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- An Indiana State Park and Winery You Need to Experience 🏞🍇🍷
An Indiana State Park and Winery You Need to Experience 🏞🍇🍷
Plus - Pacers, Fever on national radar after last week of hoops! 🏀
Get IN, Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
May 08, 2025
Thursday, May 8th
Some places talk about fresh ingredients. Greek's has been proving it since 1969. Family-owned, locally operated, and still making every pizza like it's their reputation on the line (because it is).
Whether you're a Ball State student pulling an all-nighter or a family looking for that perfect Friday night dinner, Greek's delivers more than just pizza - they deliver tradition.
Taste what makes them special at greekspizzeria.com
📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
First Professional Baseball Game Played (1871)
Indiana is a basketball state. You’ve heard it, I’ve said it many times, and everyone in the state grows up knowing that. However, this week in Indiana History, we are talking about a different kind of game… we’re talking about America’s Pastime, baseball.
The first professional baseball game ever played was in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1871 between the Fort Wayne Kekiongas and the Cleveland Forest Citys. They were part of a newly formed Professional Baseball League called the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. The league predates Major League Baseball by over 30 years (MLB was formed in 1903 when the National League and the American League merged).
Fort Wayne won the game 2-0 when rain canceled the rest of the game in the top of the 9th (with an attendance of a whopping 200 people). The team did not last much longer after this, as the 1871 season became the only season in which the Kekiongas played in the league. Regardless, it was a historic moment in not only Indiana history, but in baseball history as well.
⚡ Hoosier Headlines ⚡
Still looking to make plans for Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 11? Spend the day at Newfields and enjoy early access to THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Connection: Land, Water, Sky - Art & Music from Indigenous Australians. Tickets also include a beverage and bite from Café Ngura and access to all of Newfields. 🖼
Happy National Travel & Tourism Week
It’s National Travel & Tourism Week, and the numbers below speak for themselves. A total of 83,000 Hoosiers work in Indy’s hospitality industry and Indianapolis has over 30 million visitors annually, which last year alone had a $5.8 billion impact on the local economy. From major sporting events to conventions and everything in between, the Circle City is gaining attention as a must-visit destination. 👏
The average resale ticket price for the Indiana Fever-Brazil National Team exhibition game in Iowa City was $670, and Caitlin Clark made the investment worth every penny in her return to her home state. The Fever obliterated Brazil 108-44 behind Clark’s 16-point performance, which included four three-point baskets. She saved the best for last, burying a trey from beyond her ‘22’ on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor. If you thought last year’s Fever team was fun to watch, just wait until you see ‘em in person at Gainbridge Fieldhouse later this month. 🏀
Indiana's Candle Makers Will Transform Your Home!
Tired of candles that barely smell past the jar? Warm Glow's candle artisans in Centerville create scents so vibrant they'll greet you at the door!
Its Lavender Fields and Cinnamon Bun scents aren't just fragrances - they're entire experiences. Each rustic, hand-crafted candle burns clean and even for weeks.
What started as a small Indiana workshop has become a beloved local treasure. They still pour each candle by hand using techniques passed down for generations.
Check out warmglow.com and join the thousands of Hoosiers who've upgraded their candle game. Your home deserves this level of cozy!
💎 Hidden Gems 💎
Indiana’s first state park is an absolute gem. Despite being hit by a tornado in March 2023, McCormick’s Creek State Park is the perfect place to get off the grid and hike numerous trails, camp, go horseback riding and enjoy everything southern central Indiana has to offer. Quick history lesson: The land near McCormick’s Creek and its waterfalls — named after the area’s first settler John McCormick in 1816 — was purchased in 1888 by Frederick Denkewalter, who enjoyed the peacefulness of the canyon and surrounding cliffs. After he passed in 1914, Owen County and Indiana wanted to maintain the park-like setting, and it was officially dedicated during the state’s centennial celebration on July 4, 1916 — 100 years after John McCormick had first settled there. 🏞
Owen County is home to Owen Valley Winery, which not only bottles some of the finest wine in Indiana but serves up an elite brunch for guests. The breakfast casserole hits the spot, and its homemade pastries are second to none. The winery is operated by three generations of the Leaderbrand family, and they gave us a behind-the-scenes tour to show us the intricacies of running a successful winery. Give ‘em a visit the next time you’re in Owen County. 🍷🍇
What’s your Hidden Gem? Reply to this email to get it featured!
👏 2 Big wINs 👏
This space has been reserved for the Indiana Pacers’ postseason run as of late, and that’s not changing anytime soon (we hope!). After wiping away Milwaukee 4 games to 1 in the Eastern Conference first round of the NBA Playoffs, the never-out-of-it Pacers beat No. 1 seed Cleveland 121-112 on the road in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal ahead of a 120-119 win in Game 2 on Tuesday thanks to late-game heroics by Tyrese Haliburton that helped the Yes’Cers come back from seven down with 48 seconds to play. Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Getcha popcorn ready. 🏀🍿
what a fantastic finish to Game 2 in Cleveland 🤩
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers)
3:00 PM • May 7, 2025
🎧 Indiana’s Impact on the Global Hunger Crisis with Nick Reich 🎧
🎙 Check out today’s interview with Nick Reich, executive director of Pack Away Hunger.
We discussed the organization's mission to alleviate hunger by distributing highly nutritious and cost-effective meals.
We explore the history and evolution of Pack Away Hunger, its impact within Indiana and globally, and the unique challenges and solutions associated with food insecurity.
Nick shares personal anecdotes from his extensive experience in the social impact sector, emphasizing the importance of relationships, community involvement, and collaborative efforts in creating sustainable change.
You are going to learn about:
- Immediate Needs vs. Long-term Solutions in regard to fighting hunger in central Indiana
- Opportunities for service in central Indiana
- The impact community collaboration can make