Minding my own business listening to the Dan LeBatard Show today and they keep saying Hairy Balls.. Hairy Balls.. Hairy Balls. I do get the show so I was waiting for the punchline.
They were actually talking about a former politician in Fort Wayne Indiana by the name of Harry Baals. (Pronounced.. Balls.) So obviously I had to go immediately to the google machine.
Harry Baals was born on November 16, 1886 and died on May 8, 1954. He served two terms as mayor of Fort Wayne. From 1932-1947 and then once again from 1951 until he died in 1954.
Wikipedia “During the Great Depression, Mayor Baals directed war materials drives, upgraded city equipment and services, and broke ground for Baer Field, now Fort Wayne International Airport.”
Not only did Mayor Baals have a fantastic name… He got shit done.
And, he was god damn proud of his name:
Wikipedia “Fort Wayne newscaster Bob Chase, of WOWO-AM, relates a story that he once pronounced the mayor’s name “Bales.” Mayor Baals personally called him following the broadcast to correct his pronunciation, saying, “son, this is your Mayor. I pronounce my name ‘Balls’.”
Hell yeah Mayor Baals!
So, naturally such a great former politician must have things named after him.
In 2011 the city of Fort Wayne had an online vote to name their new city government building…
You guessed it. The Harry Baals Government Building won by about a billion votes!! However the city did not name this the building for obviously and very childish (if I may add) reasons. This great man deserves a building!
I am all I favor of Branded Sports beginning a new campaign to rename the Fort Wayne Government building after Harry Baals!
The city did name other things after Mayor Baals, like a street.
By my surprise apparently these street signs are stolen… All the time.
Mr. Mayor Harry Baals… Thank you for your service to this great country. We will fight to get your name on that building and have the great people of Fort Wayne keep the streets clean, but never smooth.
-Kmess