Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, 2004 Key to History recipient, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Chair of Revolutionary Yonkers 250 and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, August 25th
August 25, 1907: The contract for building our new City Hall was formally awarded George T. Kelly by the Common Council; his winning bid was $310, 785.
August 25, 1946: Yonkers songstress and Park Hill native Peggy Mann, daughter of Mrs. Charles Germano of 1 Horatio Street, made her debut on the radio program “Hit Parade.” Her co-star? Andy Williams!
Tuesday, August 26th
August 26, 1919: Three hundred employees of Waring Hat Manufacturing Company went on strike, to protest the dismissal of twenty-four employees for union activity.
August 26, 1932: Yonkers Thistles Soccer Team Manager Bill Reddie signed Hugh Gibson of the New York Giants to play for our team; Gibson was considered to be one of the best players in the New York area.
August 26, 1933: National Lawn Tennis Umpire’s Association Chairman Ben Dwight, a former Yonkers Recreation Commissioner, officiated at arguably the most controversial game in Women’s Tennis history!
Helen Wills Moody, Queen of American Tennis and 1924 double Olympic Gold Medal winner, only had lost one tennis game in eight years. She walked off the court when it became evident Helen Jacobs was going to win; she claimed her leg was bothering her. Jacobs won by default. Later that day, Moody wanted to play in the doubles finals but was talked out of it.
Wednesday, August 27th
August 27, 1964: Nothing But a Man, the only American film entered in the Venice Film Festival, was screened.
That same day, the New York Film Festival announced it had selected Nothing But a Man to be a featured film screened at Lincoln Center’s Philharmonic Hall!
Directed and co-written by Leighton Avenue resident Michael Roemer, the independently financed film cost $230,000 andstarred Ivan Dixon and Abbey Lincoln.
August 27, 1964: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made a quiet visit to Sprain Brook Library, now Will Library, on Central Park Avenue to watch the special voter registration campaign being conducted there. He met each one of the registrars and thanked them for their outstanding service.
Thursday, August 28th
August 28, 1936: Yonkers SPCA created drinking stations for dogs throughout Yonkers, hoping dogs would be less likely to bite if they had access to water and were well hydrated in the summer heat.
August 28, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt promoted Yonkers High School graduate and Riverdale Avenue resident Frederick Hopkins, Jr. to the rank of Major.
An officer in the Army Air Corps, he served as Redistribution and Salvage officer at Air Force headquarters during WWII. In August 1945 he was named Commanding General of the Seventh Fighter Command of the 20th Air Force and Commanding General of the Pacific Air Service Command in November 1946. He retired in the 1950s as an Air Force Major General.
Friday, August 29th
August 29, 1935: Captain Frank Brady was promoted to Major in the Army Air Corps. Brady, son of YPD Captain Hugh Brady, was part of the search party for Dr. Pisculli and his plane.
August 29, 1951: Yonkers’ boxer Roger Donoghue fought in Madison Square Garden. Slated to fight George Flores, Donoghue didn’t want to fight a man he already had knocked out, but went ahead with the bout. He again knocked out Flores, but this time the injured man did not regain consciousness.
Diagnosed with a severe concussion and a possible fractured skull, Flores died two weeks later. After giving his prize money to the Flores family, Donoghue withdrew from boxing. The Yonkers man went on to a career as a Hollywood consultant, teaching Marlin Brando how to fight for his role in “On the Waterfront,” and training James Dean on the set of “Rebel Without a Cause.
Saturday, August 30th
August 30, 1926: After a police chase complete with gunfire, Patrolmen Thomas Coombs and John Baldwin captured the two men who robbed and assaulted a man in front of Holy Rosary Church Rectory. Coombs, hearing the victim’s weak cry for help from Woodworth Avenue, called for additional police assistance; the partners captured the men at Ashburton and Park Avenues. The men stole $210 from the victim, a Glenwood Avenue resident.
August 30, 1945: Brigadier General Frederick M. Hopkins Jr. of Riverdale Avenue received the Distinguished Service Medal from President Truman at a White House ceremony!
In his position of Controlled Materials Officer for the Army Air Forces, Hopkins was responsible for expansion of government aircraft facilities by procuring plants, machine tools, equipment, and construction materials. He obtained maximum production by developing a highly efficient system, while handling labor and power issues. His system greatly benefited the Army Air Forces.
His citation read in part, “He demonstrated rare foresight, exceptional leadership, professional knowledge and experience, high organizational ability and efficiency and an ardent devotion to duty. General Hopkins’ services were an outstanding contribution to the success of the Army Air Forces and the war effort.”
Sunday, August 31st
August 31, 1778: Stockbridge Indians were killed near McLean and Kimball Avenues, while fighting for the young United States; the massacre today is known as the Battle of Kingsbridge or the Stockbridge Massacre. Hundreds of Queens Rangers attacked fifty noble Mohicans on DeVoe Property.
August 31, 1914: Elisabeth Duncan, sister of Isadora Duncan, arrived in Yonkers with nine little charges from the Duncan School in the European War Zone. Grand Duke of Darmstadt-Hesse had created an Art Nouveau complex for Elisabeth in Germany, with a boarding school and parkland for expressive dance. Arriving in NY, Ellis Island Immigration Authorities detained the children. Duncan established her Yonkers school at 360 North Broadway, teaching esthetic dancing until the war was over.
Questions or comments on this column? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com.
For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org.
