Jack Nicholson, not Gene Hackman, was the original coach cast and other things you might not know about 'Hoosiers' and how it was inspired by the 1954 Milan High School basketball state champions.

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 ...

MILAN, Indiana — The dazzling films of Gene Hackman stand out for sports fan for one reason: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers in “Hoosiers.

The locker room downstairs in The Hoosier Gym, used by the Hickory Huskers in the movie Hoosiers, shown Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, remains largely unchanged from the way it was when the film was made ...

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 ...

Gene Hackman gave fictional Hickory High basketball players instructions during the filming of the final game of the movie "Hoosiers" at Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 6, 1985, in ...

In their Hickory Huskers uniforms, Greenfield-Central’s Boston Willard, left, and Braylon Mullins, right, get ready to play in the 20th Hoosiers Reunion All-Star Classic at Hoosier Gym in ...

FILE - 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 ...

The dazzling films of Gene Hackman stand out for sports fan for one reason: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers in “Hoosiers.” ...

Hackman’s dazzling acting career stands out for sports fans for a single reason: His unforgettable role as Hickory Huskers ...

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 ...