October 27, birthdays for Zadie Smith, Matt Drudge, Fran Lebowitz

Brooklyn Today

October 27, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Author Zadie Smith celebrates her birthday today. AP Photo/Sang Tan

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 300th day of the year.

ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “British Tank May Come Here to Aid in Army Recruiting.”

The article focused on a British tank brought to the U.S. to stimulate the sale of Liberty Bonds and aid in recruiting soldiers.

“The armored ‘caterpillar’ is now in Central Park,” the Eagle reported. “Efforts are being made by Lieutenant E. F. Thompson, in charge of army recruiting in this borough to have it brought here… If the committee will lend it to him he will use it in another recruiting drive through Brooklyn.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include Oscar Award-winning actor and director ROBERTO BENIGNI, who was born in 1952; actor and writer JOHN CLEESE, who was born in 1939; journalist MATT DRUDGE, who was born in 1966; Emmy Award-winning actress NANETTE FABRAY, who was born in 1920; singer SIMON LEBON, who was born in 1958; essayist FRAN LEBOWITZ, who was born in 1950; model and actress MARLA MAPLES, who was born in 1963; hockey player BRANDON SAAD, who was born in 1992; and author ZADIE SMITH, who was born in 1975.

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THEODORE ROOSEVELT was born on this day in 1858 in New York City. He served as president from Sept. 14, 1901 to March 3, 1909, and was the first president to ride in an automobile, to submerge in a submarine and to fly in an airplane. His best-remembered quote was perhaps, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He died in January of 1919.

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THE NEW YORK City subway began operating on this day in 1904. Running from City Hall to West 145th Street, the subway was privately operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and later became part of the system operated by the New York City Transit Authority.

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