Just Remember: We've Been Here Before

(usgennet.org)

It's been over 44 years since one of Evansville's greatest groups came into existence. The Conrad Baker Foundation, who had previously existed as the activist groups "Save The Coliseum" and "Save The Courthouse" decided to file the necessary paperwork to become an official non-profit organization in Indiana. Their goal was simple- Take control of these buildings, keep and maintain them, and improve their viability at the same time...

(Click on photo to enlarge)
http://local.evpl.org/views/viewimage.asp?ID=952736

For those who don't remember from the article I did back in January...

http://saverobertsstadium.blogspot.com/2011/01/history-repeats-itself-before-save.html

This plan worked. All 3 venues- The Old Courthouse, the Old Jail, and the Soldiers & Sailors Coliseum are all still intact today. If you ever get a chance, make sure you drive through the part of downtown with these three buildings and you will see why we owe this group one big THANK YOU!

So now, it's time to ignite the fire of the Conrad Baker Foundation one more time. If you look at how the recent events of Roberts Stadium are playing out, you will see they are eerily similar to the events of the Conrad Baker Foundation.

The Conrad Baker Foundation started out as basic "Save The Coliseum" and "Save The Courthouse" activist groups whose only goal was to improve their community, not make a boatload of money. That is what we are doing with this blog. Roberts Stadium deserves this same representation, and there are so many people who have stepped up to the plate for Roberts Stadium, whether it be Berniece Tirmenstein catching a ride to the library so that she can compile the history of Roberts Stadium and distribute it, Brenda Bergwitz hosting rallies, Sherman Stevens putting up 150 + Save Roberts Stadium yard signs, Sylvia Trabits-Niemeier running for office, Martha Crosley taking her Wesselman Park Support Group and working hand-in-hand with this organization, and Kristine Beard and her daughter Lisa Jean passionately expressing their desire to see the building named after their grandpa/great-grandpa preserved.

Now, the next step is very obvious. Like the Conrad Baker Foundation, we need architects, government leaders, and others on a committee to join us. Judging by the tea leaves, Mayor-Elect Winnecke plans on doing this exact thing. But the question still remains, who is on this committee and are they prepared to play an active role in Roberts Stadium for many years to come?

After that, our next move can take one of two paths. We can either follow the direct footsteps of the Conrad Baker Foundation by officially forming a non-profit organization and then setting up a small board who will oversee the day-to-day operations of Roberts Stadium. Or, we can choose to work with SMG who has the power to bring in a NBDL team. Truthfully, I can see the argument for both sides, but either way, WE MUST bring back those who at SMG who were recently unemployed with the closing of Roberts Stadium!

So if the city does decide to go the non-profit route, what should this organization be called? If you read the article above, many of the "Save The Courthouse/Coliseum" members struggled with this same question. Eventually, they decided to name it after Conrad Baker, who was the first governor of Indiana from this area, because his name had faded away. To me, this question is simple: It shall be the "Roberts & Legeman Foundation."

Like Conrad Baker, mayor Hank Roberts and architect Ralph Legeman have done some wonderful, historical, and legendary things for our community, but most of these acts have been forgotten by our youth. So, we need to do the same thing as the Conrad Baker Foundation and remind our town of the greatness of Hank Roberts, who sacrificed his political career to get Roberts Stadium built, and Ralph Legeman, who holds the patent for the Indiana fieldhouse design.

I sure hope Mayor-Elect Lloyd Winnecke takes a few moments of his time to look through the history books of Evansville. Why? Because if you notice, those who fought to save the courthouse, coliseum, and jail were on the right side of history and they will never be forgotten. On the flip side, those who sought to demolish these 3 buildings, lost and have faded into time. Nobody, and I mean nobody, remembers those who thought demolition was a good idea.

So Mayor-Elect Winnecke, while this may seem to be a daunting task, indeed it isn't. We've already heard this song and dance. WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE!

(chan4chan.com)