1982 National Sports Festival: A catalyst for Indianapolis’ growth

INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds gathered on the American Legion Mall to witness the opening ceremonies for the fourth Nationwide Sports activities Competition on July 23, 1982.

Ken Barlow of Indianapolis and Becky Liggett of Muncie have been the ultimate two athletes to ship a torch carrying the Competition Flame, which had departed Pikes Peak earlier within the month. Whereas United States Olympic Committee (USOC) President William Simon was the one who formally opened the pageant, it was Indianapolis Mayor William Hudnut who exclaimed, “Welcome to Indianapolis, the newbie sports activities capital of the nation!”

1982: Nationwide Sports activities Competition flame lit throughout opening ceremonies

It was the conclusion of a dream years within the making.

Ted Boehm was one in all a number of individuals tasked by the Hudnut Administration with discovering a option to make Indianapolis a extra fascinating place to stay. Boehm recollects the group exploring all kinds of concepts, together with adjustments like bettering town’s air service. However one space appeared to be a slam dunk.

“We shortly centered on a sports activities alternative as a spot that Indianapolis might set up a distinct segment that no place else had,” Boehm mentioned.

The not-for-profit Indiana Sports activities Company was created in 1979, with the aim of constructing Indianapolis an newbie sports activities vacation spot. Boehm would grow to be its first president and CEO.

“At the moment, all we had was the NBA as a rookie franchise workforce,” Boehm mentioned. “And it was nonetheless financially struggling.”

The Hoosier Dome hadn’t been constructed, the Colts have been nonetheless in Baltimore, and Indianapolis was dealingwith nicknames like “Naptown” and “India-no-place.”

However the place others noticed nothing, the Hudnut Administration noticed a possibility.

Going for the gold

The Nationwide Sports activities Competition, later often known as the U.S. Olympic Competition, started in 1978. The premise was to have fun and showcase athletes throughout non-Olympic years. As an alternative of particular person scoring, athletes can be grouped by geographic area (North, South, East and West.)

The primary two festivals have been held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the house of the U.S. Olympic Committee, or USOC. There was no pageant in 1980 as a result of it was an Olympic yr, nonetheless the USA boycotted the video games in Moscow. When the pageant returned in 1981, it was held in Syracuse, New York.

That’s the place a latest school graduate by the identify of Jack Berger first obtained concerned with the USOC.

“I lucked out,” Berger recollects.

A latest graduate of Syracuse College, Berger remembers writing a flurry of press releases for the pageant. His work was additionally seen by a bunch of visiting Hoosiers.

“When the Indianapolis people got here to Syracuse to go searching, they thought it won’t be a foul thought to seize someone that had expertise, not less than with this occasion, and convey them to Indianapolis.”

On the conclusion of the Nationwide Sports activities Competition in Syracuse, Berger loaded up his Chevy Monza and headed to the Hoosier State, turning into the promotions director for the Nationwide Sports activities Competition in Indianapolis.

Town of Indianapolis beat out Philadelphia to land the 1982 Competition. By the point Berger made his option to Indiana, preparations for the pageant have been nicely underway.

“Indianapolis was an enormous leap ahead. The brand new natatorium, the brand new monitor and discipline stadium, the velodrome, that stage of venue simply elevated all the things,” Berger mentioned. “When you may have these sorts of sports activities services, and then you definately add it to a corporation that is aware of mainly what they’re doing and promote, and on prime of that, the company assist of town and the political assist of the group, that was actually nearly one hundred pc. All people thought, nicely, this can be a nice option to let individuals learn about Indianapolis.”

If you happen to construct it, they are going to come

As a way to land the fourth Nationwide Sports activities Competition, town of Indianapolis needed to show it was able to internet hosting the 33 summer season and winter Olympic sports activities, and the 150 occasions that got here with it. From archery to yachting, town would want to make a considerable infrastructure funding to host the pageant.

1982: Indianapolis prepares to host Nationwide Sports activities Competition

By a mixture of private and non-private funds, town constructed a $21-million 5,700-seat natatorium, a $6-million 10,000 seat monitor and discipline stadium, and a $2.5-million 3,000 seat velodrome. A lot of that funding was made attainable by the Lilly Endowment.

“Lilly Endowment was, at that time, supportive of constructing main services and making main monetary monetary contributions to make it occur,” Boehm mentioned.

Not everybody was offered on the thought of constructing sports activities complexes to drive financial development. State senator Julia Carson scoffed on the thought in a 1982 WRTV report.

