Indiana University Athletics
Hoosier Roots: 1960s Move to Bloomington Creates Family Love Affair with IU
1/21/2021 9:00:00 AM | General, History
When Jerry and Sarah Levendoski decided to leave Michigan City, Ind., for Bloomington 59 years ago, they did so with the hopes of changing their family members' lives for the better.
They did that during their seven years on the IU campus, as Jerry completed his business degree and then his law degree at Indiana University. But in addition to creating a new future for the family, they also introduced something to the Levendoski family that has remained consistent in the 50-plus years since they left, and has now touched multiple generations.
A love of Indiana University and a love for IU sports.
Steve Levendoski, the second of four Levendoski children, was in first grade when his dad gave up his delivery job at the Jewel Tea Company in Michigan City and relocated the family to Bloomington in 1962 so that he could pursue his degree through the GI Bill. The family of six first lived in the old army barracks married housing off of 10th street before later moving to Banta Apartments.
They came to Bloomington with high hopes for their future, but very little knowledge or affinity for IU or IU sports.
"I didn't know anything about IU at all," said Steve. "We drove in at night, and I can remember my dad pointing out the old (10th Street) football stadium, and he mentioned that there was a new stadium that he'd show me. But the love for IU was all developed while we were there on campus."
The Levendoski's introduction to IU sports came in a variety of ways. One of those was courtesy of an upstairs neighbor, Woody Moore, who also happened to be IU's starting quarterback during the 1962 season. After the elder Levendoski met the then-IU senior signal caller he introduced him to his first-grade son, who was immediately star struck.
"He quickly became my all-time favorite football player," Steve said.
The introduction to IU sports also came at what was then two-year-old Memorial Stadium. Steve can't remember the score of his first IU football game in the fall of 1962, but he can remember that his father bought him an IU pennant at it ("it had a bamboo stick, with the IU logo, and Indiana written on it") that immediately went up on his bedroom wall and remained there for years to come.
In addition to taking games on Saturday afternoons, Steve also remembers numerous side excursions to the 17th street stadium as well.
Many of those came after afternoons spent on campus delivering the afternoon edition of the Bloomington Herald Telephone newspaper. Beginning in the fourth grade, Steve took over an on-campus paper route that included Campus View Apartments, Red Bud Apartments, Banta Apartments and the fraternities and sororities on Fee Lane. When the time and weather permitted, Steve would conclude his campus trip by heading to the IU practice fields to watch Coach John Pont's team practice.
"I loved being there because I was in love with the game," Steve said.
The newspaper business also offered him and his younger brother, Mark, an opportunity to get into the game on gamedays. Before home contests, the Levendoski brothers would hand out gameday editions of the short-lived Courier Tribune newspaper to incoming fans. Their compensation was $2, along with a ticket to the knothole section. While the youngsters would start off in the stadium's cheap seats, they'd quickly scale the wall and make their way to the reserved section.
"No one ever stopped us," Steve said, "and I don't know why."
The only thing that did stop their regular trips to Memorial Stadium was the family's move from Bloomington after their father completed law school. The family relocated to Ft. Wayne, where Jerry first worked as a law clerk and then become Ft. Wayne's first full-time public defender.
While Bloomington was in the family's rearview mirror, the love of IU didn't – and hasn't – waned.
"It was a family thing and still is -we all loved Indiana University," said Steve.
That love has now passed down to multiple generations. Steve and his wife, Kathy, have two sons who are IU fans, along with five grandchildren who have developed a passion for all things IU as well. One of Steve's prized possessions was an autographed photo of Keith Smart making the game-winning jump shot in the 1987 NCAA Championship game. Steve secured the photo, but the autograph came thanks to one of his sons.
"I had a picture of that game-winning shot, and one Christmas my son asked me what I wanted as a gift," Steve said. "We happened to live in the same neighborhood as Keith Smart, who was coaching in Ft. Wayne at the time. So I told him what I really wanted was for him to go get the picture autographed, and sure enough, he walked down to Keith's house, knocked on the door, and got the autograph."
That picture has since been passed on to one of Steve's grandchildren, who recently had his bedroom decorated in all-things IU.
The family's love affair with IU and IU sports doesn't appear to be going anywhere, and it all started nearly 60 years ago when a family of six made their way to Bloomington with no idea of what was in store for them or their family's future generations.
