_{The Flying Scotsman becomes the first steam locomotive authenticated to hit 100 mph, November 30, 1934}

Today in History

• The Folies Bergère stages its first revue (1886)
• The Flying Scotsman becomes the first steam locomotive to reach 100 mph (1934)
• Lucille Ball marries Desi Arnaz (1940)
• The Hodges Meteorite crashes through a roof in Sylacauga, Alabama, killing a woman taking an afternoon nap — the only documented case of a human being hit by a rock from space (1954)
• Barbados and Yemen gain independence from the United Kingdom (1967)
• Zulkifar Ali Bhutto founds the Pakistan Peoples Party (1967)
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the best-selling record album in history, is released (1982)
• Operation Desert Storm officially ends (1995)
• Exxon and Mobil merge to create the world’s largest company (1999)
• Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings finally loses after amassing the biggest game show winnings (over US$2 million) in television history (2004)

Birthdays

• Gregory of Tours, bishop and saint (539)
• Andrea Doria, Italian admiral (1466)
• Jonathan Swift, writer (1667)
• Oliver Winchester, gun manufacturer (1810)
• Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), writer (1835)
• Winston Churchill, prime minister (1874)
• Lucy Maud Montgomery, writer (1874)
• John Dickson Carr, mystery writer (1906)
• Jacques Barzun, historian (1907)
• Gordon Parks, cinematographer (1912)
• Efrem Zimbalist Jr, actor (1918)
• Virginia Mayo, actress (1920)
• Shirley Chisholm, presidential candidate (1924)
• Allan Sherman, comedian (1924)
• Richard Crenna, actor (1926)
• Robert Guillaume, actor (1927)
• Dick Clark, television personality (1929)
• G. Gordon Liddy, Watergate figure (1930)
• Abbie Hoffman, yippie (1936)
• Ridley Scott, director (1937)
• Dian Parkinson, model (1944)
• David Mamet, playwright and director (1947)
• Chris Claremont, comic book writer (1950)
• Mandy Patinkin, actor and singer (1952)
• June Pointer, singer (1953)
• Billy Idol, singer-songwriter (1955)
• Bob Tewksbury, baseball player and coach (1960)
• Bo Jackson, football and baseball player (1962)
• Ben Stiller, actor (1965)
• Clay Aiken, singer (1978)
• Elisha Cuthbert, actress (1982)
• Kaley Cuoco, actress (1985)

Deaths

• Oscar Wilde, writer (1900)
• Zeppo Marx, comedian (1979)
• Tiny Tim, ukulele player and singer (1996)
• Charlie Byrd, jazz guitarist (1999)
• Eloise Jarvis McGraw, fantasy writer (2000)
• Evel Knievel, stuntman (2007)

Holidays and Celebrations

• Bonifacio Day (Philippines)
• Cities for Life Day (International)
• Computer Security Day
• Independence Day (Barbados)
• Independence Day (Yemen)
• National Day (Benin)
• National Meth Awareness Day
• National Mousse Day
• Regina Mundi Day (South Africa)
• St. Andrew’s Day (Scotland)
• Stay Home Because You’re Well Day

November 30 is the 334th day of the year (335th in leap years). There are 31 days remaining until the end of the year.