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Finding Indiana: The story of Charlie Wiggins, ‘The Negro Speed King’

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Finding Indiana: The story of Charlie Wiggins, ‘The Negro Speed King’


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A fearless and decided man from Evansville drove his manner into historical past as a race automobile driver in the course of the early Twenties and ’30s, however his story is broadly unknown. 

Charlie Wiggins was born on July 15, 1897, to Sport and Jennie Wiggins. The household lived in a segregated a part of town referred to as Bapisttown. The couple had 4 boys: Charlie, Lawrence, Walter, and Hershel.

Wiggins’ childhood ended abruptly when his mother died when he was 9 years outdated. Wiggins left college to assist help his dad and siblings. He landed his first job shining footwear close to downtown Evansville, and, by 1917, he was working as a chief mechanic on the Benninghoff-Nolan storage.

Wiggins developed a love for automobiles and racing early. 

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His niece, Rochelle Wiggins-Morton, describes his early goals to develop into a race automobile driver: “Uncle Charlie all the time heard concerning the Indianapolis 500 and he was decided as a younger child that he was going to come back up right here [Indianapolis] and he was going to race in that race. However, as he bought older, he came upon that it may not be as simple to realize as he thought it could be. ” 

After the dying of his father, Wiggins, his spouse, Roberta, and his three brothers moved to Indianapolis for a recent new begin.

Together with his sights set on racing, Wiggins started work on a particular venture, his personal do-it-yourself race automobile referred to as the “Wiggins Particular.” When he wasn’t constructing his automobile, he was working as a mechanic.

In 1920, Wiggins utilized to enter the Indy 500 as a driver however was rejected. On the time, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway didn’t enable Black drivers or mechanics within the race.

Wiggins additionally confronted the brutal actuality of racism in additional methods than one.  

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“The KKK individuals bought wind of it as a result of he wasn’t being quiet about this and [they] began doing little methods and issues to discourage him, however all they did was make him extra decided than ever that he was going to race on the Motor Speedway,” Morton mentioned.

To not be defeated, Wiggins continued to work on his race automobile, hoping to in the future put it on the observe.

His likelihood to race would come almost 4 years later, in 1924. 

A gaggle of businessmen created the Coloured Speedway Affiliation and held their very own race, referred to as the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes, on the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The race was particularly for Black individuals.

Wiggins entered the competitors in 1925.  A 12 months later, he took house his first victory. After which, he went on a sizzling streak. Wiggins gained the race in 1931, 1932, and 1933 and earned a brand new title: “The Negro Velocity King.”

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His wins garnered him loads of consideration from different drivers, together with these on the Indy 500.

Wiggins’ success on the observe landed him a job as a mechanic on Invoice Cummings’ 1934 Indy 500 automobile, however Wiggins needed to gown as a janitor to get into the observe. As soon as inside, he labored on Cummings’ automobile in secrecy. Cummings gained the race that 12 months and later gave credit score to Wiggins. 

Wiggins returned to racing, however it wouldn’t be lengthy earlier than tragedy struck.

Throughout a race in 1936, he was concerned in a 13-car crash. Climate circumstances earlier within the day worsened the observe, making it onerous to drive and see in the course of the race.

“One of many automobiles stalled and the automobiles had been coming and there was this large, large crash…Uncle Charlie crashed his automobile. He was within the automobile partially because it was burning and somebody pulled him the remainder of the best way out of the automobile,” Wiggins’ niece, Angie Rogers, defined.

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Wiggins survived however misplaced a leg and his proper eye.

Cherished by many within the metropolis,  individuals rallied in help of Wiggins. Whereas he spent hours in surgical procedure, lots of of Black individuals donated blood to assist together with his restoration.

The crash ended Wiggins’ profession as a driver. Nonetheless, he was no stranger to bumps within the highway. The “Velocity King” went on to make his personal prosthetic leg out of wooden and continued to work as a mechanic for the rest of his life. 

Wiggins died in 1979 when he was 82 years outdated.

In 2002, writer Todd Gould revealed a e-book, “For Gold and Glory,” concerning the racing champion. Now, Ed Welburn, the primary Black vice chairman of world design at Common Motors, is bringing Wiggins’ story to the large display. 

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“For years, I saved saying somebody must make a function film. I employed a staff of veteran film trade writers and producers and acquired the rights to the story in Todd Gould’s e-book and employed him as an adviser. We’re within the midst of creating a function movie,” Welburn mentioned.

In the present day, Wiggins is honored with a historic Mural at West 29th and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. streets in Indianapolis, and Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke proclaimed June 23 as Charlie Wiggins Day.

