Article Archives: Bumps in the Night

Andrew Jackson’s Hair

As many of you know, I collect stuff. In particular, historical stuff. Especially slightly creepy historical stuff. For years, whenever my kids saw a $20 bill, they would delightfully squeal out the phrase “That Glorious Mane” and giggle devilishly between themselves. While I always understood the reference to Andrew Jackson’s … Read More

Clark Gable at the Indianapolis 500

I originally wrote this article back in May of 2010 and in the years since, I have been informed by a longtime friend (and Irvingtonian) Bruce Gable that there is an Irvington connection, so I figured I’d update it and run it again. For the most part, here it is … Read More

The Story of the ABA 50th Anniversary Rings, Part 2

On Saturday April 7, 2018, Indianapolis was the setting for the 50th anniversary reunion of the American Basketball Association hosted by the Dropping Dimes Foundation. A special Saturday event was held at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University. The choice of venue was not by accident. Hinkle … Read More

The Story of the ABA 50th Anniversary Rings, Part 1

A month ago, I was part of a once-in-a-lifetime event at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse celebrating the 50th anniversary of the American Basketball Association. The highlight of that day’s festivities included a special ring presentation ceremony. Every player in attendance received a specially designed ring celebrating their individual service in this … Read More

Mary Lincoln — Opium Addict? Part 2

In last week’s article, I described how author Harry E. Pratt’s research incorrectly pegged our 16th President as a cocaine user shortly before he was elected in 1860. However, Pratt cannot be blamed entirely because other historians found evidence that the Lincoln family had purchased other powerful drugs in 1853 … Read More