Uncovering history in Indiana

Day 1: Indianapolis | Day 2: Fort Wayne | Day 3: South Bend

Indianapolis hosted the annual Winter Meetings earlier this month, temporarily making the center of Indiana the center of the baseball universe.

But despite the fact that it lacks a Major League team, Indiana shouldn't be overlooked once the baseball season rolls around. The state is home to three Minor League franchises, all located within a short drive of one another. And it is this heartland triumvirate that we'll focus on in this edition of "Roadtrip": the Indianapolis Indians, Fort Wayne Tincaps and South Bend Silver Hawks.

Indians tickets | 2010 Indians schedule

Victory Field, home of the International League's Indianapolis Indians, boasts a downtown location that is within a walk or short drive from many of the city's most prestigious sporting attractions. So why not combine the Minor League Baseball experience with the NCAA, NFL and auto racing?

First up is the NCAA Hall of Champions, a museum and conference center dedicated to honoring the accomplishments of student athletes. For a $5 admission fee, visitors can explore the history of collegiate athletics through a series of permanent and rotating exhibits. Those looking to get a sense of the professional sports experience then only need to travel two miles to "The House That Peyton Built" (aka Lucas Oil Stadium, the sparkling new home of the Indianapolis Colts). Tours are offered year-round at the 63,000-seat facility, taking visitors from the locker room to the field to the press box and beyond.

But perhaps nothing is more synonymous with the city than auto racing, so why not take a quick drive over to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? The iconic racetrack is currently celebrating its "Centennial Era," as the facility opened in 1909 and hosted the inaugural Indianapolis 500 two years later. Ninety-minute "Grounds Tours" are offered regularly, giving visitors the chance to hop in a tour bus for a not-so-quick lap around the track.

But it all comes back to baseball, a sport that has been played professionally in Indy since 1887. The retro-minded Victory Field opened in 1996, quickly winning accolades as one of the best ballparks in all of Minor League Baseball. But as tempting as a hot dog at the ballpark may be, save room for a postgame dinner at 107-year-old St. Elmo's Steakhouse. The absurdly potent shrimp cocktail is the stuff of legend.

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TinCaps tickets | 2010 TinCaps schedule

Indianapolis is approximately 100 miles from Fort Wayne, but you may want take your time getting there. Along the way lies a series of enticing roadside attractions, starting with the World's Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria. The ball was created by Mike Carmichael, a man of true vision who describes his creation thusly: "Imagine an ordinary baseball. Now imagine that same baseball with over 21,500 coats of paint on it! ... That ordinary baseball that once weighed less than one pound now weighs more than 2,700 pounds! ... This ball is truly remarkable."

Agreed.

Next up is Fairmount, the hometown of James Dean. The unfathomably cool thespian certainly made his mark in his all-too-short film career, which is immortalized here through "The James Dean Collection." Visitors to this 19th-century Victorian home will be able to view the vast array of Dean memorabilia assembled by archivist David Loehr, including posters, trading cards and clothing. But for something completely different, make sure to stop by Huntington's Dan Quayle Vice Presidential Learning Center. This sounds like something cooked up by a comedy writer trafficking in outdated cultural references, but it is fact a real-live education center dedicated to "learning about the history, responsibilities and contributions of the office of Vice President and all those who have held it."

But don't get too wrapped up in learning about the vice presidency, as Fort Wayne itself has much to offer. When you're in Fort Wayne you should visit the actual Fort Wayne, a replica of the fort that the town is named for. Originally constructed in 1815 as a defense against Native Americans, today's fort is an education center dedicated to illuminating the vagaries of 19th-century pioneer life. Couple this with another fascinating slice of frontier history -- Johnny Appleseed Park. The selfless fruit-planting hero is alleged to be buried on the premises, but this seems to be a subject of much debate. In the interest of being diplomatic, I'll just say that it's possible he was laid to rest here, and move on.

Because no matter where Johnny was ultimately laid to rest, his influence can still be felt today in Fort Wayne. He is, after all, the inspiration behind the "TinCaps," the name of the city's Midwest League Baseball team (so called because Johnny was known to wear a cook pot on his head). The TinCaps are coming off an almost unfathomable successful championship season, in which they cruised to over 100 wins (including the playoffs) while consistently drawing sellout crowds to brand-new Parkview Field.

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Silver Hawks tickets | 2010 Silver Hawks schedule

Fort Wayne to South Bend is one of the shortest commutes in the Midwest League, so there should certainly be time in the agenda to stop by the RV Hall of Fame. It is exactly what its name implies -- a museum dedicated to showcasing vintage recreational vehicles and paying tribute to industry leaders. So grab a portable generator and a cooler of beer; there's no better way to spend an afternoon than by hanging out around the motor home.

Not that there isn't plenty to check out in South Bend, of course. This football-obsessed town will be the home of the College Football Hall of Fame through 2010, so take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the best non-professional gridiron greats there ever were. At the very least, it will help erase memories of Notre Dame's painful 2009 campaign. And while I am loathe to propagate reductive gender stereotypes, it is often the case that women are more interested in chocolate than they are in football. Therefore, members of the fairer sex should head over to the headquarters of the formidable South Bend Chocolate Company. An awe-inspiring array of confections awaits, which like football, can be enjoyed by all (I'm done stereotyping. It's a fool's game).

But I'm never done learning, and what I just learned is that the Silver Hawks are named after a line of Studebaker Automobiles that were once manufactured across the street from the team's ballpark. This is the sort of information that can be obtained at the Studebaker National Museum, a wide-ranging exploration of American automotive history. The museum currently features exhibits on both Harley Davidsons and 19th-century Presidential carriages, which will hopefully one day morph into an exhibit featuring presidents riding motorcycles. (I would especially like to see Dan Quayle riding in George H.W. Bush's sidecar).

But this day, like all others, ends with baseball. The Studebaker-inspired Silver Hawks play at Coveleski Stadium, which is named after Hall-of-Famer (and South Bend resident) Stanley Coveleski. The "Cove," as it is often referred to, offers regular opportunities to relax in the waning sunlight of a long summer day.

That sounds real nice about now, doesn't it?

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