November 10 declared as “Esports History Day” in Ottumwa

OTTUMWA, Iowa (KYOU) - November 10th has a new meaning in Ottumwa, Iowa. Wednesday, Mayor Tom Lazio proclaimed it “Esports History Day”, recognizing the historical significance of Ottumwa in the founding of esports.

Esports are video games played in a competitive way, much like physical sports.

The Mayor was joined by Walter Day, who founded Twin Galaxies, an organization that tracks video game records and achievements, along with other esports superstars from the 1980s.

Day unveiled a plaque commemorating a LIFE Magazine photograph taken on November 7th, 1982, where the first esports champions were photographed.

Walter Day, who ran Twin Galaxies arcade on Main Street, says he’s honored to see Twin Galaxies mark its 40th anniversary. “All that stuff we did years ago that was strange and new and innovative and stuff, we just began to realize that it actually meant something to the course of popular culture.” He says it’s unbelievable to see how far esports has come.

Case in point, Day was joined by the Fairfield High School esports team, which was founded a handful of years ago.