1982: Mayor Hudnut pushes ahead with newbie sports activities dream

“I don’t consider that you simply use taxpayers’ cash to grow to be the nationwide sports activities capital of the world whereas your cities undergo,” Carson mentioned.

On the time, Indianapolis’ unemployment fee was round 9.6 p.c, and the state of Indiana had an unemployment fee of 12 p.c. Carson likened the spending to purchasing a Mercedes Benz whereas not with the ability to pay for diapers.

In the identical report, Mayor Hudnut’s imaginative and prescient was unwavering.

“I’m satisfied that the efforts we’re making to grow to be the sports activities capital of the nation, will in the long term contribute considerably to combating the outflow of expertise and brains to the Solar Belt,” Hudnut mentioned. “It’s going to give the individuals of Indiana and the nation one thing to establish with.”

Hoosier curiosity results in record-breaking crowds

The Indianapolis sports activities scene was a really completely different place within the early Nineteen Eighties.

“Previous to the Nationwide Sports activities Competition, the one factor Indianapolis actually had going for it have been the Indiana Pacers, and actually, the Pacers have been struggling badly,” former WRTV sports activities reporter Brian Hammons recalled. “They have been simply preventing for survival.”

The Nationwide Sports activities Competition offered a singular alternative to herald quite a lot of sports activities, lots of which have been unfamiliar to most Hoosiers.

“Channel 6 had particular programming each day and plenty of that was spent explaining sports activities to individuals,” Hammons mentioned. “There have been plenty of sports activities like that you simply’d by no means seen earlier than that you simply nearly needed to clarify, that is what you are going to see, and these are the foundations, and that is what is going on to occur.”

And Hoosiers confirmed up.

“Who knew you might promote out a fencing venue or rhythmic gymnastics?” promotions director Jack Berger quipped.

Many occasions noticed record-setting crowds.

“I believe the individuals of Indiana have been curious, you recognize, what, what’s this all about?” Brian Hammons mentioned. “They confirmed up in droves to observe bicycle racing and rhythmic gymnastics and sports activities that you’d by no means see right here.”

Athletes with names you’d acknowledge

The Nationwide Sports activities Competition additionally had extra acquainted Olympic sports activities like diving, swimming and monitor and discipline. It additionally had more and more acquainted names like Evelyn Ashford, Edwin Moses, Greg Louganis and Carl Lewis.

“Carl Lewis was a reputation that you simply’d acknowledge.” Hammons mentioned. “Main as much as that competitors [long jump] they have been speaking that he would possibly beat Bob Beamon’s file as a result of the instances and the distances that they have been going on this new facility have been off the charts.”

Bob Beamon set the world file for lengthy leap at 29 ft. 2.5 in., on the 1968 Olympics in Mexico Metropolis.

Whereas Lewis didn’t formally beat Beamon’s file, he did come shut with a 28 ft. 9 in. leap. Lewis had one leap over 30 ft, but it surely was known as a foul. Nonetheless, it didn’t dampen Lewis’ spirit.

1982: Carl Lewis threatens lengthy leap world file

“I had one leap over 30 ft,” Lewis instructed WRTV in 1982. “That’s what excited me a lot past all the things else, as a result of I didn’t suppose I might do it at altitude. That is my day.”

One other compelling story line was within the males’s 10-meter platform diving competitors. Twenty-two-year-old Greg Louganis was favored to win the occasion.

“Greg Louganis, sort of made his identify right here in Indianapolis and, and that was the primary time we have actually seen Greg Louganis carry out as a diver,” Hammons mentioned.

However it was diver Bruce Kimball who captivated the group. Kimball was severely injured in a head-on freeway collision with a drunk driver the earlier fall, struggling traumatic head accidents that left him close to demise.

Whereas Louganis earned the gold, it was Kimball’s second place end that garnered a standing ovation from the group of seven,000.

1982: Louganis shares highlight in diving finale

“He actually received immediately,” Louganis instructed WRTV in 1982. “I’m so happy with him, his comeback, and he’s again sturdy.”

Louganis would know, he and Kimball had comparable aggressive diving careers.

WRTV just lately spoke with Louganis, who recalled being requested to look out for Kimball whereas at a contest.

“I believe he was 8 and I used to be 13, or one thing, he was, he was actually younger,” Louganis mentioned. “His dad reached out to me earlier than the journey and mentioned, ‘Keep watch over my, my son.’ We have been related method again.”

It was seemingly that private connection that contributed to the tears that stuffed Louganis’ eyes as U.S. Olympic Committee President William Simon positioned the silver medal round Kimball’s neck.

“It was simply a lot for a younger athlete to endure, and get by, and get to the opposite aspect of it,” Louganis mentioned.