Beech Grove Independent

11/01/2025

On this day, November 1, 2023, Robert "Bob" Montgomery Knight, one of the most successful and influential figures in the history college basketball, died. He was 83 years old.

Nicknamed "the General", he won 902 NCAA Division I Men's basketball games, a record at the time of his retirement and sixth all-time record at the time of his death.

Photo attribution: Reddit
Learn more: BobKnight.com/

10/31/2025

We played this every Halloween for the trick or treaters that dared to stop by our house..

10/31/2025

On this day, October 31, 1963, at 11:06 p.m., an explosion ripped through the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. With just 3 minutes left in the "Holiday on Ice" performance, propane gas which had been leaking from a tank in the concession area, came into contact with an electric popcorn machine and ignited, causing a massive explosion on the south side of the Coliseum.

The blast killed seventy-four people and injured nearly 400.

A temporary morgue was set up on the ice floor and every hospital in the Indianapolis area treated the wounded. A Marion County grand jury indicted the state fire marshal, the Indianapolis fire chief, the general manager and the concessions manager of the Coliseum, as well as officers of the company that supplied the gas.

But there was only one conviction, the president of the gas supplier, and that verdict was later overturned by the Indiana Supreme Court.

In 1991, the naming rights for the arena were sold and it was renamed the Pepsi Coliseum. This sponsorship ended in 2012, and the arena became known as the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. On November 14, 2002, a memorial plaque was installed at the coliseum that bears the names of those who died in the disaster.

The dedication ceremony was attended by about 100 people. Another memorial was held at the coliseum in 2013 on the fiftieth anniversary of the disaster. In 2014, the arena underwent a $63 million renovation.

On November, 13, 2024, the Indiana State Fairgrounds Commission and Indianapolis-based Corteva Agriscience entered into an agreement to rename the arena as Corteva Coliseum.

Photo attribution: William H. Bass Photo Company
Learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Indiana_State_Fairgrounds_Coliseum_gas_explosion
Related media: https://youtu.be/dlFwOlZNCCs?si=cEj8dA0xd0GN7aZ5

10/28/2025

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved father, O.D. “Stoney” Stonebraker.
A remarkable man whose warmth, humor, and kindness touched everyone he met — Stoney’s legacy lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and community.
We will gather to celebrate his wonderful life on Monday, November 3rd.
Thank you for keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

10/27/2025

On this date, October 27, 1977, Tony Hulman passed away in Indianapolis, Indiana after 32 years of presiding over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hulman purchased the dilapidated Indianapolis Motor Speedway from a group led by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker immediately after World War II.

Influenced by three-time Indy 500 winner Wilbur Shaw (who became the track's president in the early years of the Hulman regime), Hulman made numerous improvements to the track in time for the race to be held in 1946. Following Shaw's death in a plane crash on October 30, 1954, Hulman stepped into his soon-to-be-familiar role as the "face" of the Speedway.

He followed the tradition of launching the Indianapolis 500 with the command, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" Into the 1970s, despite the fact he'd given the command so many times before, he would always practice it extensively beforehand, and on race day, he would invariably pull a card containing the famous words: "GENNNNNTLEMENNNNN, STARRRRRT YOURRRRRR ENNNNNNNGINES!" from the pocket of his suit as he stepped to the microphone.

Luke Walton, who with Wilbur Shaw had founded the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, was for many years a sportscaster and worked annually with Hulman (and later with Mrs. Hulman) to ensure each word was delivered with the proper emphasis. His family took on the responsibility of preserving his vision and the heritage of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hulman died of heart failure caused by a ruptured aortic aneurysm on the operating table in St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery, along with other members of his family. Hulman’s wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman, became chairman of the board, while longtime family friend Joseph R. Cloutier was named president.

Photo attribution: The Hulman Family Archives

10/21/2025

BREAKING: Jail break at the Marion County jail..

10/19/2025

It's now Ohio's issue..

Hold on to your hats! Today will be quite windy across the state, with peak wind gusts of 40-50mph occuring this afternoon and evening.

It’s a good idea to secure any loose/light objects on your property to ensure nothing gets blown away.

10/17/2025

On this day, October 17, 1933, Barney Oldfield became the first to drive a farm tractor more than one-mile-a-minute, reaching 64.2 mph in a special Allis-Chalmers in Dallas, Texas. The event was staged to attract financing for a planned land speed record attempt.

Photo attribution: AllisChalmers.com
Learn more: Hemmings.com/stories/land-speed-tractors-oldfield-v-jenkins/

10/17/2025

Remember when..

10/17/2025

Pictured is the Arby’s Meat Mountain sandwich, a secret, challenge menu item. It has two chicken tenders, pit-smoked ham, smoked brisket, roast beef, pepper bacon, roast turkey, USDA-choice Angus steak, cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese on two toasted buns.

You can order the Arby’s Meat Mountain by name. Since it was once on the regular menu, most employees will know what you’re talking about. If for some reason the Arby’s worker doesn’t know what a Meat Mountain is, you can just tell them you’d like a sandwich with every meat on it, along with cheddar and Swiss of course.

Photo attribution: Fast Food Menu Magazine
Learn more: https://www.chowhound.com/1780387/arbys-secret-menu-meat-mountain/

10/17/2025

On this day, October 17, 1968, the movie "Bullitt" was released in the US. The movie starred Beech Grove, Indiana born Steve McQueen. The film opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York City together with a new stage show. It grossed $210,000 in its first week, including a hall-record Saturday of $49,073.

Produced on a $5.5 million budget, the film grossed $19,000,000 in 1968, making it the fourth-highest grossing film that year, and over $42.3 million in the US through 2021.

Many critics consider "Bullitt" to be one of the greatest action movies ever made, not because of its script or special effects but because of one excellent seven-minute car chase through the streets of San Francisco, California, US.

In poll after poll, moviegoers have named that chase the best in film history. In 2007, Bullitt was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Photo attribution: Wikipedia

10/16/2025

He drove almost 4 miles with the motorcycle still attached.