This week in Indiana’s history …
1892 – Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley performed for a distinguished audience at the White House. Included were President and Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, members of the Cabinet, Vice President Levi Morton, and a number of United States Senators. Newspapers reported that “Mr. Riley appeared at excellent advantage in his reading, and completely captivated the large and intelligent audience. He was favored with a number of encores.”
1922 – The Hatfield radio studio on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis announced the premiere of station WOH. A special live broadcast included Governor Warren McCray, Indianapolis Mayor Samuel Shank, author Meredith Nicholson, and newspaper reporter Mary E. Bostwick. Music was provided by the Purdue Glee Club and Holler’s Hoosier Orchestra. The radio signal reached wide parts of the United States.
1954 – Mary Jane Croft made her first appearance on the I Love Lucy television series. She later became a regular on the show, portraying Betty Ramsey, Lucy‘s neighbor in Connecticut. Croft was born in Muncie and attended Ball State University. She developed her interest in acting at the Muncie Civic Theater.
1965 – The First National Bank in Richmond introduced the public to the first electronic data processing center in Eastern Indiana. Special demonstrations were presented of the Burroughs B270 computer system. On display were the central processor, a sorter-reader what could process up to 1,200 items a minute, the magnetic tape units where information was stored, and a printer which could produce 40 statements a minute.
1969 – Thousands lined railroad tracks through Southern Indiana to pay their respects as the funeral train for former President General Dwight D. Eisenhower passed by. Flags lined the route in Vincennes where honor guards were posted by the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The train was on the way to Abilene, Kan., where Eisenhower was to be buried in ceremonies later in the day.
1998 – The Indiana High School Athletic Association honored four state champions in boys basketball. The new multi-class system replaced the single class system which had been in effect since 1912. The four winners were Pike High School of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Cathedral, Alexandria, and Lafayette Central Catholic.