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May 18, birthdays for Ai Weiwei, Jack Johnson, George Strait

Brooklyn Today

May 18, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Chinese activist and artist Ai Weiwei celebrates his birthday today. AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu
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Greetings, Brooklyn.  Today is the 137th day of the year.

Notable people born on this day include Tina Fey and Ai Weiwei, among others.

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “School Firemen Cancel Strike Call.”

The article focused on a canceled strike planned by school firemen and custodial workers.

“F. William Hetzel, president of the local, said union officers would meet with school officials at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Division of Labor Relations offices in Manhattan’s Municipal Building. The strike now ‘depends on what happens at the meeting,’ he said,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include artist and political activist AI WEIWEI, who was born in 1957; actor CHOW YUN-FAT, who was born in 1955; actress and comedian TINA FEY, who was born in 1970; former soccer player BRAD FRIEDEL, who was born in 1971; actor DWAYNE HICKMAN, who was born in 1934; Hall of Fame baseball player REGGIE JACKSON, who was born in 1946; rock singer JACK JOHNSON, who was born in 1975; Hall of Fame hockey player JARI KURRI, who was born in 1960; Hall of Fame tennis player YANNICK NOAH, who was born in 1960; Hall of Fame baseball player BROOKS ROBINSON, who was born in 1937; actor JAMES STEPHENS, who was born in 1951; country singer and musician GEORGE STRAIT, who was born in 1952; U.S. Sen. TOM UDALL, who was born in 1948; and football player VINCE YOUNG, who was born in 1983.

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POPE JOHN PAUL II WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1920. The 264th pope of the Roman Catholic Church was elected in 1978 as the first non-Italian pope in 456 years and the very first Polish pope. His theology was conservative and traditional, and he was known for his worldwide travels to bring the message of the Catholic Church to people around the world. He survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and died in Vatican City in 2005. He was beatified in 2011.

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TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY. It is a day to celebrate and visit museums of the world. It has been observed annually on May 18 since 1977.

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BIG JOE TURNER WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1911. The “boss of the blues” and “grandfather of rock ‘n’ roll” helped usher in the rock ‘n’ roll era with his 1954 hit “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” which was later covered by Bill Haley & His Comets. Turner died in 1985 in California. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

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MEREDITH WILLSON WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1902. The American musician, playwright and composer is best known for “The Music Man.” He received Oscar nominations for “The Little Foxes” and “The Great Dictator.” Many of his songs, including “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Seventy-Six Trombones” and “Till There Was You” have become standards. Willson died in California in 1984.

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

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“If you retain nothing else, always remember the most important rule of beauty, which is: Who cares?” — Tina Fey, who was born on this day in 1970

 

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