Big Bash 2025

 

It was their 50th!!  Delts from the Class of 1975.
Bob Chamness, Dan Koeppel, Bill Hill,
Mike Vollmer, Jack Lily, Bob Betz, Tom Mahoney

Many Delts gathered at the Big Bash, this year being the 50th Anniversary Reunion for the Class of 1975.  It is thought that 100% of the Delts from that class were in attendance!  A terrific turnout!

Several Delts arrived in C'ville a few days early and visited
the Veterans Memorial at the local American Legion.

Brad '79 found the brick placed 
for Delt Brother, Harvey Vandenburg '78

Randy Allen '77, also a Delt veteran,
has his brick next to his dad's brick.

Friday morning a crew gathered for breakfast at
the Highway 341 Cafe, Wallace, IN,
also known as the "Wallace Opry,"
before heading to the College for registration.

Delts Craig '79 and Murph '82 relax after
collecting their goodies at registration.
Photo by Richard Paige, Wabash College Photographer

Derek '79 & Mike '79
Photo by Richard Paige

Recently added to the Wabash
Athletic Hall of Fame,
notice the 1972 Soccer Team
which included many Delts.
In fact, almost half the team were Delts!
The famed team joins many other Delts,
Including Ralph Dixon '79 and Jim Purcell '73

Bob Chamness '75, center
Photo by Richard Paige

Final view, through the fence,
of the entrance to the old
bookstore and Scarlet Inn.
Just after the Big Bash '25,
the Sparks Student Center,
which included these venues,
was razed to make room for
a new Wabash Community Center.

Jim Ashbaugh, Kappa Sigma Class of '75,
was the Sargent for the
Commander-in-Chief's Guard
which included many Delts.
When he graduated, Delt Rob Matthews '76
was promoted to Sargent and led the
C-in-C Guard during the country's Bicentennial,
including several performances
in Washington, D.C. and across Indiana.
Photo by Richard Paige

Murph '76, Photo by Richard Paige

Bill Hill '75 (then '76 after serving in the National Guard)
Photo by Richard Paige

Dan Walters '79, Brad Ballentine '79 speaking with
Mike Dougherty '79 and Professor Emeritus Zimmerman
Photo by Richard Paige

Several Delts gather at the temporary
Wally's Pub on Friday evening.

Saturday morning and most Delts collected at
the Wallace Opry for breakfast.

A few Delts joined the group
bicycling around C'ville
on Saturday morning. 
Pictured are Jack Lily and his wife.
Photo by Richard Paige

John Murphy '82, the self-proclaimed
"Younger and Better-looking Murph."
Photo by Richard Paige

Allen Murphy '76
By default . . . the older, ugly one?? 😊
Photo by Richard Paige

At this early point the
Delts seem to lead the group!
Photo by Richard Paige

At one stop along the bicycle trek,
Professor Tobey Herzog relates the story behind
the famous phrase which now is emblazoned over
the entry to the home stands at the Wabash Football Stadium:
"Did Wabash Win?"
You can see on the small headstone
at the lower left those same words. 
They were spoken by a Wabash student,
who suffered a concussion in a football game
in 1910, as he briefly revived in the hospital. 
Sadly, he died soon after.

Another stop for the cyclists,
this waterfall on Mill Creek.
For data on the bike ride,
scroll to the bottom of this page.

Tom Mahoney '75 & Murph '76
Photo by Richard Paige

Delts at the Saturday picnic luncheon.
Randy '77, Kendra Cook (College CFO), Derek '79,
Tim '79, Mike '79, Craig '79, Dan '79, John '82

Delts after the luncheon

Cham '75 and his Delt classmates: Dan, Bill, Mike, Jack,
Bob, & Tom, joined by Batch '77, Murph '76 and Brad '79.
The latter three in their Wabash Hawaiian shirts.

Delt photos from 1978? 1979?

50th Reunion Big Bash attendees, Class of 1975
Seven are Delts
Photo by Richard Paige

Class of 1980, the two in the center are Delts.
Photo by Richard Paige

Class of 1985
Jason, upper left and Steve, upper right are both Delts.
Photo by Richard Paige

Class of 2007
Delt Don Feeney is second from left.
Photo by Richard Paige

Many of the Delts in attendance at this year's Big Bash.
Photo by Richard Paige

Several Delts at the social Saturday afternoon in the
Chemistry Department.  From left, Dan '79,
Mike '79 (back to photographer), Murph '76, 
Tim '79 (back to photographer)
Photo by Richard Paige

Of course, it's the periodic table, but at Wabash
Tungsten is a bit special .  .  .

