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Fans travel from afar to see Larry Bird, new museum

sue loughlin, the tribune-star, terre haute, ind.
·3 min read

Allyson Moore describes herself as a “huge fan” of Larry Bird, so huge, she flew all the way from Connecticut on Wednesday night to see Bird and attend the grand opening of the new museum that tells his story.

Today, Friday morning, she flies back home to attend the eighth-grade graduation of her twin daughters.

Moore had hoped to visit the museum, but that won’t be possible — this time.

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Dave Ondo and Kristle Ondo of Munster watch as Larry Bird speaks during the grand opening ceremony for the Larry Bird Museum on Thursday on Wabash Avenue.

“Anyway, I’m here for this; I wanted to support my childhood hero,” said Moore, 47.

Moore was part of a large crowd that attended the outdoor festivities on Wabash Avenue in front of the Terre Haute Convention Center, which houses the museum.

While many attendees were from the Wabash Valley, several came from other states and even Canada.

Moore came by herself while her husband “held down the fort” at their home in Vermont (she flew out of Connecticut).

The Celtics used to play regular season games in Hartford, and Moore would see Bird play there.

Except for games, “I’ve never seen him in a public appearance,” she said. She wanted to see him in person “and I think the museum is a great idea. I have to assume he did it because he wants to bring business to Terre Haute.”

She said she admired his work ethic and his desire to give back to a community that helped spearhead his illustrious career.

Dave Ondo, who wore a green Celtics jacket he got when he was age 12, and wife Kristle, came down from Munster in northern Indiana. He’s been a Larry Bird fan since age 7.

He credits his father with turning him into a Bird watcher. It all started with the 1979 NCAA national championship game when his dad began following Bird’s career.

“I was a little kid who followed my dad,” Ondo said.

Chris Lauber

Chris Lauber, who lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., made the trip to Terre Haute for the Larry Bird Museum’s grand opening on Thursday.

He admires the basketball great for many reasons, including Bird’s Hoosier roots, humble beginnings, strong work ethic and brilliant career. “He was great,” said Ondo, who played basketball in high school.

“You had to have an idol,” he said. He and his wife will tour the museum Friday.

Kentucky resident Keitha Vincent attended the grand opening with her parents, Chris and Barry Vincent.

“I’m a huge Larry Bird fan,” Keitha Vincent said. She wore a shirt from eighth grade featuring Larry Bird.

Vincents

Chris, Keitha and Barry Vincent came from Kentucky to be present for the grand opening ceremony of the Larry Bird Museum on Thursday in downtown Terre Haute.

She said her parents raised her to be a big basketball fan, especially of Bird and the Celtics. The family used to go to Indianapolis to watch the Celtics play the Pacers.

They also attended the unveiling of the Bird statue at Indiana State University in 2013.

The Vincents attended the museum grand opening “because we wanted to see him and see him honored,” Keitha Vincent said.

They won’t be able to see the museum this visit, but they plan to return later this summer.

Chris Lauber, who now lives in St. Petersburg, Fla., also made the trip to Terre Haute for the museum’s grand opening.

As a freelance photographer, he used to take photos of the Celtics during the Bird era.

“I had the great fortune in the 1980s to be shooting photos of the Boston Celtics, and eight of them are on permanent display and 23 are in the various videos” featured in the museum, he said.

Being at the museum’s grand opening, with Bird present, “is phenomenal,” Lauber said. Is he a Larry Bird fan?

“Oh god, yeah,” he responded.