MILESTONES: September 20, birthdays for George R.R. Martin, Jon Bernthal, John Tavares

Brooklyn Today

September 20, 2017 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

George R.R. Martin. Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

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On this day in 1928, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that a strong gale had hit Brooklyn, with photos showing citizens braving the winds and flooding, at Borough Hall and around Flatbush.

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On this day in 1933, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that NYC Comptroller Candidate Frank J. Prial captured all five boroughs in the primary election. His victory shook up the Democratic Party machinery of the time and forecast huge changes at Tammany Hall.

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On this day in 1952, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle front page reported that vice presidential candidate Richard Nixon had to testify about a special political fund that, while not in itself illegal, raised questions about conflict of interest. Eisenhower and Nixon, his running mate on the Republican ticket, would go on to win the 1952 presidential election.

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actress MAGGIE CHEUNG, who was born in 1964; artist DALE CHIHULY, who was born in 1941; actor GARY COLE, who was born in 1956; former U.S. Poet Laureate DONALD A. HALL, who was born in 1928; actress KRISTEN JOHNSTON, who was born in 1967; Hall of Fame hockey player GUY DAMIEN LaFLEUR, who was born in 1951; Oscar Award-winning actress SOPHIA LOREN, who was born in 1934; author GEORGE R.R. MARTIN, who was born in 1948; and New York Islanders captain JOHN TAVARES, who was born in 1990.

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BILLIE JEAN KING WON THE “BATTLE OF THE SEXES” ON THIS DAY IN 1973. She defeated Bobby Riggs in the nationally televised tennis match in three straight sets.

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UPTON SINCLAIR WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1878. The American novelist and politician worked for political and social reforms, and his best-known novel, “The Jungle,” prompted one of the nation’s first pure food laws. Sinclair died in 1968.

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“M SQUAD” PREMIERED ON THIS DAY IN 1957. The half-hour crime series featured a theme song composed by Count Basie and actor Lee Marvin as Lt. Frank Ballinger, a Chicago cop assigned to a unit that investigates murders. In one episode, “The Teacher,” Burt Reynolds played one of his first major roles.

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RED AUERBACH WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1917. The Brooklyn-born basketball coach won nine NBA titles as coach of the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1966. After retiring from coaching, Auerbach was either general manager or president of the Celtics from 1966 until 1997. He was team president from 2001 until his death at Washington, D.C., in 2006. In 1980, he was named the greatest coach in NBA history by the Professional Basketball Writers Association and is widely considered to be the best sports executive in history.

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THE FINANCIAL PANIC OF 1873 OCCURRED ON THIS DAY. For the first time in its history, the New York Stock Exchange was forced to close because of a banking crisis. Although the worst of the panic and crisis was over within a week, the psychological effect on businesspeople, investors and the nation at large was more lasting.

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

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“It is foolish to be convinced without evidence, but it is equally foolish to refuse to be convinced by real evidence.” — Upton Sinclair, who was born on this day in 1878