History Brooklyn Boro

April 17, birthdays for Rooney Mara, Jennifer Garner, Boomer Esiason

Brooklyn Today

April 17, 2015 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Verrazano Bridge photo by Rick Buttacavoli

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Greetings, Brooklyn. Today is the 107th day of the year.

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ON THIS DAY in 1908, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle published an article titled “Eight Years In Prison; Absolutely Innocent.”

The article focused on a wrongfully accused Brooklynite starting the pardoning process required to be released from jail.

“After serving eight years of a 15-year sentence as ‘Milwaukee Red,’ a famous Western crook, Joseph Brennan, a Brooklyn young man, has now proved himself to have been the victim of a mistake in identity and within a few days his pardon will be recommended to the consideration of the state Senate,” the Eagle reported.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include “Game of Thrones” actor SEAN BEAN, who was born in 1958; designer and singer VICTORIA ADAMS BECKHAM, who was born in 1975; sportscaster NORMAN JULIUS “BOOMER” ESIASON, who was born in 1961; “Dallas Buyers Club” actress JENNIFER GARNER, who was born in 1972; “Romeo and Juliet” actress OLIVIA HUSSEY, who was born in 1951; “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” actress ROONEY MARA, who was born in 1985; feminist and writer CYNTHIA OZICK, who was born in 1928; singer/songwriter LIZ PHAIR, who was born in 1967; and “Waiting to Exhale” actress LELA ROCHON, who was born in 1966.

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TODAY IS VERRAZZANO DAY. This holiday celebrates the discovery of the New York harbor by Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Florentine navigator, 1485-1527. Explorer Verrazzano is the namesake of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The spelling of the explorer’s last name, which originally contained two Zs, was changed to one Z for the spelling of the bridge.

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“PARTY FOR A PARKINSON’S CURE” will take place on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Diamond in Greenpoint. The event is free, but 100 percent of donations go toward supporting research to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease. The fundraiser is organized by a Parkinson’s Unity Walk team. For more information about the Central Park walk, see unitywalk.org.

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