Now and ceaselessly, he’s Indiana’s “Negro Velocity King.”





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How to watch Indiana vs No. 23 Iowa women's college basketball: Schedule, streaming info, game preview

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How to watch Indiana vs No. 23 Iowa women's college basketball: Schedule, streaming info, game preview


Conference play in women’s college basketball gets started in earnest this month and on Sunday afternoon, the 11-4 Indiana Hoosiers visit the No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes (12-4) for a Big Ten matchup at 3pm ET on Peacock.

Indiana has just one conference loss this season — they fell to No. 1 UCLA 73-62 on Saturday, January 4th. But they bounced back with a 68-64 win over Northwestern their last time out to improve to 3-1 in the Big Ten. It was the program’s 900th win all-time, but it was also a hard-fought win against a Wildcats team that isn’t a barnburner in the conference (Northwestern is 7-9 overall, 0-5 Big Ten).

“Winning is hard,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said after the Northwestern victory. “It’s hard at home, it’s hard on the road, and our margin of error is really small, and so, we’ve got to be much better, but we’re happy that we’re going to get out of here with the win tonight.”

For Iowa, there’s been plenty of questions and plenty of scrutiny in the post-Caitlin Clark, post-Lisa Bluder era. The Hawkeyes have kept the momentum going with their devoted fanbase: Iowa has sold out women’s basketball season tickets for the second straight season, and the team has played in front of 28 consecutive sellout crowds, the longest streak nationwide.

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The Hawkeyes started off the season 8-0, but have struggled more recently, going 4-4 in their last eight games. Longtime Iowa assistant Jan Jensen took over the head coaching role from Bluder, and senior guard Lucy Olsen, a transfer from Villanova, has helped to fill the void left by Clark on the court. Olsen leads the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game, and junior forward Hannah Stuelke leads the team with 8.0 rebounds per game.

For full information on how to watch Sunday’s game, including start time and streaming information, see below.

READ MORE: Big Ten, SEC each have 4 top 10 teams in AP women’s poll

How to Watch Indiana vs Iowa Women’s College Basketball

  • Date: Sunday, January 12th
  • Time: 3:00pm ET
  • Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (Iowa City, Iowa)
  • Streaming: Peacock

Big Ten women’s basketball 2024-25 schedule on NBC & Peacock

Date Time (ET) Matchup
Sun., Jan. 12 3 p.m. Indiana vs. Iowa
Wed., Jan. 15 9:30 p.m. Penn State vs. UCLA
Wed., Jan. 15 10 p.m. Northwestern vs. USC
Thurs., Jan. 16 7 p.m. Illinois vs. Indiana
Thurs., Jan. 16 9 p.m. Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
Sun., Jan. 19 12 p.m. USC vs. Indiana**
Wed., Jan. 22 7 p.m. USC vs. Purdue
Wed., Jan. 22 9 p.m. Iowa vs. Washington
Sun., Jan. 26 2 p.m. UCLA vs. Maryland**
Thurs., Jan. 30 10 p.m. Minnesota vs. USC
Wed., Feb. 5 7:30 p.m. USC vs. Wisconsin
Wed., Feb. 5 9:30 p.m. Ohio State vs. UCLA
Thurs., Feb. 6 8 p.m. Michigan vs. Nebraska
Thurs., Feb. 13 7:30 p.m. Minnesota vs. Ohio State
Thurs., Feb. 13 10 p.m. UCLA vs. USC
Wed., Feb. 19 9:30 p.m. Michigan State vs. USC
Thurs., Feb. 20 7 p.m. Ohio State vs. Indiana
Sun., Feb. 23 2 p.m. UCLA vs. Iowa
Wed., Feb. 26 8 p.m. UCLA vs. Wisconsin
Thurs., Feb. 27 7 p.m. Maryland vs. Indiana
Sun., March 2 2 p.m. Indiana vs. Purdue
Sun., March 2 4 p.m. Wisconsin vs. Iowa
Tues., March 4 3:30 p.m. Big Ten Tournament
Tues., March 4 6 p.m. Big Ten Tournament
Tues., March 4 8:30 p.m. Big Ten Tournament
**on NBC and Peacock

How to Watch Big Ten Sports on Peacock

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC & Bravo hits — Peacock is here for whatever you’re in the mood for.





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How to watch Iowa vs Indiana today: Time, TV channel for Big Ten basketball game

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How to watch Iowa vs Indiana today: Time, TV channel for Big Ten basketball game


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Iowa basketball is ready to hit the court again in Big Ten Conference play.

