New statue in Indy honors ‘Father of the Final Four’

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A serious determine in Indianapolis sports activities historical past was honored with a statue on Friday morning.

Tom Jernstedt, additionally recognized to many because the “Father of the Remaining 4,” handed away in Sept. 2020. On Friday, a statue in his honor was unveiled in downtown Indianapolis.

Many individuals, from Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett to NCAA President Charlie Baker, attended the disclosing. That made it extraordinarily particular for Jernstedt’s son, Cole.

“Everybody right here comes from completely different walks of life,” stated Cole Jernstedt. “Everybody’s again for one massive trigger: Celebrating my dad. He had an ideal influence on these folks’s lives.”

Tom Jernstedt performed a giant function in relocating the NCAA’s headquarters to Indianapolis.

He was an NCAA government from 1972-2010.

“If you’re right here at present to unveil a statue for somebody who spent 38 years on the NCAA, it makes my 50 days appear slightly small by comparability,” stated Baker, who lately assumed his function as NCAA President. “It does converse to the truth that the folks concerned on this put their coronary heart and soul into it. It was a dedication that went manner past the job.”

The brand new statue sits on the nook of Georgia and Illinois Streets, close to Harry and Izzy’s, a “particular location” for Jernstedt in accordance with Dan Gavitt, NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball.

“He cherished Harry and Izzy’s,” stated Gavitt. “He spent so many nights with associates, myself included.”