Mayor Harry Baals
, who pronounced his last name to rhyme with "balls," won four terms in Fort Wayne. Indiana in the 1930s and 1950s. With his popularity – and possibly his name, it isn’t surprising that an online poll of Fort Wayne residents voted to honor Baals by naming the new Government Center after him.
The people have spoken, case closed and problem solved. Sadly, it’s not to be. City officials fearing that they would become the butt of late-night talk show jokes, and general snickers, chose to ignore the wishes of the people at their own peril.
Ironically, it’s likely that if the city had quietly named the building after the people’s choice, it’s possible that no one outside of Indiana would have heard of it. Now the city official’s worst dreams are coming true. After all, even we are writing about it, and all because they were too timid and prudish to dedicate the Harry Baals Government Center.