He knows he was on the wrong side of "Hoosiers." He was there when Plump's Milan, a small country school, waltzed into the big city March 20, 1954, and beat Agullana's team, basketball powerhouse ...

While Hoosiers isn’t a direct retelling of the 1954 Milan High School team’s story, the film draws significant inspiration from their real-life victory. Milan was a tiny school in southern ...

Leon Agullana, a member of the 1954 Muncie Central High School basketball team that lost to Milan High School in the Indiana state finals, poses at his home in Albany, Ind., Wednesday, May 20, 2020.

Hoosiers was loosely inspired by the real-life Milan High School basketball team, which won the Indiana state championship in 1954. Following Hackman’s death at age 95 in February 2025, his ...

After being used in "Hoosiers," the old scoreboard was returned. It captures the eyes of Milan '54 Hoosiers Basketball Museum board member Greg Rakestraw every Tuesday, he said.

MILAN, Ind. — Jordan Burton's first serious history lesson about Milan basketball came in first grade. 30 years later, 'Hoosiers' still has major impact in Milan Skip to main content Skip to ...

Professors use the late Gene Hackman's performance as Norman Dale, a small-town high school basketball coach, to teach leadership lessons. Peak More than you might think ...

Hackman played Indiana high school basketball coach Norman Dale in the 1986 Cinderella tale inspired by the real-life story of Milan (Indiana) High School’s 1954 state basketball championship ...

After being used in "Hoosiers," the old scoreboard was returned. It captures the eyes of Milan '54 Hoosiers Basketball Museum board member Greg Rakestraw every Tuesday, he said.

FILE - Leon Agullana, a member of the 1954 Muncie Central High School basketball team that lost to Milan High School in the Indiana state finals, poses at his home in Albany, Ind., Wednesday, May ...

FILE - Leon Agullana, a member of the 1954 Muncie Central High School basketball team that lost to Milan High School in the Indiana state finals, poses at his home in Albany, Ind., Wednesday, May ...

There’s one reason Hackman’s dazzling acting career stands out for sports fans: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers from a tiny Indiana ...