‘New’ Indianapolis big surprise

Canoes line the shore of the Sugar Creek River.

      Bobby Plump on the

      patio of his restaurant. 

   

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

The Indianapolis I remember had only one allure — the Indianapolis 500 at the “Old Brickyard.” My, my, how things have changed in 40 years. Redevelopment has worked miracles on this city that sits just about smack-dab in the middle of Indiana.

The “new” Indy is an under-explored destination that’s home to the world’s largest children’s museum, hidden cultural enclaves, more than 200 restaurants and 50 unique attractions. Mix it all together with a cleanliness that squeaks and uncommon friendliness and you have one of this country’s biggest surprise packages.

“With more than $3 billion in new tourism-related infrastructure and hospitality improvements recently completed, Indianapolis is truly a city on the move,” said Mayor Greg Ballard. “The new eight-mile, bike- and pedestrian-friendly Cultural Trail that connects hotels, attractions and cultural districts has garnered international attention as a model for urban revitalization.”

Make no mistake, however, Indianapolis is a sports town. The Indianapolis 500 auto race is the largest single-day sporting event in the world. In the heart of downtown, Lucas Oil Stadium houses the NFL Colts and Bankers Life Fieldhouse is home to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers and the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. I learned firsthand that there are no bad seats in Bankers Life Fieldhouse — unlike LA’s Staples Center.

Lucas Oil Stadium hosted the 2012 Super Bowl. Super Bowl Village had 1,105,000 visitors over 10 days during Super Bowl XLVI. The Super Bowl has come a long way from the first one I covered in 1967 as a young sportswriter. The Green Bay Packers won it over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

You might be interested in knowing that Indianapolis devotes more acreage to honoring veterans than any other city and is second only to Washington, D.C. in number of monuments and memorials.

Butler University is just a short drive from downtown. The university’s 2009-10 and 2010-11 basketball teams went to the NCAA Final Four, losing the championship game to Duke, 61-59, in 2010 in Lucas Oil Stadium and losing to eventual champion Connecticut in 2011. Remember, this is Indiana where basketball reigns supreme.

Bobby Plump’s Last Shot is no more than a long shot from Butler.  You may not recognize the name, but in a 1996 Indiana survey, Bobby Plump was the fifth most-recognized name in the state, trailing then Gov. Evan Bayh, Indiana coach Bobby Knight, Purdue coach Gene Keady and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Tony Hulman George.

                          Bobby Plump was the man who inspired the 1986 film “Hoosiers,” which garnered two Oscar nominations — one for Dennis Hopper as Best Supporting Actor. The final scenes were filmed at Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse — the site of the famous 1954 Indiana high school state championship game.

Bobby Plump was the Milan High School player who actually hit the last shot with three seconds remaining against a much larger and powerful Muncie in the days when there was only one division. Plump’s stardom did not end with that shot, he went on to star at Butler University and is a member of the university’s Hall of Fame.

Bobby’s restaurant-bar is at 6104 Cornell St. in Indianapolis. He’s there most days and always ready to chat. The walls are filled with memorabilia, including a framed copy of the story Milan’s giant-killer victory and Bobby’s famous shot.

“We’ve had a reunion every year since 1955,” Plump said as we sat on the patio of his restaurant. “Nine of the 10 players on that team went on to college, six ended up coaching.

                          “Nothing was factual in the movie with the exception of the last 18 seconds of the championship game,” he continued. “Our coach, Marvin Wood, was 26, [Gene] Hackman was much older and controversial. Our coach was not controversial. But I loved the movie. I thought it was great.”

Within an hour or two from Indianapolis are a number of excellent state parks. The state also has 63 wineries. I spent a day touring Turkey Run and Shades state parks in western Indiana, including a canoe trip down the Sugar Creek River, passing under covered bridges and a suspension bridge.

                          I was not prepared for the 100-foot cliffs and primeval forests in the two parks after driving through miles and miles of drought-riddled cornfields.

 If you want a thrill of a lifetime, take the Ultimate Indy 500 Experience. For $499, you     get three laps around the 2.5-mile oval in a two-seater at speeds pushing 180 to 185  mph. You must be at least 18 years of age, under 6‘5” in height and under 250 pounds.

                         Union Station is another must-see during your Indianapolis stay. Union Station was the first union station in the world, opening in September of 1853. The architectural style is Romanesque Revival, made of Indiana limestone and granite. Thomas Edison served as a telegraph operator here.

One thing is certain; today’s Indianapolis will surprise you.

                          Where to Stay

Indianapolis has a number of outstanding hotels. I stayed at the world’s largest JW Marriott. It is in the heart of downtown, with connections to the Convention Center and walking distance to top restaurants, Lucas Oil Stadium and Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Across the street in one direction is the phenomenal White River State Park and in another direction is Victory Field Baseball Park, home of the Indianapolis Indians, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate. The Marriott is pricey but it has all the amenities and more. For reservations, go to jwindy.com or call (317) 860-5800.

                         Where to Eat

                         St. Elmo Steak House: The only thing I can say about this place is — “Terrific.” The specialty of the house is an unbelievably mouth-watering dry-aged 28-oz. Tomahawk rib eye. That’s right, I said 28 ounces. St. Elmo has been a landmark in downtown Indianapolis since 1902. It is the oldest Indianapolis steakhouse in its original location. It was a famous haunt of Peyton Manning when he was the Colts’ quarterback. The restaurant is at 127 S. Illinois St. For reservations, call (317) 635-0636. On the second floor is the 1933 Lounge, a tribute to the end of Prohibition.

All information is accurate at the time of publication but prices, dates and other details are all subject to change. Confirm all information before making any travel arrangements.