#french lick

I love history and learning the story behind the story! Thanks to friend and tractor collector Buddy Woodson for the invite to the Spring-Crank Up 2024, antique tractor show. During our visit to the show, and Tennessee Agricultural Museum, Buddy gave me a tour of the grounds of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Since then, I have been diving deep, and learning about the history of this…

1940 Night View Entrance to French Lick Springs Hotel Indiana IN Postcard

French Lick Springs Hotel

French Lick, Indiana

Their rivalry began at the NCAA

With Magic getting the lead in championship wins (1979 NCAA Final and 1980 NBA Finals), Bird thanks to his very competitive nature developed a professional animosity towards Magic which he displayed whenever he crossed paths with him

Even the pregame greetings were ignored by Bird which made matters reach a point of no return

The Streetball Game

@converse had designed shoes for these two and they wanted to create a TVC for launching the new range of basketball sneakers called The Weapon. Bird’s shoe was dark green and white while Magic’s shoe having Lakers colors of yellow, purple and white

Bird, giving into his ego, wanted the Ad to be shot in French Lick, Indiana instead of Los Angeles. Both Converse and Magic agreed to it and when the time came for the shoot, both players were asked to shoot some hoops minus the aggression.

At that moment, something happened to both players as soon as they realized that they were supposed to display a casual style of play that would serve as the feel good factor for the Ad. They felt that the weight of competitive aggression they were carrying, had just been lifted

Thus Bird and Magic played streetball with each other that day while Converse kept on rolling the cameras and during breaks, both players would talk with each other about the things that were common between them. Family life, school, college life; things that affected them as human beings, as Americans, as pro Basketball players

Bird invited Magic to his home for lunch where his mom would cook speacial meals that would make Magic feel at home during his stay in Indiana

This was the time when they bonded, as friends and this relationship lasts to this day

wunderbar Wednesday!

Not to be confused with THE Wunderbar in Covington KY but a trip to a German restaurant for sure. Today will be my first visit back to the German Cafe in French Lick since...my last visit (obviously)...two years ago? Inconceivable!