The iconic Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. Three years later, a New Yorker named Steve Brodie claimed to have survived a jump off the span, and newspapers eagerly reported the stunt, allegedly done as part of a bet. Vaulted to sudden fame, Brodie embarked on a successful stage career and opened the popular Bowery Tavern. "To pull a Brodie" even became a slang term for doing something flamboyant and dangerous, but Brodie's dubious claim about his leap was later disputed. What really happened? Discuss (http://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst37796_Man-Causes-a-Sensation-by-Jumping-off-Brooklyn-Bridge-Or-Not--1886-.aspx)
Free Dictionary Encyclopedia