1911

The first Indianapolis 500 auto race was held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; driver Ray Harroun won the race with an average speed of 74.6 mph.

1922

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated in a ceremony attended by President Warren G. Harding, Chief Justice William Howard Taft and Abraham Lincoln’s surviving son, 78-year-old Robert Todd Lincoln.

1935

Babe Ruth played in his last major league baseball game for the Boston Braves, leaving after the first inning of the first game of a double-header against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Ruth announced his retirement three days later.)

1971

The American space probe Mariner 9 blasted off from Cape Kennedy on a journey to Mars.

2002

A solemn, wordless ceremony marked the end of the cleanup at ground zero in New York, 8 1/2 months after the terror attacks of September 11th brought down the World Trade Center’s twin towers.

Birthdays

Actor Keir Dullea is 89. Actor Stephen Tobolowsky is 74. Actor Colm Meaney is 72. Country singer Wynonna Judd is 61. Musician Tom Morello (Audioslave; Rage Against The Machine) is 61. Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua is 60. Actor-singer Idina Menzel is 54. Rapper-singer Cee Lo Green is 50.