National League umpire Bill Klem in 1914, from Yonkers. Klem holds the major league record for umpiring the most World Series, a total of 18.
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Revolutionary Yonkers 250 Chair and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, January 27th
January 27, 1923: Sara McPike was appointed secretary of the State Department of Labor; her official duties would start a month later on March 1st.
January 27, 1942: An anonymous Yonkers housewife offered $500 to establish a fund for sponsorship of a Navy bomber to be called “The City of Yonkers.” The woman, a client of attorney Albert Jordan, was a housewife of moderate means who wanted to do something concrete in the war effort.
January 27, 1943: Thousands of Smith Carpet workers at a company rally pledged to “…to work as hard for our boys on fronts all over the world as they are fighting for the people at home.”
Major Clement Bishop addressing the workers the workers reminded the crowd they were “…the army behind the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard—the soldiers of the production line.”
Tuesday, January 28th
January 28, 1943: Yonkers Fire Chief Edward Siller began a campaign to compel people to remove “encumbrances from fire escapes!” Firefighters on inspection duty reported “flagrant violations” all over Yonkers. Siller believed people didn’t think of fire escapes as emergency exits; instead, they thought the exits were “part of their apartments,” using them to store food, put chairs on them and decorated them with flowerpots. He reported several firefighters were injured by falling items; worse, some fire emergency escapes were blocked, making them useless.
This was the first and “final warning; summonses would be issued” because it was the “only way the law can be enforced.” Yonkers imposed fines ranging from $5 to $50 for a first offense, depending on how bad the blockage was.
Wednesday, January 29th
January 29, 1944: While on routine patrol, Patrolman Michael Novotny spotted what could have been the answer to a prayer for a thirsty police officer; being a good officer, Novotny followed the rules and reported a keg of beer rolling down Herriot Street! The keg had fallen off an Eichler Beer truck as the driver turned the corner. Novotny was able to grab it and called the Third Precinct to send a car to bring it to the station house.
What was its final disposition? Third Precinct Lieutenant Sheeky called Eichler Brewery… the employee answering the phone appreciated the Yonekrs police cooperation, so instructed Sheeky to “Go ahead and tap it!” He didn’t. Instead, he found the driver who lost the keg and gave it back to him!
Thursday, January 30th
January 30, 1920: For the second time, Stephen Roberts made a hole-in-one on the Dunwoodie Country Club thirteenth hole. His first ace, on the very same hole, happened three years earlier.
January 30, 1923: Motion Picture heartthrob Rudolph Valentino was guest speaker at the Westchester Federation of Women’s Club meeting at the Yonkers YWCA. He addressed more than 250 women on “What the Public Gets.”
January 30, 1943: Boyce Thompson Institute dismantled a large crane used to provide night light to their greenhouses; once taken apart, it was donated to the Yonkers Scrap Metal Drive.
Friday, January 31st
January 31, 1916: Theater operator F. F. Proctor opened his 27th theater on South Broadway across from City Hall; it was known as the Palace.
January 31, 1919: Nationally known baseball umpire William J. Klem of 610 South Broadway, declared it was only a matter of time until baseball would become “America’s national game and the world’s favorite sport.”
A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Klem had an uncanny eye for calling balls and strikes and was nicknamed the “Old Arbitrator.”
Saturday, February 1st
February 1, 1927: Yonkers residents in the Gray Oaks area protested the change of name of the City Tuberculosis Hospital on Saw Mill River Road to Grey Oaks Hospital. The protesters maintained the hospital was not in the Grey Oaks community, but in Nepera Park, and the name would reduce their property value. They did not win. The property was sold to Precision Valve in 1957.
February 1, 1934: A flashlight proved to be the undoing of three teenage thieves caught in the act! While Patrolman Edward Merlin was walking his night beat, he noticed a moving light in Joseph Kohn’s Rug and Linoleum Shop on New Main Street. Investigating, he found one teen and arrested him. After turning the fellow over to the Emergency Squad, he went back and found the other two hiding behind rolls of linoleum. When searched at Police Headquarters, one of the teens had money taken from Kohn’s register.
Sunday, February 2nd
February 2, 1918: The weather in Yonkers was so cold there was a three inch layer of ice on the Hudson off Yonkers! The steamer Ben Franklin had to cut her way through the ice on the Hudson.
The Hudson was frozen over for more than a month, and coal supplies were running low. Since Otis had not received word from the government a shipment of coal was on its way, the company closed down at noon to conserve fuel.
The temperature at the Empire City Racetrack at 10 a.m. was six below zero.
February 2, 1931: For the second time, Yonkers’ Carlos Henriquez won Wrestling Champion of all Spanish Speaking countries! Henriquez defeated Jack Russell in Mexico City after 32 minutes of grappling; the winner employed a flying tackle, throwing Russell flat.
The audience of 8000 people included President of Mexico Ortiz Rubio, the American Ambassador Dwight Morrow and Governor Alfred Gomez of Toluca. This was one of the largest wrestling tournaments ever staged in Mexico City.
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.
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