Circle display with an image of a swimmer and a paragraph of text in a museum.

Mary is featured in the Competitive Kentucky section of the Frazier History Museum’s “Cool Kentucky” exhibit. | Photo provided by Frazier History Museum

The Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center has been offering Louisvillians a place for swimming lessons, water exercise, and even birthday parties since 1988. But the legacy of the woman behind the name of Louisville Metro’s only indoor pool begins much earlier.

So, let’s take a deep dive into the history of Olympic multi-gold-medalist and world-record holding swimmer Mary T. Meagher — aka “Madame Butterfly.”

🏊‍♀️ Records

Mary first made a splash in competitive swimming at age 14 when she set her first world record (2.09:77) at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the 200-meter butterfly — her preferred swimming stroke. She swam down and back an Olympic pool in the same time as the Kentucky Derby.

She would go on to beat that record four times, achieving her best time (2:05.96) in 1981 at the US National Championships — which she held for 19 years. Just three days later, she broke another record. This time in the 100-meter butterfly (57.93) which she also held for 18 years.

🏅 Medals

Mary competed in the Olympic Games twice. The first time was during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where she won three gold medals for swimming butterfly. She swam again in 1988 at the Seoul Olympics where she snagged a silver and a bronze medal.

She also has two gold medals — nine total — from the World Aquatics Championships and was the US champion swimmer 24 times.

💦 Out of the pool

Mary married former speed skater Mike Plant and now lives in Georgia with their kids, but her legacy lives on in LOU at the aquatic center and formerly as a Hometown Heroes banner.

QUESTION

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EVENTS

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Monday, March 13

Dinos Under Louisville | Monday, March 13-Sunday, April 30 | 10 a.m.-8 p.m. | Louisville Mega Cavern, 1841 Taylor Ave., Louisville | $49.99 | Drive through the caverns and see larger-than-life dinosaurs.

Tuesday, March 14

Four Roses Bourbon Presentation and Tasting | Tuesday, Mar. 14 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Joe’s Older Than Dirt, 8131 New La Grange Rd., Louisville | $45 | Try several Four Roses bourbon expressions while hearing the story behind the liquid from Master Distiller Brent Elliot.
Equine Themed Trivia | Tuesday, Mar. 14 | 7-9 p.m. | Hi-Wire Brewing, 642 Baxter Ave., Louisville | Free | Rein in your horse knowledge at this themed trivia night.

Wednesday, March 15

Jazz Night | Wednesday, Mar. 15 | 8-10 p.m. | The Whirling Tiger, 1335 Story Ave., Louisville | Free | Enjoy happy hour 5-7 p.m. before jazz performances in the lounge.

Friday, March 17

Shamrocks and Shenanigans | Friday, Mar. 17 | 5-10 p.m. | Fourth Street Live, 411 S. 4th St., Louisville | $15 | Tickets to this St. Patty’s street party include a drink ticket at each participating venue and a commemorative mug.
Drive-By Truckers | Friday, Mar. 17 | 8 p.m. | Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, 724 Brent St., Louisville | $30 | See this southern rock band perform live.

Saturday, March 18

Tree ID Hike | Saturday, Mar. 18 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Horine Conference Center at Jefferson Memorial Forest, 12408 Holsclaw Hill Rd., Louisville | $5 | Fill your noggin with arboreal wisdom during this all-ages hike.
2nd Annual Burgoo Bash Cook-off | Saturday, Mar. 18 | 3-5 p.m. | Against the Grain Brewery & Public House, 401 E. Main St., Louisville | $10-$15 | Sample this Kentucky stew made from cooks and chefs from around the region and vote for your favorite.

Sunday, March 19

Mouse Tales | Sunday, Mar. 19 | 12 p.m. | Portland Museum, 2308 Portland Ave., Louisville | Free | Watch a puppet show by Squallis Puppeteers with a finger puppet workshop after the performance.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

PLAN YOUR WEEK

NEWS NOTES

Weather

40º | Cloudy | 15% chance of rain

Opening

Atrium Brewing’s grand opening of its Norton Commons taproom (at Lyric apartment complex) is set for Friday, March 17, 5 p.m.-12 a.m. It will be the second location for the experimental Shelby Park brewery, known for its dessert-flavored sour beers.

