TODAY IN HISTORY

May 30, 1989

Student protesters in Beijing erected a “Goddess of Democracy” statue in Tiananmen Square

ON THIS DATE 1911

The first Indy 500 took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the winner was Ray Harroun, who drove a Marmon Wasp for more than 61⁄2 hours at an average speed of 74.6 mph and collected a prize of $10,000.

1935

Babe Ruth played in his last Major League Baseball game for the Boston Braves.

2002

A solemn, wordless ceremony marked the end of the agonizing cleanup at ground zero in New York, 81⁄2 months after 9/11.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

Actress Ruta Lee is 85. Actor Keir Dullea is

84. Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers is 77. Rock musician Lenny Davidson is 76. Actor Stephen Tobolowsky is

69. Actor Colm Meaney is 67. Actor Ted McGinley is 62. Actor Ralph Carter is 59. Actress Tonya Pinkins is 58. Country singer Wynonna Judd is 56. Rock musician Tom Morello is 56. Actor Mark Sheppard is 56. Movie director Antoine Fuqua is 55. Actor John Ross Bowie is 49. Rock musician Patrick Dahlheimer is 49. Actress Idina Menzel is 49. Actor Trey Parker is 48. Actor Blake Bashoff is 39. Christian rock musician James Smith is 38. Actress Javicia Leslie is 33. Actor Jake Short is 23. Actor Sean Giambrone is 21. Actor Jared Gilmore is 20.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“There are two statements about human beings that are true: that all human beings are alike, and that all are different. On those two facts all human wisdom is founded.”

— Mark Van Doren, American poet (1894-1972).