Bird Faces the Music: Iowa Time Machine February 20, 1979

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 20, 1979, more than twelve thousand fans packed into Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines as Larry Bird dropped 27 on Drake in a 76-68. Despite Bird’s performance, a kerfuffle between Drake Coach Bob Ortegel and Indiana State Coach Bill Hodges over in-stadium organ music overshadowed the on-court action.

Larry Bird arrived at Indiana State in 1975 as a transfer from Indiana University, where he had lasted less than a month before the pressure and crowd of Bloomington sent him back home to French Lick. At a school that had never won an NCAA tournament game, Bird found space to become himself. He spent three seasons turning the Sycamores into a program that mattered, averaging over 30 points per game as a senior while leading Indiana State to an undefeated regular season. The 1978-79 campaign would end with a championship game appearance against Magic Johnson's Michigan State team, a contest that would change college basketball television ratings forever.

But before that March finale, there were February games in packed venues across the Midwest where Bird built his legend one performance at a time. The Drake game fell in the middle of Indiana State's perfect season. This 26-0 run had the entire state paying attention to a school that had always lived in the shadow of Purdue and Indiana University. Vets typically hosted crowds a fraction of that night's attendance, yet 12,250 people found seats or standing room to watch Bird dismantle Drake's defense.

The Bulldogs stayed close through the first half. Still, with 3:18 to play before the break, a fracas erupted when Sycamore Coach Hodges complained about Vets Auditorium organist Bill Henderson playing during Indiana State's free throws. Hodges left his bench, strode toward the Bulldog, and made contact with Drake’s Ortegel before police restrained the men. Ortegel later characterized Hodges’s actions as “childish.” Despite the setback, the Sycamores prevailed behind the strength of Bird’s performance. The 1979 NCAA championship game made Bird a national figure, and his subsequent NBA career with the Boston Celtics cemented his place among basketball's immortals. Three championships, three MVP awards, and twelve All-Star selections followed. The 12,250 fans who attended that game against Drake understood that box scores can only capture a small part of what makes college basketball special. #Iowa #OTD #Drake #CollegeBasketball #LarryBird