1. In 1864, the Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton directed that all able-bodied men in the state be drafted for military service in the Civil War. This measure was taken to ensure that Indiana supplied its fair quota of soldiers for the Union Army.

2. May 9, 1919, marked the first time that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway held a race after World War I. The race was called the "Liberty Sweepstakes" and was won by Roscoe Sarles.

3. On May 9, 1927, the iconic basketball player, Oscar Robertson, was born in Charlotte, Tennessee. Robertson played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, and he is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

4. In 1959, the Indiana State Board of Health announced that there were 36 cases of polio in the state. This was a significant concern for public health officials as polio was a highly contagious and debilitating disease.

5. On May 9, 1971, the Indiana Pacers won their first American Basketball Association championship. The Pacers defeated the Utah Stars in seven games to claim the title. The team was led by players like Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, and Freddie Lewis, and coached by the legendary Bobby "Slick" Leonard.