Gene Hackman’s Role in ‘Hoosiers’ Led to an Unforgettable, Beloved Film for Fans Far Beyond Indiana

Actor Gene Hackman gives fictional Hickory High basketball players instructions during filming of the final game of the movie "Hoosiers" at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus, Friday, Dec. 6, 1985 in Indianapolis. Tom Strickland/AP Photo

Bobby Plump—the real-life Jimmy Chitwood—said Gene Hackman deserves as much credit as anyone for taking his small-town Hoosier state basketball story beyond Indiana to the rest the world.

Hackman’s dazzling acting career stands out for sports fans for a single reason: His unforgettable role as Hickory Huskers coach Norman Dale in “Hoosiers,” the 1986 movie loosely based on tiny Milan’s run to the 1954 Indiana state title.