On June 1, 1967, the Beatles released their eighth album,
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a concept album
that marked a new creative peak for the Liverpudlian
superstars and that would become a critical favorite in
the history of rock ‘n’ roll.
Norma Jeane Mortenson—who will become better known
around the world as the glamorous actress and sex symbol
Marilyn Monroe—was born on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles,
California. She was later given her mother’s name, and
baptized Norma Jeane Baker.
She was a top-billed actress for a decade, and her films
grossed $200 million (equivalent to $2 billion in 2024) by
her death in 1962.
Her final film was The Misfits (1961), written by Arthur Miller
and co-starring Montgomery Clift and Clark Gable (it would
also be Gable’s final appearance on-screen).
On May 30, 1911, Ray Harroun drove his single-seater Marmon
Wasp to victory in the inaugural Indianapolis 500, now one of
the world’s most famous motor racing competitions.
The Indiana automobile dealer Carl Fisher first proposed building
a private auto testing facility in 1906, in order to address car manufacturers’ inability to test potential top speeds of new cars
due to the poorly developed state of the public roadways.
The result was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, built on 328
acres of farmland five miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis.
By the mid-1920s, the Indy 500 had become what it is today–a
high-paying event for the world’s most expensive cars.
Carl Graham Fisher
(January 12, 1874 – July 15, 1939)
Ray Harroun takes the checkered flag.
Ray Harroun ( 1879 – 1968)
On May 30, 1922, President Warren G. Harding became he first
president to have his voice transmitted by radio while addressing
a crowd at the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial.
The broadcast heralded a revolutionary shift in how presidents addressed the American public. It was not until three years later, however, that a president, Calvin Coolidge, would deliver a radio-
specific address.
In 1920, radio station KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA announced that
Harding was the official winner of that year’s presidential election.
It was the first time election returns were broadcast live. Harding
was an advocate for advanced technology.
In 1923, he recorded a speech on an early “phonograph” that
recorded and played back sound on wax discs. Harding was also
the first president to own a radio and was the first to have one
installed in the White House.
On May 29, 2005, 23-year-old Danica Patrick became the first
female driver to take the lead in the storied Indianapolis 500.
Having previously distinguished herself in the Toyota Atlantic
series, Patrick had qualified fourth—another best for a woman,
for the 89th Indianapolis 500, only her fifth Indy Racing League
event.
Danica Sue Patrick (43) is the most successful woman in
the history of American open-wheel car racing. She retired
after the 2018 season.
