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MILESTONES: August 9, birthdays for Anna Kendrick, Michael Kors, Deion Sanders

August 9, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Anna Kendrick. Photo by Dan Steinberg/Invision for Universal Pictures/AP Images
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Greetings, Brooklyn.  Today is the 221st day of the year.

ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Wilbert Robinson, a bluff, lusty relic of the old, more red-blooded days of baseball, died suddenly of hemorrhage of the brain at the age of 70 in Atlanta, Ga., last night … He died president of the Atlanta club of the Southern Association, but the peak of his career, spanning approximately 50 years in baseball as player, coach, manager and club president, was maintained over the 17-year period he managed the Brooklyn Dodgers. Under Robinson’s guiding genius, the team won two pennants and its franchise became the richest in the National League and the second richest in all baseball, being topped only by the New York Yankees.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1845, the Eagle published the following book review: “Library of American Books: “Tales,” by Edgar A. Poe. Wiley and Putnam, New York: 1845 — With all Mr. Poe’s severity — we might say harshness — of criticism upon his contemporary authors (and particularly the poets) we consider him one of our best and most deserving writers. The facility with which he dashes off stories of an exciting and highly intellectual character, not less than the fluency with which he deals out the most pointed sarcasm and the broadest satire, would astonish us if we had not already learned his depth. The leading story — “The Gold Bug” — took a prize of $500; and yet it scarcely surpasses in interest several others in the volume which probably did not yield him one-twentieth part of that sum. We could hardly introduce our friends to a more pleasant compagnon du voyage — or for that matter, compagnon du shade — than this volume. — Price, 50 cents.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1908, the Eagle reported, “Lemans, France, August 8 — Wilbur Wright of Dayton, Ohio, made a flight of from 2½ to 3½ kilometers with his aeroplane here this afternoon. The official time was 1 minute 46 seconds. Throughout the flight Mr. Wright had perfect control of the machine. No attempt was made for a distance record, the only object of the flight being to try out the aeroplane. While flying through the air, Wright demonstrated — or so it appeared to the spectators — that he was absolute master of the airship, first soaring, then shooting gracefully downward and then mounting again at will, until finally, after completing two circles, he came down easily to earth. Afterward Mr. Wright said to the Associated Press, ‘I am perfectly satisfied with my first flight. I made one or two little mistakes, but I am confident that I shall be able to do all I hope for in later trials, probably next week.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “Washington, Aug. 9 (AP) — President [Franklin] Roosevelt today nationalized the nation’s store of silver and called for its delivery to the United States mints within 90 days at a price of 50.01 cents an ounce. The action was taken by executive order under authority granted by Congress in the Silver Purchase Act passed last session. Secretary of the Treasury [Henry] Morgenthau made public the order and an accompanying presidential proclamation at a press conference. In taking over the silver, Morgenthau told reporters the government was exercising the right of eminent domain … The nationalization of silver followed by a little more than a year a somewhat similar action with gold, although in the case of silver the government will not withdraw coins from circulation.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1936, the Eagle reported, “Berlin, Aug. 8 (AP) — This tremendous popularity is beginning to grate on Jesse Owens’ nerves. After today’s 400-meter relay race he had to move his seat in the stands in order to escape the autograph seekers and amateur photographers. ‘I’m all shaky,’ the Ohio State runner said afterward. A large pair of dark glasses failed to hide his identity. He is almost mobbed everywhere he goes. Crowds wait before the door of the Bautzen house where he lives in the Olympic Village. Despite his amazing speed, it often takes him half an hour to cross the door sill.”

It was also reported from Berlin, “Two young Brooklynites today were bristling under the sting of American amateur athletic officialdom’s newest rebukes. Eleanor Holm Jarrett, champagne-drinking swimmer, can’t swim in any more amateur meets in Europe, she was informed by Dr. Leo Donath, secretary of the International Swimming Federation, who said he was acting under orders from Avery Brundage, president … Marty Glickman of 1111 E. 15th St., Brooklyn … dropped from the American sprint relay team, charged that politics was responsible for the shift in the quartet to run in the 400-meter race. Dropped with the young Brooklyn runner was Sam Stoller of Cincinnati.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE born on this day include actress GILLIAN ANDERSON, who was born in 1968; actor ERIC BANA, who was born in 1968; actress AMANDA BEARSE, who was born in 1958; actress JESSICA CAPSHAW, who was born in 1976; Hall of Fame basketball player and former coach BOB COUSY, who was born in 1928; actor SAM ELLIOTT, who was born in 1944; basketball player DEREK FISHER, who was born in 1974; actress MELANIE GRIFFITH, who was born in 1957; Hall of Fame hockey player BRETT HULL, who was born in 1964; actress ANNA KENDRICK, who was born in 1985; fashion designer MICHAEL KORS, who was born in 1959; Hall of Fame tennis player ROD LAVER, who was born in 1938; actor KEVIN McKIDD, who was born in 1973; former boxer KEN NORTON SR., who was born in 1945; Hall of Fame football player and former baseball player DEION SANDERS, who was born in 1967; comedian DAVID STEINBERG, who was born in 1942; and actress AUDREY TAUTOU, who was born in 1976.

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THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON NAGASAKI ON THIS DAY IN 1945. Three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, an American B-29 bomber named Bock’s Car left its base on Tinian Island carrying a plutonium bomb nicknamed “Fat Man.” Its target was the Japanese city of Kokura, but because of clouds and poor visibility, the bomber headed for a secondary target, Nagasaki, where it dropped the bomb, killing an estimated 70,000 people and destroying about half the city. Memorial services are held annually at Nagasaki and also at Kokura, where those who were spared because of the bad weather also grieve for those at Nagasaki who suffered in their stead.

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JACQUELINE COCHRAN DIED ON THIS DAY IN 1980. The American pilot began flying in 1932, and by the time of her death, she had set more distance, speed and altitude records than any other pilot, male or female. She was the founder and head of the WASPs (Women’s Air Force Service Pilots) during World War II. She won the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945 and the U.S. Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross in 1969. Cochran died in California.

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WHITNEY HOUSTON WAS BORN ON THIS DAY IN 1963. Equally adept at danceable pop, stirring gospel and dramatic balladry the singer was one of the most influential recording artists in music history, and one of the most accomplished: she had a vocal range of three octaves. Early chart success was unprecedented, as her 1985 debut “Whitney Houston” and “Whitney,” its 1987 follow-up, produced eight number-one singles and went on to sell more than 50 million copies combined. “I Will Always Love You,” her 1992 single from the film “The Bodyguard,” in which she also starred, topped the Billboard charts for a record 14 weeks and became her signature song. After Houston’s accidental death in February 2012 in California, the hit was also the song that came to define her effusive singing style. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 almost immediately and peaked at number 3.

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

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“The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.” — Edward John Phelps

 

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