Event of 1886: Steve Brodie is reported to have made a jump from the Brooklyn Bridge, a claim s

Background. Steve Brodie, an American from Manhattan, claimed to have jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge on July 23, 1886, and survived. The bridge, then known as the East River Bridge, had opened just three years prior. Brodie was penniless by July 1886, having lost a fortune on race tracks and betting games, which motivated the stunt.

Dispute. Brodie's claim to be the first person to jump off the bridge and survive was disputed. It was alleged that a dummy was thrown from the bridge and that Brodie slipped out of a rowboat. A retired police sergeant, Thomas K., was reported in 1930 as a friend of Brodie, adding to the controversy.

Aftermath. Brodie parlayed the alleged jump into a thriving saloon and a career as a performer. However, his status as the first survivor was challenged when Larry Donovan jumped from a higher point one month later, making him the first confirmed survivor. Brodie later jumped from the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge in 1888.