.  .  .  as chemists know, the atomic symbol for
Tungsten is "W" and at Wabash our icon is the "W."

Given this is the organic chem lab,
parking your drink outside makes a Lot of sense!

A visit to Wally's was in order before folks went to their various
class dinners or Camp Rotary to wrap up the evening.
Murph '76, Brad '79, Greg '79, Ralph '79. 

Wabash Bike Ride

Indy in May

Arriving at Indianapolis Airport it is obvious it is May!

May is a BIG Deal in  all of Indiana, especially Indianapolis!

All the best photos were taken by Jada.

In the airport .  .  .

.  .  .  at baggage claim .  .  .

.  .  .  in downtown Speedway .  .  .

 

.  .  .  in the grocery stores .  .  .

.  .  .  Even the fire hydrants!

Gate 1 at the track

The second weekend in May
is the Indy Grand Prix.
For this race, the cars run
clockwise following the road course.

This is a car from one of the preliminary, possibly Indy NXT.

This is the start of an earlier race, possibly Indy NXT class.  Watch for the Corvette Pace Car coming down Pit Lane at the end of this Video.

This prototype truck highlights the official fuel of Indy Car.

This is the start of the Indy Grand Prix 2025.

This car, driven by Alex Palou, won the pole position
and also won the Indy Grand Prix.

Bill, Murph and Randy at the "Yard of Bricks,"
the official Start/Finish Line at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Both these gents are Veterans
attending Armed Forces Day
for the Indy 500 Qualifying.

This chopper fly-over was a great part of the Armed Forces Day.

Andy Bowman, on the left is my boss in "The Chute" of
Gasoline Alley.  20 year track veteran at IMS is also
Andy Bowman!  They discovered each other a few years back. 

This is Indy Car driver, Christian Rasmussen,
driving car #21.  He brought doughnuts for
the Yellowshirts!

The Chute Yellowshirts
with Christian Rasmussen.

Many of the Yellowshirts got together at
Big Woods Restaurant for a social gathering
before the final week of the Indy 500.

Murph and Mike, a former football coach at
North Montgomery High School
at the Yellowshirt Pizza Night.

Carb Day is the last day before Race Day where the cars
are running on the track.  There are also fun events like the
Oscar Meyer Weinermobile Race and the
Pit Stop Challenge.

The Chute early on Carb Day

These are the Speedway Indiana Pipers. 

They've played at the Indy 500 for many decades.

Practice laps on Carb Day

And the line up for the Weenie 500!

The "Sonoran Dog" was Jada's favorite but
he blew his engine passing the entire field
on the back straightaway.

This Pace Car was on display in the Midway.

In the Midway

In the Midway

The Pagoda as seen from the Plaza.
The "Yard of Bricks" runs right under the Pagoda from
the Start/Finish Line through the Plaza.

The Pit crew uses the umbrella
to keep the driver cool.

The "Yard of Bricks" between the
Pagoda and the Start/Finish Line.
Originally, the track was paved entirely
with bricks.  For tradition and nostalgia,
the Yard was kept intact
when the track was paved.

The Start Finish Line

The Borg Warner Trophy includes the
face of every winner of the 500.

Victory Circle is actually a platform.
on the right, just out of view,
is a special elevating "shelf"
to raise the winning car up into the circle.

This is the actual Pace Car, parked by Victory Circle,
ready to go on the track as needed.
An entire fleet of Pace Cars is available
since they are used in multiple locations around the track and
in the 500 Festival Parade held in downtown
Indianapolis on the day before Race Day. 

Carb Day includes a major concert at the
"Snake Pit" inside Turn Three.

Josef Newgarden won back-to-back 500s in 2023 and '24.

There are many super large TV screens 
located around the track so everyone
can see all the action.
Including the Weenie 500!

#4, the "Sonoran Dog" from the Southwest US, is Jada's favorite.

A Silver badge like this enables the folks who buy one
to walk through the garages and pits all during May,
but not on Race Day.  A Bronze badge provides
May access to the garages, except for Race Day. 
The badges change every year.  This year honored
Danny Sullivan from 1985.

At the Concert

The crowd in the Snake Pit

I joined Jada for the concert after my work hours ended.
I use the bicycle to commute to/from the track
and travel around the track.

On large banners like this one, drivers,
teams and sponsors are feted.
Schwartzman was a rookie and the surprise
pole-winner, but many veteran drivers soon
passed him in the Race.