GO DAWGS!  BUTLER BASKETBALL TEAM NAMED GRAND MARSHAL OF
THE 2010 IPL 500 FESTIVAL PARADE

The Butler Bulldogs men’s basketball team has been named Grand Marshal of the IPL 500 Festival
Parade. The 53^rd IPL 500 Festival Parade is Saturday, May 29 and will be a celebration of the 2010
theme:  Embrace the Pace: Honoring the 100^th Anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway®. 

The Butler Bulldogs just completed their most successful basketball season in school history, finishing as runner-up in the NCAA Basketball Championships.  The Bulldogs fell just two points shy of Duke, 61-59, in the national championship game in Indianapolis.

 

“The 500 Festival is honored to pay tribute to the Butler Bulldogs men’s basketball team by naming them as Grand Marshal of the IPL 500 Festival Parade,” said Kirk Hendrix, President and CEO.  “Grand Marshal is the 500 Festival’s highest distinction.  Over our 53-year history, we have recognized as Grand Marshal those who have significant accomplishments and a body of work worthy of a grand celebration.  The Bulldogs certainly have earned that,

and most impressively, have done so with a spirit that exemplifies commitment and teamwork.”

 

Butler’s memorable season included a 33-5 record and a 25-game winning streak; the nation’s longest.  The Bulldogs finished the Horizon League schedule with an undefeated 18-0 mark, winning both the league’s regular season and conference tournament.  The Bulldogs were the only unbeaten conference champions in the nation this season.   They were the first Horizon League team to ever reach the NCAA Final Four. 

 

Butler’s march to the NCAA Western Regional Championship included victories over top-seeded Syracuse, 63-59 and second-seeded Kansas State, 63-56.  The Bulldogs defeated Michigan State, 52-50, in the national semi-final game. Butler was ranked in the Top 25 of the ESPN/USA Today national poll every week of the season and finished No. 2 in the final coach’s poll.

500 Festival Past Grand Marshals

What does one former President of the United States, three South American Ambassadors, a General, a race champion, a POW Korean War Ace, Medal of Honor Recipients, Public Safety Agencies, Governors, Astronauts, film greats and even Mickey Mouse have in common? Well the answer is that over 47 years each has starred in the 500 Festival Parade as a grand marshal.

For the very first parade, Lt. General H.W. Arnold, USA, did the honors, Jimmy Stewart in 1965 and Walter Cronkite in 1966. It was a "Bonanza" year in 1967 when Lorne Green, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon formed a grand marshal trio. The next year (1968) there were three Ambassadors from South of the Border and the charming Edie Adams was grand marshal for 1970.

Colonel James Kasler thrilled the crowds as parade grand marshal in 1973. To the delight of his family and everyone else, "Jim Kasler" was "back Home Again in Indiana," after being returned from prisoner of war camp in North Korea. All returned POW’s from Indiana were honored parade guests that year.

Mickey Mouse was a solo grand marshal in 1974. Not until the 1985 parade did Mickey bring Minnie and 60 other Disney characters along when he was grand marshal. Mickey and Minnie appeared once again as Grand Marshals in 1992.

Grand marshal Peter de Paolo brought back memories in 1975 of his breaking the 100mph speed record 50 years before. In 1976 Tony Hulman, then President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, shared the spotlight with his friend, Bob Hope. The three 4-time winners of the Indianapolis 500- Al Unser, Rick Mears, and A.J. Foyt were grand marshals in 1995.

Former President Gerald R. Ford was a stunning crowd pleaser as 1979’s grand marshal. In 1983 the 500 Festival reached into space for Astronaut Joe Allen as the grand marshal. And something for the girls in 1984- David Hasselhoff of "Knight Rider" fame.

1999 was a touching year, honoring nearly 100 Medal of Honor Recipients as the grand marshals of the parade. And in 2001 a very special set of grand marshals, the Public Safety Agencies of Indianapolis. In 2004, Indiana’s own Jane Pauley returned to the Hoosier state to serve as the 500 Festival grand marshal.

Over the years these military leaders and popular celebrities have served dutifully as our parade grand marshals. We salute them all in return.