Promotion. This coming Saturday, ESPN Classic is going to air an apparently long-lost tape of the legendary Milan-Muncie championship game on which the movie "Hoosiers" was based. Then, I believe, that they are going to play the game again live with current squads wearing antique uniforms. Looking forward to those "push shots" and "two-handed sets." I believe that the start time is 6 PM ET next Saturday, February 21st. Double check that cause I'm going on Monday morning memory.
interesting. I remember having to watch that movie my freshman year in highschool due to the fact that our principal played on that team. His character was played by the player who was Dennis Hopper's son. Unfortunately he passed away 13 or so years ago.
It comes on at 5:00 cst. and is replayed at 8:30. So you are correct. If anyone sees the 1980 Olympic hockey semi or final games listed holler. I'd like to catch either of those again.
http://www.milan150years.org/milanindiana/54miracleteam.htm The Miracle Men of Milan Milan, Indiana, a quiet rural town in the southeastern part of the state, was the scene of one of the greatest basketball stories in history. The rise of the 1954 Milan basketball team actually started the preceding year. In 1953, the team went all the way to the final four only to be beaten in the semi-finals. Then the 1954 season arrived. In a high school of 162 total students, 73 were boys. A young Marvin Wood was returning for his second year as coach, along with Marc Combs and Clarence Kelly. The core of the 1953 team also returned. From this came the David vs. Goliath championship story. Although their accomplishments seem to have grown to almost mythical proportions as the story of the greatest underdog in sports' history throughout the years, there was a real team who lived a dream that came to life. Under the leadership of twenty-six year old coach Marvin Wood, the Indians began their rise to the top of the 751 teams entered in that year's tournament, with a record of 19-2. The mighty men of Milan then cruised through the state tournament relatively untested, until the final game against Muncie Central. The Indians were paced in scoring throughout the game by senior Ray Craft. However, Coach Wood's delay tactic game plan would place the ball in the trusty hands of another senior, Bobby Plump. Bobby Gene Plump, who at-the-buzzer hit the shot that gave tiny Milan High School the 1954 state basketball championship over the Muncie Central Bearcats. Called "the most famous shot in Indiana hoops history," the real-life event became the basis for the fictionalized movie, "Hoosiers." Milan beat Giant Muncie Central 32-30 in the final seconds of the game. Much has been written about the season, the team and the coach. In September 1999, Sports Illustrated named this team one of the top 20 teams of the century. Bobby Plump, the team member who made that last second jump shot, is Number 11 on Sports Illustrated's Top 50 Athletes of the 20th Century. The sports writers of Indiana named this the #1 sports story of all in Indiana history. The movie Hoosiers was based on the 1954 team. It is a story that bears repeating. The tour will allow you to experience some of the excitement that was felt back in 1954. Enjoy it, and be sure to watch for the opening of the permanent 1954 Milan Museum.
http://www.milan.k12.in.us/StateChamps/1954.HTM Dedicated to the memory of Coach Marvin Wood, 1928-1999 The Miracle Men of Milan Front row, from left: team manager Oliver Jones; cheerleaders Marjorie Ent, Virginia Voss, and Patty Bohlke; and team manager Fred Busching. Middle row: Assistant Coach Clarence Kelly, Roger Schroder, Bill Jordan, Gene White, Bobby Plump, Ken Delap, Ray Craft, Coach Marvin Wood. Top row: Principal Cale Hudson, Assistant Coach Marc Combs, Ken Wendlman, Bob Wichman, <b>Ronnie Truitt</b>, Glenn Butte, Rollin Cutter, Bob Engle, Superintendent Willard Green Although their accomplishments seem to have grown to almost mythical proportions throughout the years, there was a real team who lived a dream that came to life. The following is a brief account of "The Team" and the individuals who made it so special. Few basketball fans outside of Milan realize that this story of the greatest underdog in sports' history actually began a year before that championship season. In the 1952-1953 season, the Milan Indians advanced to the final four of the state bowing out in the semi-finals to South Bend Central. The nucleus of that team returned to form what is now called the '54 team. Under the leadership of twenty-six year old coach Marvin Wood, the Indians began their rise to the top of the 751 teams entered in that year's tournament, with a record of 19-2. The mighty men of Milan then cruised through the state tournament relatively untested, until the final game against Muncie Central. The Indians were paced in scoring throughout the game by senior Ray Craft. However, Coach Wood's delay tactic game plan would place the ball in the trusty hands of another senior, Bobby Plump. Plump's famous final second shot assured the championship victory for the Indians. Milan's 32-30 victory over Muncie Central has since been a rallying cry for every small school in the state. The "David vs. Goliath" theme was retold in the 1986 film "Hoosiers" and in books such as, A Boy, A Ball & A Dream, Five Against the Odds, Hoosier Hysteria, and Bobby Plump-Last of the Small Town Heroes. In a final footnote to the improbable tale, the Indiana High School Athletic Association broke a long standing tradition and awarded the Trester Award for mental attitude, sportsmanship, and character to a member of the winning team, Bobby Plump. Plump's recognition seemed a fitting end to the story of a team filled with character. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1953-54 Championship Season 19-2 Regular Season 28-2 Overall Milan 52 Rising Sun 36 Milan 64 Vevay 41 Milan 48 Osgood 44 Milan 61 Seymour 43 Milan 24 Brookville 20 Milan 67 Hanover 36 Milan 50 Lawrenceburg 41 Milan 39 Versailles 35 Milan 47 Frankfort 49 Milan 52 Columbus 49 Milan 74 Rising Sun 60 Milan 52 Versailles 46 Milan 41 Napoleon 34 Milan 44 Holton 30 Milan 38 Hanover 33 Milan 61 Napoleon 29 Milan 42 Sunman 36 Milan 48 Versailles 42 Milan 38 North Vernon 37 Milan 45 Aurora 54 Milan 38 Osgood 30 Sectional Milan 83 Cross Plains 36 Milan 57 Versailles 43 Milan 44 Osgood 32 Regional Milan 58 Rushville 34 Milan 46 Aurora 38 Semi-State Milan 44 Montezuma 34 Milan 65 Attucks 52 State Finals Milan 60 Gerstmeyer 48 Milan 32 Muncie Central 30 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Ronnie Truitt was the head coach at Cy-Fair (~1971 Texas state 4A champions) and later a principal. He died of cancer some years ago. He was also one of my youth swim coaches.
To answer your question..yes. He was my principal at Jersey Village High until he passed away from cancer like you mentioned. He as a statue of a Falcon in the back of the school dedicated to his memory. I remember the unveiling we had during school. Very classy act.
