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March 20, birthdays for Spike Lee, Fernando Torres, Chester Bennington

Brooklyn Today

March 20, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn native filmmaker Spike Lee celebrates his birthday today. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Watch the 30th anniversary of "Do the Right Thing" by Brooklyn director Spike Lee. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 78th day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Spike Lee and Bobby Orr, among others.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “Alert Cops Throng Docks, Spur Back-to-Work Move.”

The article focused on heightened security on the city’s piers due to a violent union strike the day before.

“Although mounted and foot police kept approaches to the piers open yesterday afternoon, and clashes between International Longshoremen’s Association workers and those of the rival American Federation of Labor union were eliminated, only some 1,700 men out of a normal number of 20,000 in the harbor went to work,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include Linkin Park singer CHESTER BENNINGTON, who was born in 1975; Oscar Award-winning actress HOLLY HUNTER, who was born in 1958; actor WILLIAM HURT, who was born in 1950; director, producer, writer and actor SPIKE LEE, who was born in 1957; actor HAL LINDEN, who was born in 1931; 18th Prime Minister of Canada BRIAN MULRONEY, who was born in 1939; Hall of Fame hockey player BOBBY ORR, who was born in 1948; actor, writer and director CARL REINER, who was born in 1922; basketball coach and former player PAT RILEY, who was born in 1945; actress THERESA RUSSELL, who was born in 1957; Hall of Fame soccer coach SIGI SCHMID, who was born in 1953; actor DAVID THEWLIS, who was born in 1963; soccer player FERNANDO TORRES, who was born in 1984; and Olympic snowboarder LOUIE VITO, who was born in 1988.

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FRED ROGERS WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1928. Rogers first began producing TV for children in 1953. His first program, “The Children’s Hour,” was the precursor to “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” which premiered in Canada in 1966 and in the U.S. in 1968. The show ran on public television until Rogers’ death, and he became known worldwide for his dedication to the well-being of children and for his demonstrations of the importance of kindness, compassion and learning. He authored a number of books for parents and children, wrote more than 200 songs and won dozens of awards, including Emmys, Peabodys and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He died in 2003 in Pennsylvania.

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B.F. SKINNER WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1904. The American psychologist was a pioneer in behaviorism and is best known for developing the “Skinner box,” an enclosed experimental environment. He died in 1990 in Massachusetts.

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HENRIK IBSEN WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1828. The Norwegian playwright’s best-remembered plays are “Peer Gynt,” “The Pillars of Society,” “The Wild Duck,” “An Enemy of the People” and “Hedda Gabler.” Ibsen died in 1906 in Norway.

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THE BROOKLYN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (BHS) WILL HOST “BOOK TALK: ‘City of Dreams: The 400-Year Epic History of Immigrant New York’” tonight at 6:30 p.m. The U.S. is a country built on immigrants, and New York has long been a defining port of entry for those looking to make this place home. Historian Tyler Anbinder will share the sweeping story of how newcomers have continually helped to define and redefine this city and country over the past few centuries, and will show how together, we have created a dynamic, deeply complex community. For more information, visit brooklynhistory.org.

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

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“Often out of periods of losing come the greatest strivings toward a new winning streak.” ― children’s TV producer Fred Rogers, who was born on this day in 1928