Why Does the Winner of the Indianapolis 500 Drink Milk and How Did the Tradition Originate?

After winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1936, Louis Meyer was photographed drinking his favorite beverage, buttermilk.

An executive from what is now the American Dairy Association saw the picture in the paper.

Realizing it was a good example for children, he ensured that from that point on every winner of the Indy 500 would receive a bottle of milk to drink.