Who Is Janet Condra? The Remarkable Life Story of Larry Bird’s Ex-Wife

Janet Condra is best known as the first wife of NBA legend Larry Bird and the mother of his only biological child, Corrie Bird. She grew up in the small Indiana town of French Lick, dated Bird at Springs Valley High School and married him in 1975, years before he became a Boston Celtics star. The marriage ended within a year, yet it shaped both of their lives and led to the birth of their daughter in 1977. Condra has stayed out of the public eye ever since, so this article sticks to what reliable sources confirm and clearly flags what remains unverified.

Janet Condra Bio Table

Detail	Information
Full name	Janet Condra (also reported as “Jan” Condra)
Nationality	American
Known for	First wife of Larry Bird; mother of Corrie Bird
Hometown	French Lick, Indiana area
High school	Springs Valley High School
High school role	Former cheerleader
Ex-husband	Larry Bird, born December 7, 1956
Marriage	November 1975 (commonly reported as November 8)
Divorce	1976 (commonly reported as October 31)
Length of marriage	Less than one year
Child	Corrie Bird, born August 1977 (commonly reported as August 14)
Bird’s later wife	Dinah Mattingly, married 1989
Occupation	Not publicly confirmed
Public profile	Private; no verified social media accounts

Who Is Janet Condra?

Janet Condra is an American woman from southern Indiana. The public knows her through her connection to Larry Bird, one of the greatest basketball players in history. Bird won three NBA championships, three straight MVP awards and an Olympic gold medal with the 1992 Dream Team.

Condra never sought fame of her own. She appears in biographies and sports articles because she knew Bird before the fame arrived. She represents the part of his story that most highlight reels skip: the teenage years in a poor, close-knit town.

Many websites publish detailed claims about her career, net worth and later life. Most of these claims lack a named source. This article treats only a small set of facts as established: her high school relationship with Bird, their short marriage, their daughter and her decision to live privately.

Janet Condra’s Early Life in Indiana

Condra grew up in the French Lick area of Orange County, Indiana. The region sits in the southern part of the state, and Sports Illustrated has described it as one of the poorest counties in Indiana. Families there knew each other well, and high school basketball dominated local life.

Her exact birth date, parents and childhood details do not appear in reliable public records. Sources that offer specific dates or family names rarely cite where they found them, so this article leaves them out.

What sources do confirm is her place in the school community. A 2009 Sports Illustrated feature identifies her as a former Springs Valley cheerleader. That detail places her in the same hallways and gymnasium as Bird during his record-setting senior season.

How Janet Condra Met Larry Bird

Bird attended Springs Valley High School in French Lick and graduated in 1974. He averaged roughly 31 points and 21 rebounds as a senior and left as the school’s all-time leading scorer. Condra cheered for the same school, and the two began dating during their senior year.

Condra later spoke about those years with Sports Illustrated writer Seth Davis. She recalled how Bird’s father attended games but never sat down to watch. She also remembered how Bird reacted when a recruiting visit from Indiana University staff did not go as the family hoped, noting that his feelings seemed hurt even though he said little.

These recollections offer a rare first-hand look at Bird as a teenager. They show a quiet young man under heavy pressure from a town that expected him to play for Indiana University. Condra stood close enough to notice his moods, which fits the description of a high school sweetheart.

Janet Condra and Larry Bird’s Marriage

The couple married in November 1975. Most sources give the date as November 8. Wikipedia and multiple news outlets agree on the year and on the fact that the marriage lasted less than twelve months.

Bird was around 19 years old. His life had turned unsettled in a short time. He had accepted a scholarship to Indiana University in 1974 but left after less than a month because the large campus overwhelmed him. He returned to French Lick, enrolled at a nearby school and worked municipal jobs before moving to Indiana State University in 1975.

His family life added more strain. His parents had divorced while he attended high school, and his father died by suicide in February 1975, only months before the wedding. Anyone reading the marriage date in that context can see how much change Bird absorbed in a single year.

Condra stood beside him during this period. The wedding took place well before Bird’s NBA draft in 1978 and long before his professional debut in 1979. She married a promising local athlete, not a famous one.

Why the Marriage Ended

The marriage ended in divorce in 1976. Many sources report October 31, 1976, as the date, though the main biographical references simply say the marriage lasted less than a year.

Neither Condra nor Bird has given a detailed public account of the breakup. Commentary online usually points to three pressures: their young age, Bird’s uncertain path in college basketball and the stress of a recent family tragedy. These explanations sound reasonable, but they come from outside observers rather than from the couple.

Bird has acknowledged in his writing that his first marriage did not work out and that tension with Condra affected later events. He addressed his first marriage in his 1989 autobiography, Drive: The Story of My Life, which he wrote with journalist Bob Ryan.

The brief length of the marriage explains why so little documentation exists. Condra’s name appears in the record mainly because of who she married and who she raised.

