History Of The Day - Man Causes a Sensation by Jumping off Brooklyn Bridge—Or Not (1886)

[TFD]

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



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