History Brooklyn Boro

December 12, birthdays for Mayim Bialik, Alfred Morris, Jennifer Connelly

Brooklyn Today

December 12, 2016 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Actress Mayim Bialik celebrates her birthday today. AP photo

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 347th day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Jennifer Connelly and Dionne Warwick, among others.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “Body Found in Creek, Man’s Death a Mystery.”

The article focused on a Brooklyn man whose body was found miles away from his home.

“The body was sent to Everett’s Morgue and Coroner Ambler was notified. The only explanation which Mrs. Van Doeselear can make of the way in which her husband wandered off to the place where the body was found was that he was attempting to find his way to a cottage which they have occupied for several seasons at Canarsie. She says that he probably got in the wrong car, and, finding out his mistake after it had gone some distance, attempted to walk back on the tracks to a point where he could secure a car to the destination he sought,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include Hall of Fame tennis player TRACY ANN AUSTIN, who was in 1962; Emmy Award-winning TV personality and game show host BOB BARKER, who was born in 1923; actress MAYIM BIALIK, who was born in 1975; Oscar Award-winning actress JENNIFER CONNELLY, who was born in 1970; singer and musician SHEILA E., who was born in 1959; singer CONNIE FRANCIS, who was born in 1938; actor ROBERT LINDSAY, who was born in 1949; football player ALFRED MORRIS, who was born in 1988; professional wrestler REY MYSTERIO JR., who was born in 1974; Hall of Fame basketball player BOB PETTIT JR., who was born in 1932; Olympic gymnast CATHY RIGBY, who was born in 1952; singer DIONNE WARWICK, who was born in 1941; and actor TOM WILKINSON, who was born in 1948.

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JOHN JAY WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1745. The American statesman, diplomat and first chief justice of the U.S. was also the co-author (with Alexander Hamilton and James Madison) of “The Federalist Papers.” He died in New York in 1829.

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JOSEPH HAYNE RAINEY WAS SWORN INTO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES on this day in 1870. He was the first black person to serve in the House. Rainey served until 1879.

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GUSTAVE FLAUBERT WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1821. The French author is best-known for one of the greatest 19th-century novels, “Madame Bovary.” He died in France in 1880.

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FRANK SINATRA WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1915. He matured from a teen idol to the premier singer of American popular music. Known as the “Chairman of the Board” to his fans, he made more than 200 albums. His signature songs include “New York, New York” and “All the Way.” His film career includes musicals “On the Town” and “Pal Joey” and two gritty films: “From Here to Eternity,” for which he won an Oscar, and “The Man With the Golden Arm.” He died in Los Angeles in 1998.

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TODAY IS POINSETTIA DAY. It is a day to enjoy poinsettias and to honor Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsettia, the American diplomat who introduced into the U.S. the Central American plant that is named for him. He also served as a member of Congress and as secretary of war from 1837-1841.

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

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“Hell hath no fury like a hustler with a literary agent.” — the late Frank Sinatra, who was born on this day in 1915