The Beefcake of Batesville

Batesville, about an hour's drive southeast of Indianapolis, has always given me a weird ghoulish vibe, maybe because of the Bates Motel in Psycho (which was actually in California).

And because of the Batesville Casket Company, the largest producer of caskets and coffins in the country.

The difference is: coffins are tapered at the head and foot, and caskets are rectangular.





Barnabas got that wrong on Dark Shadows.

Everyone in Batesville was probably yelling "It's not a coffin, it's a casket!" at the screen.

Or maybe not.  The Batesville Casket Company tries to project a wholesome, "family friendly" image, and the town does the same.  There are no ghouls to be found in any public art.  The town motto is "committed to faith, family, education, and a strong economy."

Gives me a homophobic vibe.

In 2015 Randy Wigle-Stevens went to "family values" mayor Richard Fledderman's house to give him a massage.  They ended up having sex instead.  Randy told the police that he was forced, whereupon he was charged with prostitution, extortion, and failure to reveal his HIV status (a felony).  The mayor was merely charged with prostitution (a misdemeanor). They both pled guilty, and received probation.

I have two questions.  Why not go on Grindr instead of paying for it?  And if you're going to pay, why not choose someone attractive?

But on to the beefcake.




Cute wrestlers can be seen at Batesville High School ("Believe in Better").  The team is called the Bulldogs.  I guess they like "B" sounds.

















Apparently the swim team just made it to state, so there's a lot of congratulatory articles online.

















And group photos of the team.












This looks like a different team, much more pale and washed out, with girls in the second row.  It may be from another Batesville.






Turns out that there are 7 Batesvilles in the U.S.  This wrestler seems to be from the one in Arkansas (you can tell from the school team colors, green and yellow).


















This powerlifter is participating in a "Lift-a-thon" for the Batesville Bulldogs Football Kick-Off Day.  I don't know which Batesville, but that looks like 140 pounds.












A muscular guy wanting a date in Batesville, Mississippi.