk Empire” star Steve Buscemi, who was born in Brooklyn in 1957; Pro Football Hall of Famer Richard Dent, who was born in 1960; sportscaster Mike Tirico, who was born in 1966; Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx, who was born in 1967; Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov, who was born in 1969; Evanescence singer Amy Lee, who was born in 1981; golfer Rickie Fowler, who was born in 1988; “Willow” singer Taylor Swift, who was born in 1989; and N.Y. Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres, who was born in 1996.

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COURAGE UNDER FIRE: Alvin C. York was born on this day in 1887. The Tennessee native is one of the most decorated soldiers in U.S. history. York received the Medal of Honor during World War I for charging a German machine gun nest, killing 25 enemy soldiers and capturing 132. He was played by Gary Cooper in “Sergeant York,” the highest-grossing film of 1941. He died in 1964.

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THE FINAL FRONTIER: Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt performed a “moonwalk” on this day in 1972. To date, they are the last humans to set foot on the Moon.

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

Quotable:

“Everybody can sing. That you do it badly is no reason not to sing.”

— entertainer Dick Van Dyke, who was born on this day in 1925