It's a Thanksgiving tradition that kind of flamed out over the years, but not before Kevin Rader and photographer Steve Rhodes got a chance to capture it for posterity.
This week's classic "Only In Indiana" takes you back to Thanksgiving Week 2006 in Bloomington for the "Flaming Turkey Toss."
Every Thanksgiving for the last five years, a small circle of friends have congregated to do what they love to do. Representatives gather from nine colleges in all, men and women, including four college and two high school All-Americans.
"Throwing, you don't have to have special equipment or special outfit. You just have to be able to come out there and have the will to throw."
They certainly have that.
"Being a thrower, you just love to throw. It doesn't matter what it is."
"As far as I know, we are the only place in the country and possibly in the world that throws turkeys."
Sixty people gathered at Bloomington High School South to watch the 2006 turkey toss competition.
"That's throwing. That is why it is so exciting to us, you know."
It's more than that. It's a chance for Doug Ballard to talk turkey with many of the kids he coached, who have now grown up to become coaches themselves. As the sun set on the 2006 competition, the winning distance was announced - 185 feet, 7 inches.
But it's far from over. In fact, when it gets dark is when things really heat up.
"Last year, we started lighting the turkeys on fire. That took it to a whole new level. It is just so exciting, having fire rotating around your body. It is hard to explain until you do it...it is hard to explain.
Two turkeys, a nine-pounder for the women and a 12-pounder for the men, are wrapped in a baby's "onesie", doused in charcoal lighter fluid and they're off.
"It looks so cool. I just like the sound. Woosh! Woosh!"
It obviously attracted some attention.
"We were driving down here and saw it and pulled in. I thought it was great once we saw it."
"This is what we do. We throw. Life is so simple. It's so good, isn't it?"
"I'd rather eat my turkey, but that's okay."
"Having that flame rotate around your body and the sound and the heat. I don't know it is like being the center of the universe."
Maybe it's something only those who stepped into the ring can understand.
"God, that was cool. That was awesome. Who is next?"
The Flaming Turkey Toss ended a few years ago. The friends decided, as they got older, it was better to spend the holiday with family instead of turkeys doused in lighter fluid.
