The Best of Indiana State!
/A couple months ago, during the 5 week run of The Last Dance, I wrote about the comparisons between Jordan Burroughs and Michael Jordan. I wasn’t the only one to have that idea. After all, both are in the conversation for GOAT status in their respective sports, have their own shoes, and have ‘Jordan’ as a part of their name. It’s a very easy comparison to make, which is why it happened. However, what I, and many others overlooked, is another NBA and wrestling comparison. This one made it a little easier, because they went to the same school. Bruce Baumgartner and Larry Bird have been overlapping throughout their iconic athletic triumphs. Let’s explore that briefly.
So the first part is to mention that they each attended Indiana State University. Do you know anyone else who went to Indiana State? One person? Me either. That’s why this is noteworthy. What are the odds that two giant mustached athletic phenoms both went to Indiana State? I would argue very low odds. At least Larry Bird was from Indiana, but Bruce made his way to Terra Haute by way of New Jersey. They actually were both on campus at the same time in 1979, which to me seems like the human equivalent of crossing the streams in Ghostbusters. Nobody knows what will happen, just that it’s incredibly and dangerously powerful. Another interesting piece here, is that Larry had already been drafted by the Celtics, but opted to stick around for his Senior year, which is the only reason this overlap took place.
Another connection, is that both competed for National Titles while matriculating at Indiana State. Bruce was able to win two titles, in 82 and 83, while Larry famously lost to Magic Johnson in the NCAA title game in 79, before heading to the NBA. Though only Bruce was able to win an NCAA title for the Sycamores, Larry did win the Naismith College Player of the Year award. So in that way, they are both winners as individual contributors to their team. I already mentioned this part, but both of these people are giants, but in different ways. Larry is a super tall giant, and Bruce is a big thick wide giant, but both giants in their own right. I used to work at Subway, and while working there I remember seeing the biggest person I had ever seen, and asking him how tall he was. He was 6’8”, which is exactly one inch shorter than Larry is. Bruce is not quite so tall (6’1”) but he makes up for it with pure girth. I’ve stood near Bruce, and thinking about that man trying to wrestle is a frightening thought. It’s one thing to watch his matches on YouTube, but it’s a whole other thing to see it in person. You ever walk through those old homes with strangely narrow doors? I’m confident Bruce doesn’t live in one of those homes.
This is my favorite overlap of the two, and clearly their most iconic. They both have tremendous Mustache’s. Larry has abandoned his lip warmer, but back in the day, his wispy blonde mustache was special. Not as thick and commanding as Bruce’s mustache, but you have to admire the stones Larry had for sticking with such a weird mustache for so long. Bruce on the other hand, has a thick, prominent, and undeniable mustache. His mustache was the whole reason Tom Selleck has a career. His mustache solved the Cuban Missile crisis. Bruce’s mustache is soon to be discovered to cure Corona Virus. Bruce’s mustache is the best. But Larry also had one.
Post collegiality, both quickly became icons in their respective sport. Larry won Rookie of the year in the NBA, and Bruce took Bronze and Gold in 83 and 84, his first two years out of college. Interestingly enough, both essentially took bronze in their rookie pro seasons. Bruce won the actual Bronze medal, while Larry lost in the conference finals to the Philadelphia 76ers. The next season, Boston would claim the NBA title, while Bruce in his second year won the 1984 Olympic Gold medal. Then each of them would go on to reign terror over their peers in their respective profession. Larry ended up winning 3 NBA titles, 3 NBA MVPS, and was 9x NBA First Team. Bruce not only destroyed everyone domestically for a decade, but all across the world as well, winning 2 Olympic gold medals, and winning medals in 4 Olympic events, while also winning 3 World Championships and basically a million World Cup titles, from 1983 through 1997. Bruce was as dominant and long lasting a force that wrestling, or any sport, has ever seen. Larry had troubles with his back, which ultimately ended his playing career, but he had maintained similar success and dominance while competing.
Interestingly enough, these two overlapped once more in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics. These two Indiana State Sycamores found themselves at the top of the world by winning Olympic Gold. Larry was a member of the famed Dream Team, and Bruce a Gold medal winner, on what was a very successful USA Wrestling squad. Despite not winning the Team Title for USA (they took 2nd in the world), this was still somewhat of a Dream Team, with Baumgartner, Kenny Monday, John Smith, Kevin Jackson, Zeke Jones, and Chris Campbell. It shouldn’t need to be said, but for the sake of illustrating how incredible it is that these two have this much in common, I’ll say it. It’s very difficult to make an Olympic team. These two did, and won Olympic Gold medals, in the same year. I’m not sure what the odds of that happening were, but they weren’t great.
You’d think that this would be where the comparisons end between these two, but it doesn’t stop there. Both Bruce and Larry stepped into leadership positions within their respective sports. Larry quickly became a special assistant for the Celtics from 92-97, before returning to Indiana to coach the Indiana Pacers, where he won coach of the year, and let them to a team best 58-24 record, as well as leading the team to the NBA Finals. Larry only coached from 97-2000, but clearly had a tremendous impact as a leader. After coaching, Larry became an executive with the Pacers, where he went on to win Executive of the year as well. Larry Bird is the only basketball player to win League MVP, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. Bruce Baumgartner was the Athletic Director at Edinboro University for several years after competing, before he retired, and now serves as the Assistant Vice President for University Advancement, as well as being the President of USAW. Both were able to parlay their athletic accomplishments into Operational success in leadership positions in their lives. It’s tough for anyone to get to the level of success that these two achieved, but for them to then transition so smoothly into post athletic careers, is another noteworthy comparison.
What was in the water in Terra Haute Indiana in the late 70s/early 80s? Was there some sort of asteroid that landed there which gives people superhuman athleticism and strength? Did they take the limitless pill that makes you crazy smart and strong? How in the hell did these two Mount Rushmore type athletes both come out of Indiana State? Conventional wisdom would say that this was just a coincidence, but I’m beginning to lean towards the asteroid that gives super powers to the first two people who touch it. That seems most plausible.
