Published: May 03, 2008 08:50 pm            

LOOKING BACK: 1998-West Vigo played host to Big Four Day with softball tournament

TERRE HAUTE — Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.



1998

• Storms ripped through northern Vigo and parts of Vermillion and Clay counties. Dan Reynolds, WTWO-TV meteorologist, suggested the damage was due to a downburst and strong straight-line winds rather than a tornado.

• Incumbent Robert L. Wright defeated Harold R. Johnston Jr. to be the Democrat candidate for Vigo County prosecutor in the fall election. William Bryan won over J. Patrick Kelly for the Democratic nomination to run for the office held by County Commissioner William Decker, who was retiring.

• West Vigo High School played host to Big Four Day with its traditional softball tournament. A baseball tournament, a track meet and an invitational tennis competition was added to the 1998 event.

• Josh Zuerner, Terre Haute North Vigo High School student, won a first-place award in the national DECA career development conference at Denver. He had submitted a proposal to start up a computer business “designed to be a total provider of custom software, hardware and system solutions.”

• Government reports showed the national average economic growth rate at 5.6 percent, while growth in the Terre Haute area increased only 2.4 percent since 1995.



1983

• Democrat incumbent Mayor P. Pete Chalos and Republican Kirby Smith won their parties’ nominations by wide margins in the local primary.

• Jeanne Knoerle, Sister of Providence, was honored at a toast and roast celebrating her 15 years of service as president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. Sister Barbara Doherty was named to succeed her.

• Phillip Raspberry, chairman of the Samaritan Food Project, announced the need for more food. The project had provided food for local unemployed workers during the past year.

• The American Legion named Terre Haute Police Chief Gerald Loudermilk as Law Officer of the Year in the Wabash Valley area.

• U.S. Postal officials returned between 2,000 and 2,500 tax bills to the Vigo County treasurer because of incorrect addressees.

• Ground was broken for a new full-service financial center by Mutual Federal Savings and Loan Association in Brazil. The main office was at 496 Ohio St. in Terre Haute.



1958

• Rain showers failed to keep 1,200 youngsters from participating in the Fishing Rodeo at Lake Rodeo in Deming Park. William Sweatt and Roberta Bowers won the “best catch” awards. George “Bait King” Timko served as chairman of the event, which had been rated by national outdoor magazines as the finest in the country.

• Weekend dedication ceremonies of the new St. George Orthodox Church at Fourth and McKeen streets included homecoming for his Eminence Anthony Bashir, who had been the first pastor when the church was founded in 1927. Joe Malooley was the general chairman for the dedication.

• The City Elks Club Ebony Lounge and Dining Room were closed until fall when the Elks Fort Harrison Country Club opened for the season.

• Harry J. Adams celebrated his 30th anniversary in the trucking business with the acquisition of Haeckl’s Express Inc. of Hamilton, Ohio.

• Upset victories in the Democrat primary election included Harold J. Bitzegaio over Thomas P. Gallagher for Superior Court judge and Ralph Berry over John R. Jett for Vigo County prosecutor.

        

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