Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Janet Condra |
| Date of Birth | Mid-1960s (exact date unknown) |
| Place of Birth | French Lick, Indiana, USA |
| Age | Approximately 60 years old |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Not publicly available |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Ex-Husband | Larry Bird (married November 8, 1975; divorced 1976) |
| Children | Corrie Bird (daughter, born August 1977) |
| Residence | Likely Indiana, USA |
Roots in French Lick
Janet Condra’s story begins in the limestone hills and winding roads of French Lick, Indiana, a small town that knows how to keep secrets and nurture dreams. Born in the mid-1960s, she grew up in the same community that shaped the grit and resolve of Larry Bird. The two were high school sweethearts, a pair of teenagers navigating the familiar rituals of small-town life—games on Friday nights, whispered plans for the future, and the shared certainty that the world beyond their zip code was coming fast.
French Lick has a way of forging durability, and Janet’s life reflects that. She would carry that unshowy strength into marriage, motherhood, and a private adulthood that never looked for applause.
A Short Marriage, A Long Shadow
On November 8, 1975, Janet Condra married Larry Bird. They were young, ambitious, and at a crossroads. Within months, the pressures of adulthood—and the accelerating orbit of a basketball prodigy—took their toll. The marriage ended in 1976, less than a year later. It was a brief chapter, but not an insignificant one. The end of their marriage became part of the larger mythology surrounding Bird’s rise, yet Janet’s presence at the outset of that journey is a reminder that even great public careers begin with private histories.
Their story illustrates a truth as old as time: youth magnifies both love and uncertainty. In the aftermath, each stepped into a different rhythm—Larry toward national prominence, Janet toward a quieter and more personal vocation.
Motherhood and the Center of Gravity: Corrie Bird
In August 1977, Janet gave birth to Corrie Bird. That date would become the new center of gravity in her life. She raised Corrie in Indiana, away from arenas and press conferences. The life she chose was steady rather than flashy, patient rather than performative. In the public imagination, Janet’s name often appears adjacent to Larry’s, but in the daily reality of parenting, she stood on her own two feet.
Over the years, accounts have described Corrie’s relationship with her father as strained early on, with reports of distance and difficulty. Later, indications suggest they reconnected—a testament to time’s ability to soften sharp edges. Through it all, Janet’s role remained consistent: mother, anchor, and advocate, shaping a home that valued privacy and normalcy.
The Wider Family Web
Family stories rarely follow straight lines. After their divorce, Larry Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989, and they adopted two children, Conner and Mariah. While those developments unfolded on a broader public stage, Janet continued her life in Indiana with augmented discretion. She is not a fixture in the spotlight, nor does she court it. Yet her connection to that larger family web remains an undeniable part of the historical record—one of the threads in a tapestry that the public glimpses but does not fully see.
For observers drawn to celebrity chronicles, it can be tempting to define a person solely by their proximity to fame. Janet Condra resists that simplification. Her post-marriage years reveal a woman who chose the sturdiness of routine, the dignity of privacy, and the lasting influence of motherhood over the restlessness of public attention.
A Deliberate, Private Life
Very little is publicly known about Janet’s profession or day-to-day pursuits. That is by design. She has maintained a low profile for decades, with no public social media presence and no frequent media appearances. News cycles have largely passed her by, and that quiet is intentional. In an age that equates visibility with relevance, Janet’s life suggests another path: that presence, especially family presence, can matter more than performance.
Her financial details and career trajectory remain private. What is known paints a portrait of self-containment: a woman who kept her world manageable, focused on raising her daughter, staying close to her community, and defining success by the lives she shaped rather than the headlines she made.
Timeline at a Glance
| Year/Period | Event |
|---|---|
| Mid-1960s | Born in French Lick, Indiana (exact date not publicly known) |
| November 8, 1975 | Marries Larry Bird |
| 1976 | Divorce finalized |
| August 1977 | Birth of daughter Corrie Bird |
| Late 1970s–1980s | Raises Corrie in Indiana; maintains a private life |
| 1990s–Present | Continues to live quietly, largely outside the public eye |
The Quiet Counterpoint to Fame
If public figures are the melody, Janet Condra is the harmony—crucial, steady, and often uncredited. Her life can be read as a counterpoint to how fame typically unfolds. Where the camera pans, she steps back. Where attention spikes, she levels it out. She is a reminder that the stories around sports legends are never linear, and that the people who stand at the edges still influence the shape of the narrative.
Every great sports saga includes early influences and private commitments that rarely make the documentaries. Janet’s role was brief in time but significant in context: she stood at the threshold of a historic career, and then she stood aside, choosing a different legacy. That choice, in its very restraint, speaks volumes.
Family Snapshot
| Person | Relationship | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|
| Janet Condra | — | Born mid-1960s; raised in French Lick; private life in Indiana |
| Larry Bird | Ex-husband | Married 1975; divorced 1976; later married Dinah Mattingly (1989) |
| Corrie Bird | Daughter | Born August 1977; raised primarily by Janet in Indiana |
| Dinah Mattingly | Larry Bird’s wife (since 1989) | Family includes two adopted children, Conner and Mariah |
The Human Scale of Legacy
Strip away the jerseys and the rafters and the retired numbers, and what remains are the choices ordinary people make under extraordinary circumstances. Janet Condra’s life illustrates that not all legacies are built on the court or in the press. Some are built in the calm hours, in the steady presence at a kitchen table, in the deliberate shielding of a child from a world that can be unforgiving. That is a different kind of strength, and it lasts.
Her story is not a spectacle, and that is the point. It is a study in composure and boundary, in how to coexist with fame without being consumed by it. For decades, she has kept her circle tight and her details few, an act of agency that deserves recognition in its own right.
FAQ
Who is Janet Condra?
She is the first wife of Larry Bird and the mother of Corrie Bird, known for living a private life largely outside public view.
When did Janet Condra and Larry Bird marry?
They married on November 8, 1975, and divorced in 1976.
Do Janet Condra and Larry Bird have children together?
Yes, they have one daughter, Corrie Bird, born in August 1977.
Where does Janet Condra live now?
She has long been associated with Indiana and is believed to still reside there.
What is known about Janet Condra’s career?
Details of her career are not publicly available, reflecting her preference for privacy.
Is Janet Condra active on social media?
No, she is not known to maintain a public social media presence.
How is her relationship with Larry Bird today?
Specifics are private; over time, reports have suggested improved relations around family matters.
Has Janet Condra appeared in interviews or documentaries?
She generally avoids media appearances, and there are no widely known interviews featuring her.
What is her connection to Larry Bird’s later family?
After their divorce, Larry Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989, and their family includes two adopted children; Janet remains connected through their daughter, Corrie.
