One of the most influential people in Indianapolis history passed away today: Senator Richard Lugar died at the age of 87.
The longtime Indiana state senator (1977-2013) and former Indianapolis mayor (1968-1976) was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom several years ago. Lugar, a Republican, was widely respected by both parties during his decades in Washington.
He was also a central figure of the growth of Indianapolis as a major city, thanks in large part to his vision and emphasis on building a sports culture. It's fair to say that pro sports, Final Fours, and Super Bowl XLVI would not have happened here if Lugar hadn't helped lay the groundwork. Both Jake and I shared brief words about his passing on Twitter today:
Here's an interview we did with him for our Catching Up With series back in 2015: