Football Stars, Space Selfies, and Volcano Fire!
Welcome to November 12th, a day full of surprises! We’ve got history spanning from ancient kingdoms to the Space Age. Today, we celebrate the very first professional football player and witness a major battle in the stars—well, near Saturn in space! Get ready to blast off into these awesome moments that all happened on this day.
Did you know that on this day, not only did the world get its first professional football player, but an astronaut took the *first space selfie*? Talk about a big day for firsts! Whether it’s on the field or out in the cosmos, November 12th proves history is never boring.
What Happened on This Day
Football Gets Its First Pro Player!
Imagine playing a sport you love and suddenly getting paid for it! That’s what happened on November 12, 1892, when William 'Pudge' Heffelfinger played his first paid game for the Allegheny Athletic Association. Before this, players were supposed to be amateurs. Pudge earned a whopping $500—a massive amount back then! This game is officially recognized as the first time someone was paid to play American football, kicking off the professional sports world we know today.
Mount Vesuvius Wakes Up with a Roar!
In 1867, the famous, and sometimes grumpy, volcano Mount Vesuvius in Italy started a major eruption that lasted for months! Vesuvius is the same volcano that famously buried the ancient Roman city of Pompeii centuries earlier. While this eruption wasn't as devastating as that ancient one, it certainly reminded everyone in Italy that they lived near a very powerful natural force. Imagine the ground shaking for months—that’s some serious earth-rumbling action!
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Buzz Aldrin Takes the First Space Selfie
Space travel just got cooler! On November 12, 1966, astronaut Buzz Aldrin was on the Gemini 12 mission. During a spacewalk, he managed to snap a picture of *himself*—making it the very first selfie taken in space! Think about trying to hold a camera steady while floating outside your spaceship! It’s a snapshot of history that proves even when humans are exploring the final frontier, they still like to take a cool picture.
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Huge Naval Battle Rages Near Guadalcanal
World War II had a massive naval battle start near Guadalcanal on November 12, 1942. It was an intense, three-day fight between American and Japanese forces on the sea! Naval battles are like giant water fights where massive ships fire huge cannons at each other. This specific clash, part of the larger Guadalcanal Campaign, was super important for the U.S. to control the area. The Americans eventually won, which was a big turning point in that part of the war.
The World Wide Web Gets Its Official Idea
This one changed how you learn about history! On November 12, 1990, a super-smart scientist named Tim Berners-Lee wrote down his official proposal for something called the 'World Wide Web.' This wasn't the internet you use today—it was the blueprint for linking documents together with hyperlinks, basically creating the structure for all the websites we click on! Without this proposal, 'History's Not Boring' might still be printed on scrolls!
Learn moreFun Facts About November 12
- Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $500 in 1892—more than many people earned in a whole year!
- The Gemini 12 mission also studied how humans could work effectively in space for long periods.
- In 954, a 13-year-old boy named Lothair III was crowned King of the West Frankish Kingdom.
- Ellis Island, a major gateway for US immigrants, stopped operations on November 12, 1954.
A Look Back in Time
November 12th often lands during a busy time of year historically! In the late 19th century, as seen with Pudge Heffelfinger's football debut, the US was rapidly modernizing, turning sports into big business. Earlier in the year, wars like the one near Guadalcanal were raging, showing the massive global conflicts of the 1940s. More recently, the 1990s brought the invention of the World Wide Web, which quickly connected the entire planet, making historical sharing (like this page!) instant across continents.
Born on This Day
Grace Kelly
This American actress starred in classic movies like *Rear Window* before retiring from Hollywood to marry Prince Rainier III. She became Princess Grace of Monaco, balancing her royal duties with charity work for children and the arts.
Neil Young
A legendary Canadian singer-songwriter, Neil Young is famous for his long career in rock, folk, and country music. His distinctive voice and guitar playing have inspired countless musicians over the decades!
Anne Hathaway
This super-talented American actress shot to fame in *The Princess Diaries*! She’s won an Oscar for her role in *Les Misérables* and is known for playing a wide variety of characters in movies and TV.
Ryan Gosling
This Canadian actor started in TV before becoming a huge movie star in films like *The Notebook* and *La La Land*. He’s known for being able to switch between serious drama and fun musicals!