REO, Ind. (WFIE) – Basketball fans gathered at the Holiday Drive-In in Reo for a watch party during game two of the first round of the WNBA Playoffs between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces.
The event, held in partnership with Nike, featured exclusive Caitlin Clark merchandise, including a shoe collaboration. While many attended to watch the game and secure gear, one fan in particular caught the attention of organizers.
Seventy-year-old Claude Bradshaw arrived at the drive-in at 10:30 a.m. to make sure he was first in line. Thanks to his punctuality, Bradshaw was gifted a pair of the exclusive sneakers for free.
“Well I’m old, old people always get there early, and I’ve been that way my whole life,” Bradshaw said. “You know my Dad said if your 15-minutes early, you’re late. Well I’ve know her ever since she was a Sophomore, well knew about her, and just that she’s such a good ball player. Then after I start listening some of her interviews and stuff, it just dawned on me, now especially that she’s not just a great ball player, the best all around ball player in the country. She’s a good person. She’s a kind a person, she’s a humanitarian, she’s generous, she’s just a good person that we need these days.”
Bradshaw added that receiving the shoes came as a complete surprise.
“I think it’s the first time got anything given to me, unless my daughter gave it to me,” Bradshaw said. “But yeah I wouldn’t expect it, I was actually coming up here to order and pay for them. Yeah that’s a great thing, I’m Nike all the way. My brother asked me a couple months ago, you think we’d be watching women’s basketball when we turn 70. I said no I didn’t. But that’s what Catlin Clark does, you know she brings people like us, kids all the way up to us 70-years old men, because we respect them, because she’s a good human.”
On the court, the Fever defeated the Las Vegas Aces 99-89 to take game two.
Game three is scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. Central.
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