Red, white and roach: Roachdale celebrates Fourth of July with annual race

ROACHDALE, Ind. — The town of Roachdale held annual roach races for nearly two decades. The fourth such race was held on July 4, 1984.

WRTV Mindy Mintz was dispatched to the Putnam County community to cover the action-packed insect event. Mintz followed in the footsteps of WRTV reporter Sy Jenkins who reported on the second annual race in 1982.

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Like most other large sporting events, Mintz noted the Roachdale Roach Race began with the singing of the national anthem.

Dozens of spectators gathered to witness the cockroach calamity.

“These people train them all year,” one organizer said. “We even had one come over from Ireland. A girl brought one over but it didn’t win the race because of jet-lag.”

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One competitor told WRTV that she had a secret to keeping her cockroach competitive.

“You’ve got to exercise them and keep them in the cold. I kept him in the air conditioner vent to keep him all peppy and everything.”

Every cockroach competitor was treated to a celebration at the end of the event.

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“We usually have one great big private party for the roaches and put them all into one container and give them a real large dose of Raid.”