Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana is a city located centrally in the rectangular-shaped U.S. state of Indiana and is its [[capital city|capital]. In 2020, the population of the city was 887,642 and its metropolitan statistical area had 2,111,040 residents.
Indigenous peoples inhabited the area dating to as early as 10,000 BC. In 1818, the Lenape relinquished their tribal lands in the Treaty of St. Mary's. In 1821, Indianapolis was founded as a planned city for the new seat of Indiana's state government, situated next to the White River.
Indianapolis is dominated by a variety of profession sports.
Indianapolis is a major center for motorsports. Two auto racing sanctioning bodies are headquartered in the city (INDYCAR and United States Auto Club) along with more than 500 motorsports companies and racing teams, employing some 10,000 people in the region. Indianapolis, a.k.a. Indy, is often considered synonymous to auto racing. Completed in 1909 as an automotive test track, the oval-shaped Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world's largest sports venue by capacity, with 235,000 permanent seats. Since 1911, the 2.5-mile-long rectangular oval has hosted the Indianapolis 500, an American open-wheel automobile race held annually on Memorial Day weekend. Considered part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, the Indianapolis 500 is the world's largest single-day sporting event. The track also hosts a variety of other racing events.
The Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL) have been based in the city since relocating from Baltimore in 1984. The Colts' tenure in Indianapolis has produced 11 division championships, two conference championships, and two Super Bowl appearances. Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning led the team to win Super Bowl XLI in the 2006 NFL season.[1] Lucas Oil Stadium replaced the team's first home, the RCA Dome, in 2008.[2]
Founded in 1967, the Indiana Pacers are a National Basketball Association (NBA) professional basketball team. Before joining the NBA, the Pacers won three division titles and three championships (1970, 1972, 1973). Since 2000, the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) have won three conference titles and one championship in 2012.
The Indianapolis Indians of the International League are the second-oldest minor league franchise in American professional baseball, having been established in 1902.[3] The Indians have won 26 division titles, 14 league titles, and seven championships, most recently in 2000. The team has played at Victory Field since 1996.[4]
Other local minor league franchises include the Indy Eleven soccer team of the USL Championship (USLC), who play their home matches at Michael A. Carroll Stadium, and the Indy Fuel hockey team of the ECHL, who play their home games at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Both teams premiered in 2014.[5][6]
- ↑ Indianapolis Colts. Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. (2021). Indianapolis Public Library.
- ↑ Blair, Lyndsey D. (July 2021). Lucas Oil Stadium. Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library.
- ↑ "The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis".. (1994). Bloomington & Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
- ↑ Opsahl, Sam (July 2021). Victory Field. Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library.
- ↑ Opsahl, Sam (June 2021). Indy Eleven. Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library.
- ↑ Opsahl, Sam (June 2021). Indy Fuel. Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library.