Monday, November 21, 2005

Bridging the boroughs...

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, my friends and I would take the ferry to Staten Island on a hot day just to cruise the waters of New York harbor to get a cooling breeze. The trip would start with a bus ride to South Brooklyn and then the ferry ride to Richmond a.k.a. Staten Island. Once we got to Staten Island we did what most people do when they reach that wayward borough, we turned around and came back home. The ferry between the boroughs would run until the day it was no longer needed. That day was November 21, 1964 when the world's longest suspension bridge opened...

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge had its first and only blissful traffic jam when the span officially opened to traffic at 3pm after a brief statement by Mayor Robert Wagner about "a new summit of achievement, biggest, most beautiful, princely, stately, etcetera". Wagner was so happy, probably because he didn't have to pay the 50 cent toll linking the two boroughs like 22-year old George Scarpelli, a parks department employee did. The Staten Islander happily loaded his Cadillac with 6 of his buddies to become the first official passenger to use the bridge. His toll was taken by collector Larry Chrusano, who pocketed the 50 cents, replacing it with money of his own...

5,000 cars streamed across the bridge in its first hour of operation and interestingly enough, yet predictably, 70% of the traffic went from Staten Island to Brooklyn. It must have seemed to Staten Islanders like they had discovered a link to the rest of the world...

In all fairness, tons of Brooklynites would settle on the "other" side of the bridge. Prices were more reasonable and there were plenty of open spaces to call home. You might say the two boroughs got married that day and all it cost was 50 cents...

More November 21 Memories...

1620) The Mayflower reaches Provincetown, MA (the Pilgrims would settle in Plymouth on December 26th)...

1877) Thomas A. Edison announces the invention of the phonograph or as he calls it, his "talking machine"...

1922) Rebecca L. Felton of Georgia is sworn in as the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate...

1959) Jack Benny (violin) and future President Richard Nixon (piano) jam on TV...

1963) JFK and Jackie arrive in San Antonio where they will begin an ill-fated 2-day tour of Texas...

1968) The Supremes and Temptations release "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"...

1973) Nixon attorney, J. Fred (not Muggs) Buzhardt announces an 18 1/2 minute gap in one of the White House tapes related to Watergate (oops)...

1980) An estimated 83 million viewers tune in to find out "who shot J.R." on Dallas. In case you were hidden under a rock at the time, Kristin was the character that fired the gun...

1980) 87 perish in a tragic fire at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas...

1980) Gene Michael is named the 25th Yankee manager, replacing Dick Howser (contrary to popular belief, "The Stick" was not the 25th manager named by George Steinbrenner, it just seems like it)...

1981) Quarterback Jim McMahon caps his record-setting college career at Brigham Young by passing for 565 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 56-28 victory over Utah (McMahon set 70 NCAA passing marks at BYU, paving the way for notable successor, Steve Young)...

1982) The NFL resumes its season following a 57-day player's strike...

1982) Joni Mitchell marries her bass player, Larry Klein (after the ceremony Joni announces that she has paved paradise)...

1983) New York Ranger Ron Greschner marries model Carol Alt...

1987) Demi Moore and Bruce Willis walk down the aisle...

1995) "Toy Story", starring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen premieres (the movie will gross $300 million in one year)...

1995) The "Beatles Anthology I" sets a first-day sales record, selling 450,000 units (a new song, "Free As A Bird" is contained in the anthology)...

1995) The Dow Jones closes above 5,000 for the 1st time...

2000) The Florida Supreme Court grants Democrat Al Gore's request to keep the presidential recounts going (earth to Al, earth to Al: YOU LOST!!!)...

2003) Phil Spector is charged with the murder of Lana Clarkson at his home the previous February. Spector pleads innocent...

Happy Birthday To...

1920) Baseball Hall of Famer Stan Musial...

1937) Marlo Thomas...

1940) Dr. John...

1942) Tweety Bird...

1944) Earl ("The Pearl") Monroe...

1945) Goldie Hawn...

1950) Livingston (brother of James) Taylor...

1952) Lorna Luft (half-sister of Liza's)...

1963) Nicollette Sheridan...

1971) Giants defensive lineman Michael Strahan...