At Least He's Not Your Unfortunately Named Former Mayor

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by: RedGreen

( – promoted by redstateblues)

Fort Wayne probably won’t be dedicating a new government building named after Harry Baals, the Indiana city’s deputy mayor told The Journal Gazette today. And that’s despite the former mayor — who ran Fort Wayne longer than anyone else — leading an online poll run by the city, with more than three times the votes of his nearest competitor at press time.

“We love Fort Wayne, too,” (Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy) said. “We’re not going to make any decisions that look bad.”

… While Baals was a popular mayor, Malloy noted he had an unfortunate name and some elected officials have said such a name would be an embarrassment to the city.

Regardless, Malloy said the online feedback effort has been a success because it has generated interest in local government and created buzz.

“I’m glad people want to get involved,” she said. “We are having fun with government.”

Not as much fun as Fort Waynsters, who have given an even more commanding lead to Baals (pronounced “balls” by the mayor, who was first elected in the 1930s, though his descendants have apparently changed the pronunciation to “bales,” the reporter notes).

As of this posting, Harry Baals Government Center led runner-up Eugene Johnson Memorial Center by more than 7-to-1 in the online balloting. (The blandly named Johnson was the blandly titled property manager for a library when it occupied the building.) Other suggestions getting votes include Thunder Dome, Citizens Plaza and the plain vanilla City Hall.

Commenters on the feedbackfortwayne site aren’t happy city leaders first asked citizens to name the building and then said they plan to ignore the vote. Some commenters are even urging a recall of the current mayor if Baals doesn’t get his name in lights.

Wrote one:

Its sad that Harry Baals can never receive the recognition he deserves because of his name. Don’t you think he suffered enough name calling when he was alive. Heck, why don’t we just wipe his name from the history books so no one can every bring up the shame of having a mayor with a funny name.

And another:

Fort Wayne desperately needs something to make it memorable; this just could be it. If nothing else, we’d be the city with a sense of humor.

Voting continues through Friday.

15 thoughts on “At Least He’s Not Your Unfortunately Named Former Mayor”

Middle of the Road says:

February 9, 2011 at 7:13 am

for Harry Baals.

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droll says:

February 9, 2011 at 7:33 am

They do in Austin, too.

Austin’s Solid Waste Services Department decided it needed a new name. Something with a bit more panache. So they put it to the people of Austin in an online vote – and so far, their overwhelming choice seems to be “The Fred Durst Society of the Humanities and Arts.”

I feel left out and lucky at the same time.

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/06/…

The bigger issue; who the hell names their kid Harry Baals? What could he have possibly done that was so bad? “What a beautiful boy, Mr. and Mrs. Baals. What are you going to name him?” Harry of course! Someone at the hospital wrote that down. Made it official. Seriously?

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1. DavidThi808 says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 7:40 am
  
  N.D.’S new Barry building takes your breath away
  
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BlueCat says:

February 9, 2011 at 9:12 am

Saturday Night Live Shweddy Balls skit with Alec Baldwin.

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nancycronk says:

February 9, 2011 at 9:52 am

If he didn’t have one, he’d go by “H.Middle name Baals”. Unless his middle name was worse than the first, of course. (My status as a grown woman prevents me from suggesting middle names like “Red”, “Bowlen” or “Beech”, for example.)

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1. RedGreen says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 11:38 am
  
  Apparently there was a Harry Baals Drive in the city but some time ago they changed it to H. Baals Drive (not sure that really fixes things).
  
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Awen says:

February 9, 2011 at 4:15 pm

I lived there for more than 25 years before moving to Colorado, and remember snickering about the unfortunately-named mayor back in the 70s.

As to the comment that the city needs a sense of humor – no truer words were ever spoken. This is the community that elected Dan Quayle to his first elected office (congressman) back in 1972, and the “City of Churches” closed every adult bookstore with bizarre local ordinances.

Fort Wayne does NOT have a sense of humor, to which I can attest.

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1. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 6:55 pm
  
  They honor men of great accomplishment despite their unfortunate names.
  
  Take Balzac for instance. It was considered no disgrace that –having falling into some poison ivy as a young — many in French society called him “Itchy” throughout his entire life.
  
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  1. VanDammer says:
    
    February 9, 2011 at 8:20 pm
    
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Half Glass Full says:

February 9, 2011 at 11:22 pm

Our local version of Harry Baals. A fine public servant, father and husband, who recently died in a tragic accident – and who never let his unusual name get in the way of public service.

If Fort Wayne is gonna be so stupid, I think Denver should have a Timber Dick Building.

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1. Ralphie says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 11:30 pm
  
  But thought better of it.
  
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parsingreality says:

February 10, 2011 at 3:37 am

Founder of the Texas H.E.B. grocery store chain. H.E.B doesn’t exactly roll off of the tongue, so it’s often The Hebe to the locals, absolutely no antisemitism meant.

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DavidThi808 says:

February 10, 2011 at 4:01 pm

He went by Dick.

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1. parsingreality says:
  
  February 11, 2011 at 10:24 pm
  
  …here in Georgetown, TX, immediately north of Austin.
  
  “Dick Law” offices……
  
  Not Shawn Dick, Attorney at Law.
  
  Besides, do you know of any dicks that pay attention to the niceties of law? Maybe their owners, but never their masters.
  
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  1. Ralphie says:
    
    February 12, 2011 at 1:42 am
    
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