The Hawkeyes (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) remain at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday for a men’s matchup against Indiana. Head coach Fran McCaffery’s group is hoping to carry its momentum from last outing’s overtime win over Nebraska, 97-87, on Tuesday.

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Here’s how to watch Iowa men’s basketball vs Indiana, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:

Watch Iowa vs. Indiana men’s basketball on FUBO

What channel is Iowa vs Indiana on today?  

TV channel: FOX

Livestream: FUBO (free trial)

Iowa vs Indiana will be broadcast nationally on FOX. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

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Can I watch Iowa vs Indiana for free on livestream? 

The Iowa vs. Indiana game can be streamed on FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Iowa vs Indiana time today 

  • Date: Saturday, Jan. 1
  • Start time: 7 p.m. CT

The Iowa vs Indiana game starts at 7 p.m. CT from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

Iowa basketball schedule 2024-25

Record: 11-4 (2-2 Big Ten)

  • Nov. 4: Texas A&M Commerce (W, 89-67)
  • Nov. 7: Southern (W, 89-74)
  • Nov. 12: South Dakota (W, 96-77)
  • Nov. 15: Washington State (W, 76-66)
  • Nov. 19: Rider University (W, 83-58)
  • Nov. 22: Utah State (L, 77-69)
  • Nov 26: USC Upstate (W, 110-77)
  • Dec. 3: Northwestern (W, 80-79)
  • Dec 7: @Michigan (L, 85-83)
  • Dec. 12: Iowa State (L, 89-80)
  • Dec. 15: University of New Orleans (W, 104-57)
  • Dec. 21: University of Utah (W, 95-88)
  • Dec. 30: University of New Hampshire (W, 112-70)
  • Jan 3: at Wisconsin, (L, 116-85)
  • Jan. 7: Nebraska, (W, 97-87)
  • Jan. 11: Indiana, 7 p.m., FOX (Iowa City)*
  • Jan. 14: at USC, 9:30 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
  • Jan. 17: at UCLA, 8 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
  • Jan 21: Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
  • Jan. 24: Penn State, 8 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • Jan 27: at Ohio State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Columbus, Ohio)*
  • Feb. 4: Purdue, 6 p.m., Peacock (Iowa City)*
  • Feb 8: Wisconsin, noon, NBC (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 12: at Rutgers, 5:30 p.m., BTN (Piscataway, New Jersey)*
  • Feb. 16: at Maryland, 4 p.m., FS1 (College Park, Maryland)*
  • Feb. 19: Oregon, 7:30 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 22: Washington, 3 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • Feb. 25: at Illinois, 8 p.m., FS1 (Champaign, Illinois)*
  • Feb: 28: at Northwestern, 8 p.m., FS1 (Evanston, Illinois)*
  • March 6: Michigan State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
  • March 9: at Nebraska, 11:30 a.m., FOX (Lincoln, Nebraska)*
  • March 12-16: Big Ten Tournament on (Indianapolis, Indiana)*

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Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy

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Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy


FOX59/CBS4 has requested a mugshot of Victoria Howard, which has not been provided as of this article’s publication. The mugshot will be added once it is released.

FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — Authorities have arrested a woman accused of helping a man flee from authorities after he allegedly shot an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.

Indiana State Police announced the arrest of 35-year-old Victoria Howard of New Albany, alleging that she assisted Austin Schepers after he reportedly shot Deputy Zac Andry on Jan. 3 in Orange Count.

A previous booking photo of Austin Schepers provided by Indiana State Police.

ISP said the incident occurred after Deputy Andry stopped to check on a disabled silver 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix near US Highway 150 and State Road 56. During this interaction, Schepers allegedly shot the deputy several times. Previous reports indicate Andry was transported to a Louisville-based hospital in “critical but stable condition.”

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Schepers allegedly fled to a residence located in the 1800 block of Market Street in New Albany after the shooting.

Photo of Deputy Zac Andry courtesy of Indiana State Police.

Detectives believe Howard was aware that Scheper was wanted for his alleged role in the encounter and that police were searching for him.

ISP accused Howard of utilizing the ride-sharing app Lyft to assist Schepers as he looked for a ride from her apartment to the area of Craig Street and Wheeler Avenue in Louisville.

Schepers was found on Jan. 4 by investigators in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue where he was eventually killed during a shootout with police.

ISP said Howard was arrested without incident on Jan. 9 in Clarksville and taken to the Floyd County Jail where she was preliminarily charged with assisting a criminal (level 5 felony) and false informing (Class A misdemeanor).

ISP added that more individuals could face additional charges for allegedly helping Schepers while law enforcement was searching for him.

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