MILESTONES: October 5, birthdays for Neil deGrasse Tyson, Grant Hill, Mario Lemieux

Brooklyn Today

October 5, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Neil deGrasse Tyson. Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision for the Television Academy/AP Images

Share this:

Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 280th day of the year.

On this day in 1953, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that Game 6 of the Golden Jubilee World Series would be played at Yankee Stadium, with the Brooklyn Dodgers’ pitcher Carl Erskine battling Yankees pitcher Ed Ford. It was a do-or-die game for the Dodgers who, if they won, could continue to Game 7.

****

On this day in 1928, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle’s front page read of the eminent domain condemnation of a Roman Catholic church on Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn, which was on the path of a planned subway expansion. Our Lady of Mercy Church would lose all its property, including a parish school, convent and rectory, for a total condemnation cost of $1 million. The Eagle reported that another building that likely would have to condemned (that is, placed under eminent domain) was the newly built Judson Memorial YWCA. Even though most civil authorities recognize canon law as separate from secular law, churches and other religious structures were not exempt from eminent domain laws, in which a government can seize private property being used for public purposes — such a worship space — for urban development.

****

On this day in 1935, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that Aduwa in Ethiopia fell to the Italian troops there. The Italian army had invaded a town that was defenseless, based on its population mostly of women, children and infirm and elderly men who had failed enlistment into Emperor Haile Selassie’s armies. The Eagle reported 5,000 casualties. The Italian claimed to have invaded Adigrat, but reports came in that the Ethiopian army had been able to hold that city.

****

On this day in 1940, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page on a subway rape subject who just happened to be the toll clerk at the then-Independent subway station at Carroll and Smith streets. (That is now the Carroll Street stop on the F train.) The victim recognized the man behind the toll booth as the same one who had sexually assaulted her in a Red Hook housing complex. Other residents of that complex on Lorraine Street had also reported assaults by this same man, whom police said had committed a sex crime “reign of terror.” The victim, whom the Eagle identified as Antoinette Finley, did some detective work on her own, but kept a cool head upon recognizing her assailant. She took the train Manhattan-bound to the Hoyt Street station and called the police from there. They accompanied her back to the Carroll Street station, where they arrested 35-year-old Anthony Gigante based on her identifying him.

****

On this day in 1953, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that Former California Gov. Earl Warren took the oath of office as 14th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court at a colorful ceremony. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in attendance. Hugo L. Black, senior associate justice, administered the oath of office. That term, the Supreme Court would have to weigh several constitutional cases, including racial segregation in the public schools.

****

NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actress KAREN ALLEN, who was born in 1951; racecar driver MICHAEL ANDRETTI, who was born in 1962; author CLIVE BARKER, who was born in 1952; actress JOSIE BISSETT, who was born in 1970; actor and comedian BILL DANA, who was born in 1924; Hall of Fame golfer LAURA DAVIES, who was born in 1963; actor JESSE EISENBERG, who was born in Queens in 1983; singer and social activist BOB GELDOF, who was born in 1951; former basketball player GRANT HILL, who was born in 1972; actress GLYNIS JOHNS, who was born in 1923; Hall of Fame hockey player and executive MARIO LEMIEUX, who was born in 1965; actress PARMINDER NAGRA, who was born in 1975; hockey manager and former player PATRICK ROY, who was born in 1965; astrophysicist NEIL deGRASSE TYSON, who was born in 1958; and Oscar Award-winning actress KATE WINSLET, who was born in 1975.

****

SHAWNEE INDIAN CHIEF TECUMSEH DIED ON THIS DAY IN 1813. Tecumseh came to prominence between 1799 and 1804 as a powerful orator, defending his people against whites. He denounced as invalid all treaties by which tribes ceded their lands and condemned the chieftains who had entered into such agreements. Although he advocated peaceful methods and negotiation, he did not rule out war as a last resort as he visited tribes throughout the country to speak about stopping white encroachment. He was killed at the Battle of the Thames.

****

“MONTY PYTHON’S FLYING CIRCUS” PREMIERED ON THIS DAY IN 1969. The wacky comedy series debuted on BBC-1 in Great Britain and aired until 1974. The cast was made up of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and American Terry Gilliam. John Philip Sousa’s “Liberty Bell March” got the show started, and viewers were treated to surreal animation and such skits as “The Spanish Inquisition” and “The Ministry of Silly Walks.” On Oct. 6, 1974, “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” began airing in the U.S. The cast members also made four films together.

****

WORLD TEACHER’S DAY is celebrated on this day as a time to honor teachers and their contributions to learning. For more information, visit un.org.

****

THE BROOKLYN HISTORICAL SOCIETY (BHS) will host “Criminalizing Poverty, Community Organizations and Fighting Back” tonight at 6:30 p.m. It’s been four years since courts determined that New York City’s stop-and-frisk policy was unconstitutional, but communities across the city continue to be subjected to “broken windows” policing. The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund sees the impact of these policies every day as it pays bail for New Yorkers who would otherwise be incarcerated. The Brooklyn Community Bail Fund will discuss how community organizations are fighting back against the criminalization of poverty in New York City. The panel discussion will be moderated by Brooklyn Law School professor and author Jocelyn Simonson with panelists Josmar Trujillo, of the Coalition to End Broken Windows; Alyssa Aguilera, of VOCAL-NY; Imani Henry, community activist with Equality for Flatbush: E4F; and Ben Ndugga-Kabuye, advocacy and research manager for the Black Alliance for Just Immigration. For more information, visit brooklynhistory.org.

****

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

****

“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson, who was born on this day in 1958