"My parents always felt bad that they could never provide us with a better upbringing, and I always told them I would never trade my days on the IU campus for anything," Steve said.
They did that during their seven years on the IU campus, as Jerry completed his business degree and then his law degree at Indiana University. But in addition to creating a new future for the family, they also introduced something to the Levendoski family that has remained consistent in the 50-plus years since they left, and has now touched multiple generations.A love of Indiana University and a love for IU sports.
Steve Levendoski, the second of four Levendoski children, was in first grade when his dad gave up his delivery job at the Jewel Tea Company in Michigan City and relocated the family to Bloomington in 1962 so that he could pursue his degree through the GI Bill. The family of six first lived in the old army barracks married housing off of 10th street before later moving to Banta Apartments.
They came to Bloomington with high hopes for their future, but very little knowledge or affinity for IU or IU sports.
"I didn't know anything about IU at all," said Steve. "We drove in at night, and I can remember my dad pointing out the old (10th Street) football stadium, and he mentioned that there was a new stadium that he'd show me. But the love for IU was all developed while we were there on campus."
The Levendoski's introduction to IU sports came in a variety of ways. One of those was courtesy of an upstairs neighbor, Woody Moore, who also happened to be IU's starting quarterback during the 1962 season. After the elder Levendoski met the then-IU senior signal caller he introduced him to his first-grade son, who was immediately star struck.
"He quickly became my all-time favorite football player," Steve said.
The introduction to IU sports also came at what was then two-year-old Memorial Stadium. Steve can't remember the score of his first IU football game in the fall of 1962, but he can remember that his father bought him an IU pennant at it ("it had a bamboo stick, with the IU logo, and Indiana written on it") that immediately went up on his bedroom wall and remained there for years to come.
In addition to taking games on Saturday afternoons, Steve also remembers numerous side excursions to the 17th street stadium as well.
Many of those came after afternoons spent on campus delivering the afternoon edition of the Bloomington Herald Telephone newspaper. Beginning in the fourth grade, Steve took over an on-campus paper route that included Campus View Apartments, Red Bud Apartments, Banta Apartments and the fraternities and sororities on Fee Lane. When the time and weather permitted, Steve would conclude his campus trip by heading to the IU practice fields to watch Coach John Pont's team practice.
"I loved being there because I was in love with the game," Steve said.
The newspaper business also offered him and his younger brother, Mark, an opportunity to get into the game on gamedays. Before home contests, the Levendoski brothers would hand out gameday editions of the short-lived Courier Tribune newspaper to incoming fans. Their compensation was $2, along with a ticket to the knothole section. While the youngsters would start off in the stadium's cheap seats, they'd quickly scale the wall and make their way to the reserved section.
"No one ever stopped us," Steve said, "and I don't know why."
The only thing that did stop their regular trips to Memorial Stadium was the family's move from Bloomington after their father completed law school. The family relocated to Ft. Wayne, where Jerry first worked as a law clerk and then become Ft. Wayne's first full-time public defender.While Bloomington was in the family's rearview mirror, the love of IU didn't – and hasn't – waned.
"It was a family thing and still is -we all loved Indiana University," said Steve.
That love has now passed down to multiple generations. Steve and his wife, Kathy, have two sons who are IU fans, along with five grandchildren who have developed a passion for all things IU as well. One of Steve's prized possessions was an autographed photo of Keith Smart making the game-winning jump shot in the 1987 NCAA Championship game. Steve secured the photo, but the autograph came thanks to one of his sons.
"I had a picture of that game-winning shot, and one Christmas my son asked me what I wanted as a gift," Steve said. "We happened to live in the same neighborhood as Keith Smart, who was coaching in Ft. Wayne at the time. So I told him what I really wanted was for him to go get the picture autographed, and sure enough, he walked down to Keith's house, knocked on the door, and got the autograph."
That picture has since been passed on to one of Steve's grandchildren, who recently had his bedroom decorated in all-things IU.
The family's love affair with IU and IU sports doesn't appear to be going anywhere, and it all started nearly 60 years ago when a family of six made their way to Bloomington with no idea of what was in store for them or their family's future generations.
"My parents always felt bad that they could never provide us with a better upbringing, and I always told them I would never trade my days on the IU campus for anything," Steve said.
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