Transit

TARC is requesting public comment for proposed changes to 10 of its routes. The bus system is looking to improve route efficiency and adjust service to communities where it’s most needed. Two open-house meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 and Wednesday, March 22, but you can also email your thoughts. 🚌

Drink

Heine Brothers Coffee teamed up with Racing Louisville to create a lavender-themed drink menu for spring. The creations include a purple, hand-crafted energy drink, white chocolate lavender iceberg, and lavender honey latte. Get a taste at any of the coffee shop’s 18 locations.

Show

Sashay this way. “RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq The World Tour” will take the Louisville Palace stage on Friday, Aug. 11. Select finalists from the TV show’s 15th season and other performers from the reality series — like Asia O’Hara and Plastique — will headline the show. Tickets start at $39. 💃

Plan Ahead

The Paristown Garden Show is set for Saturday, April 8. The free, outdoor event will feature plants and flowers, local speakers, garden decor, and a wine garden. Want to showcase your green thumb? Sign up to be a vendor. 🌼
Old Louisville Live is back for another year of free concerts in Central Park. The series kicks off on Friday, April 28 with The Crashers and is held at the park’s amphitheater monthly through September. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, but bring your own chair as the benches fill up quickly.

Sports

Registration is now open for Louisville City FC + Racing City FC Academy camps (starting in April). Designed for all ages, campers train to become better players and more confident in their soccer skills. See camp dates + register your child. ⚽ *

DYK

Fun local fact: Louisville es el hogar del bate de béisbol más grande del mundo. Find the translation of this fun fact in The Wrap at the bottom of our newsletter.*

Today Is

National Napping Day. Yup, the best day ever. Shop our favorite sleepytime picks for a cool and comfy snooze like this kooky but effective eye mask and this cutting edge mattress topper with a water cooling system. 💤*

Seasonal

To welcome the new season, our online store (Six & Main) is running a Spring Forward Contest. The winner + two friends will receive a prize from one of our coffee or tea brand partners. The contest is running now through Friday, March 24. Learn more on Instagram. 🌸

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

SPORTS

Give it a hurl

A worn white ball with curved stitching like a baseball lies on a pitch of sunny grass.

The ball is called a sliotar, pronounced “slit-er.” | Photo by Adrian via Pexels

There are many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but have you heard about hurling? No, not that kind of hurling. We’re talking about the Irish sport.

What is hurling?

This ancient Gaelic game is the national sport of Ireland and looks a bit like field hockey played with a baseball.

Players use a wooden stick to pass and score points by shooting through the opponent’s goalpost. Players use the stick (called a hurl or hurley) to hit and balance the ball (called a sliotar).

Want to learn all the official rules? Check out the US Gaelic Athletic Association (USGAA).

Get involved

Unfortunately, it looks like we don’t have an official USGAA hurling club… yet. That means the sliotar is in our court (so to speak) and the best way to get your hands on a hurley is by starting your own club. Scope out the future competition, as well as other Gaelic sports, with the USGAA’s interactive map.

In the meantime, check out the Lexington GAA to get your Gaelic games fix.

THE WRAP

DYK, translated: Louisville is home to the World’s Largest Baseball Bat. Brush up on your Spanish skills with a subscription to Babbel (currently 60% off exclusively for LOUtoday readers now through Sunday, March 19).*

Today’s issue was written by Katie.

Editor’s pick: Spring will soon be sprung and to prepare for the warm weather we’re working on some content about rooftop bars and restaurants in Derby City. Tell us your favorite spots to sip from the top.

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Jim Beam in a can + West Sixth NuLu adding food.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Katie Molck, Lennie Omalza, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Mandey Lee | Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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