The Indiana Pacers announced Tuesday their intention to wear the Hickory Huskers uniforms from the movie Hoosiers for some games next season.
Hickory was the fictional team inspired by the 1954 Milan Miracle. But controversy still swirls around the movie almost 30 years after it was released.
Hoosiers, released in 1986, is generally regarded as one of the best sports movies of all time. It was written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh, both Indiana natives, and starred Gene Hackman as Coach Norman Dale. While it was inspired by the Milan Miracle of 1954, it was not a documentary.
"The only factual thing about Milan is the last 18 seconds after the ball is thrown in," Bobby Plump shared with WTHR Tuesday morning.
Bobby Plump hit the winning shot that won a state championship movie goers hearts for generations.
"I thought it was a good movie, but it was not an honest movie," NBA Hall of Famer Crispus Attucks State Champion Oscar Robertson said months ago during an interview about his team being honored in the 500 Parade.
Robertson says the Muncie Central team that played Milan in the State Championship game was not all black.
"I know Bobby Plump. He's a great guy. Love the guy. Know a lot of people on that team, but it was not about them playing against an African-American team. They played Muncie Central. They may have had two black players on the team. Two or three, but that is who they played against. They didn't play against an all-black team as the movie showed," Robertson explained.
Angelo Pizzo, who wrote the screenplay for Hoosiers, says the movie tried to stay true to the racial makeup of the championship game.
However, "I said publicly I was inspired by the Milan story but I wanted the freedom to create characters and conflict and resolution of drama without the straight jacket of the truth," Angelo Pizzo said during an interview at the Indianapolis International Airport Tuesday after flying in from Dallas.
That work of fiction based on fact lives on as the Pacers announce their intention to don the Hickory uniforms from the movie in some games next season.
"The continuing sustaining aspect of how Hoosiers has gone from generation to generation is a surprise to both David and I," Pizzo added.
Referring to "Hoosiers" Director David Anspaugh.
"It is such an honor, an NBA team and Metro Goldwyn Mayer would even think about using these uniforms. That is the impact that the movie Hoosiers made," Pizzo explained.
From the Pacers:
"Our team will be honored to wear the Hickory uniforms because of the attention it will bring to the storied history of Indiana basketball and the success of that movie," said Larry Bird, Pacers President of Basketball Operations . "Hoosiers takes us all back to a special place and time."
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Todd Taylor, Pacers Sports & Entertainment's Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing, championed the idea of wearing the Hickory uniforms and worked with MGM on the partnership.
"Obviously, we revere the film, but more importantly we believe our organization, especially our players, embody the core message of the story – by coming together as a team, there is nothing that can't be accomplished," said Taylor.
In addition to the upcoming season, the Pacers will wear the Hickory uniform during select games over the next several seasons.
"While the uniform being worn in front of a worldwide audience is thrilling, we are equally excited about the additional opportunities the partnership provides both on and off the court," Taylor said. "The Miracle Men of Milan are just one of the legendary basketball stories in the state. We look forward to drawing attention to the contributions and accomplishments of those that have made Indiana synonymous with the game of basketball."
While the central and most visible component is the Hoosiers inspired uniform, the partnership also will allow for a variety of unique community outreach and awareness opportunities throughout the State of Indiana.
