Indy 500 trophy visits former home away from the track at Butler University
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — With the Indianapolis 500 just 33 days away, in celebration, the Borg-Warner Trophy on Tuesday paid a visit to Butler University for the first time since 1983.
According to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the iconic trophy and Butler have a historic connection dating to the 1950s.
They say each May, for 30 years, the fate of the Borg-Warner Trophy was put in the hands of just one man: Jack Mackenzie. He was a student at Butler University when he became the caretaker of the trophy in 1953.
MacKenzie kept it in his dorm and was responsible for taking the trophy to various events throughout the month of May.
Doug Boles, president of IMS, said Tuesday, “So, today the trophy is 90 years old and is recognized around the world. I would have a lot of anxiety with it not being secured. We have a lot of security around it now, but I guess in the ’50s when it had only been around for 20 years it was still a novelty. And obviously Mr. Mackenzie felt comfortable enough to have it in his fraternity house, and I’m sure it saw some pretty exciting times on fraternity weekends.”
Mackenzie relinquished his trophy duties following the 1983 Indianapolis 500, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has maintained control of the Borg-Warner Trophy ever since.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.