Corrie Bird: Janet Condra’s Daughter

Janet Condra and Larry Bird had one child together, a daughter named Corrie. Corrie was born in August 1977, about a year after the divorce. Wikipedia notes that the couple attempted a reconciliation before her birth.

Corrie is Bird’s only biological child. He and his second wife, Dinah Mattingly, later adopted two children, Conner and Mariah. The Corrie story therefore forms a separate chapter within Bird’s family life.

Yahoo Sports reported that Bird initially denied being Corrie’s father until a paternity test confirmed it. The same report describes how Bird kept his distance for many years. Bird has said in his own words that his disagreements with Condra limited his involvement in Corrie’s life, while also saying he thought about his daughter often and wanted her to know she could count on him.

Reports in recent years describe a gradual improvement in their relationship. Corrie has spoken about wishing things had gone differently, and coverage suggests the two have reconnected over time. Neither side has published a full timeline, so readers should treat specific claims about meetings and events with caution.

Janet Condra as a Single Mother

Condra raised Corrie largely on her own through the late 1970s and the 1980s. Bird’s rise to fame during those years made the situation harder. His face appeared on magazine covers and television screens while his daughter grew up far from the spotlight.

Yahoo Sports quotes Condra as saying she protected her daughter from many hurts but could not shield her from this one. She explained that she made excuses for Bird when Corrie was young. Her words show a mother trying to guard a child from a painful reality.

The same coverage mentions that Corrie did not stand with her father at his jersey retirement ceremony in 1993. Bird has said he regrets the distance. He also stated that none of it was his daughter’s fault.

Condra chose not to turn this story into a media campaign. She did not write a tell-all book or build a public brand around her marriage. That decision sets her apart from many people who share a brief connection with a celebrity.

Larry Bird’s Life After the Divorce

Bird moved on to the biggest stage in basketball. The Boston Celtics drafted him sixth overall in 1978, and he debuted in 1979. He won championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986 and earned three consecutive MVP awards from 1984 to 1986.

He married Dinah Mattingly in 1989, the same year Drive appeared. After retiring in 1992, he coached the Indiana Pacers from 1997 to 2000 and later served as the team’s president of basketball operations. He still works with the franchise as a consultant.

None of these achievements involved Condra directly. Still, her story gives context to the early years of the man known as “the Hick from French Lick.” She knew him when basketball offered a way out of poverty and family trouble, not a path to legend.

Where Is Janet Condra Now?

Reliable sources do not confirm her current address, job or marital status. She has kept a low profile for more than four decades. Most writers agree that she lives a private life, most likely in Indiana.

Some websites claim she remarried, naming a husband and another daughter. Others say she never remarried. These claims conflict, and none comes from a verified interview or public record. This article does not repeat either version.

Several sites also describe her as an actress, a volunteer leader or a person with a specific net worth. No credible source supports these statements. Readers who want accurate information should be skeptical of any page that lists precise financial figures for a private person.

What We Know and What We Do Not

Confirmed facts include her high school relationship with Larry Bird, the 1975 marriage, the divorce within a year, the birth of Corrie in 1977 and her choice to stay out of the spotlight. Wikipedia, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports support these points.

Unconfirmed claims include her birth date, parents, career, later marriage and finances. Many articles repeat these details without evidence. Responsible writing leaves them out until a credible source appears.

Conclusion

Janet Condra’s story is short on public records but rich in human context. She stood beside a young Larry Bird during one of the hardest years of his life, raised their daughter and chose privacy over publicity. The facts that survive are modest, and that restraint reflects her own decision to stay out of the story.

Frequently Asked Questions About Janet Condra

1. Who is Janet Condra?
Janet Condra is Larry Bird’s first wife and the mother of his daughter, Corrie Bird. She grew up in French Lick, Indiana, and attended Springs Valley High School.

2. When did Janet Condra marry Larry Bird?
They married in November 1975. Many sources give the date as November 8, 1975.

3. How long did the marriage last?
The marriage lasted less than one year. Most sources place the divorce in 1976, with October 31 commonly cited.

4. Did Janet Condra and Larry Bird have children?
Yes. They had one daughter, Corrie Bird, born in August 1977.

5. How did Janet Condra meet Larry Bird?
They met at Springs Valley High School in French Lick. Condra cheered for the school, and the two began dating during their senior year.

6. Why did Janet Condra and Larry Bird divorce?
Neither has given a detailed public explanation. Commentary points to their young age, Bird’s uncertain college path and family stress, but these remain outside opinions.

7. Is Corrie Bird Larry Bird’s only biological child?
Yes. Larry Bird and his second wife, Dinah Mattingly, adopted two children, Conner and Mariah.

8. Who is Larry Bird’s current wife?
Larry Bird married Dinah Mattingly in 1989. The two remain his publicly reported spouse.

9. Where does Janet Condra live today?
No reliable source confirms her location. She has lived privately for decades, and sources suggest she remains in Indiana.

10. Did Janet Condra remarry?
Sources disagree, and none provides verified proof. This article does not confirm either claim.