Indiana

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Indiana is a U.S. state in the Midwest, and the 17th-most populous out of the 50. It was the 19th state to be admitted into the Union in 1816. Its name means “Land of the Indians,” due to the many indigenous tribes that inhabited the area. Indiana remained largely agricultural until the discovery of natural gas in the 1880s, and this abundant cheap fuel source attracted heavy industry, and with it a population and economic boom. 

Indiana has a rich sports history and culture. It hosts the Indy 500 every year over Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a track over one hundred years old. This race brings in more than 250,000 people every year, making it the largest single-day sports event in the world. Indiana also has a dominant basketball heritage, being the birthplace of high school basketball, and having produced among the most NBA players per capita.