On This Day in History, January 30:From Brooklyn Came The ‘Man of La Mancha’
Mitch Leigh was born on Jan. 30, 1928. He grew up in Brownsville, the Brooklyn neighborhood that spawned Bugsy Siegel, Bummy Davis and Murder Inc.
He was always a non-conformist, and chose not to join the cellar clubs and hang out in the pool halls. Rather, he opted to occupy his time with athletic competition. He fought in amateur bouts and was an all-city basketball player. But his main love was music, and the education he received from the High School of Music and Art was the vehicle that gave him the opportunity to rise above environmental restraints.
Leigh idolized the big band era orchestra leader/clarinetist Benny Goodman, so naturally he played the clarinet.