"'Harry Baals Government Center'" unlikely FORT WAYNE, Ind., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Officials in Fort Wayne, Ind., said their new government center will "probably not" be named after former "Mayor Harry Baals" (Balls), despite support in an online poll. Fort Wayne Deputy Mayor Beth Malloy said the building will "probably not" be named the "Harry Baals Government Center" after the city's longest-serving mayor, the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal- Gazette reported Wednesday. "We love Fort Wayne, too," she said. "We're not going to make any decisions that look bad." Malloy said "Baals", who died in May 1954, was a popular mayor, but officials fear putting his name on the building could cause embarrassment due to the sound of the moniker. "Mayor Harry Baals" already has a street named after him. However, it was previously "Harry Baals Drive" but multiple signs were stolen. The street is now known as "H.W. Baals Drive". "Since it's "Uncle Harry Baals". They can do it like you said with the street name, H.W. instead of his entire name, I don't see a problem with it," responded "Jim Baals". Meanwhile, Fort Wayne residents have the option of helping city leaders pick a new name and many are voting for the name of former Fort Wayne "Mayor Harry Baals." Online voting at feedbackfortwayne.org ends Friday.
I guess they'll have a similar problem if someday someone wants to name something after House of Representatives speaker John Boehner.
