On a cold March night in Butler Fieldhouse, the Indians of tiny Milan High School (enrollment 161) defeated the mighty Muncie Central Bearcats (enrollment 1,662), to win the state championship and secure their place in Hoosier Folklore. E-Newsletter, Contact information, call 812-654-2772 or. Rules, interpretations, mechanics, philosophies and other information may or may not be correct for the current year. It was built between 1911 and 1913, and is a two- to three-story, eclectic red brick building with limestone trim. He said, I have two minutes after one, and were going by my watch.. News North Sports Indy 500 Things To Do Advertise Obituaries eNewspaper Legals. Required fields are marked *. INDIANAPOLIS Since leading tiny Milan High School to the Indiana state basketball championship in 1954, storytelling has become a big part of Bobby Plump's life. Below is that game: Milan 54 Hoosiers Museum Ahead at the time, the Muncie players were contentto stay back and not pressure the ball. Its been 50 years since those two veteran referees patrolled the biggestupset in Indiana history. Note: This article is archival in nature. That single act told the team and the community, no matter if youre the star, there are rules and youre subject to them. Nods from a majority of the audience, some who were fortunate enough to see the game in person as youths, conveyed their approval of yesteryears hoops romanticism, when Indiana thrived in a single-class state tournament era. The rest was history as Milan beat an even smaller school (enrollment 79) in Montezuma, 44-34, before facing Attucks and Terre Haute Gerstmeyer Tech, 60-48 in the state semifinals. A no-nonsense coach, Wood implemented a team-first philosophy, leaving little room for preferential treatment, even for Plump, Milans star guard and state finals hero, who buried the games renowned last-second shot. To prepare for the rigors of tournament play, Milan scheduled several games against larger, more prestigious schools, including a tournament at Frankfort, where they would suffer their first loss of the season, a 4947 nail-biter against the hosts. With four starters returning from the semifinalists, Milan was considered a lock to win both the Ripley County tournament and the sectional. Thats when he took a couple ofdribbles over to the side and then shot. Everything we send is officiating specific because that's all we do. Defensive rebound Plump.Milan: Turnover (Plump double dribble)Muncie Central: Turnover (Offensive foul Hinds)Milan: Truitt free throw GOOD 25-22Muncie Central: Hinds 15-foot one-handed shot right baseline (4:51) 25-24--------Officials' time out. With the updated film, the IHSAA Champions Network was able to verify that Gates was on the call and everything from "the floor at Hinkle, stripes on the officials shirt,numbers on the jerseys are clearer," according toShanahan. If you go to semistate, youll go in Buicks, Craft said. The facility was renamed Hinkle Fieldhouse in 1966 in honor of Butler's longtime coach and athletic director, Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle. Milan High School, enrollment 161, won the Indiana state basketball title in 1954. Wood suspended Plump and another player for two games after missing curfew. TSSAAsports.com is the gateway to the Tennessee high school championships! He told the seniors, if we dont win this game, I want your uniforms. Expectations were higher in the 19521953 season. Assist Barnes. We didnt get kicked out of games, but a local car dealer in Milan told us, if you go to regional youll drive there in Pontiacs. Subscribe to get the Referee.com Review every week plus periodic free training and special offers on the sports you officiate. Just as Birgewont forget those final seconds in 1954 when Plumpheld the ball at the top of the key, made his move and hitthe shot heard round the world, giving the state titleto the underdog Milan Indians. How many of you have seen the game film? Defensive rebound Crawford.Muncie Central: Crawford misses 7-footer from right baseline. They received aletter a week after the game, stating that for the firsttime ever, not a single complaint about the officiatingwas filed in the Indiana High School AthleticAssociation office after the finals. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Hes that good. They sat in the car. Flowers misses 7-foot turnaround. Both teams scored oncemore to knot the score at 30-30. We just got dressed and went home. Itwas that close.. Although Milans championship is now the most well-known example of a small high school winning a single class state basketball tournament, other small schools in different states have had similar accomplishments. The Milan 54 Hoosiers Museum is located at 201 W. Carr St. in Milan, Indiana and is open from 10am to 4pm Wednesday through Saturday and noon to 4pm on Sundays. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. . With Plumps 10th point, life changed for all of the Indians, said Craft, a key part of the story left out of the movie version. Contact him via email atrgeneral@gannett.com,on Twitter @rgeneraljror by phone at 765-283-8864. A lot of things happened, good things.. Milan High School famous Milan Miracle of 1954 was the inspiration for the 1986 film Hoosiers, starring Gene Hackman. The TASO Legislative Team was active in assisting to bring HB 2484 into law. Thats the part in the Hoosiers movie where fictiondissolves into fact, according to Birge. He lost another one as a junior against Connersville, Craft said. In the early 1920s, the tournament was dominated by the Franklin Wonder Five, who won three consecutive state championships, followed by a college championship at Franklin College. The nucleus of that team returned for the 195354 season with expectations of tournament success unprecedented for such a small school. The story of that Milan season was further popularizedin the 1986 film "Hoosiers" in whichthe fictional small-town Hickory High School prevailed to win the state championship. The 1954 Milan High School Indians won the Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament championship in 1954. Plump eventuallytook a shot and missed with a few minutes left in thegame. Box 54 While footage of the final game of the 1954 tournament is often viewed on YouTube, Ron Flora, a visitor to the Milan 54 Museum, insisted we watch the 1954 afternoon game of Milan vs. Gerstmeyer in order to get a full scope of the talent of the players on the Championship team, and we agree that it should not be overlooked. In 1959 Garrett coached Indianapolis's Crispus Attucks High School boys' basketball team to the state high school basketball championship title, making him the only Indiana Mr. Basketball to win a state championship as a player and as a coach. After the timeout before the final play, Marvin said, Craft, you take it out and throw it to Bobby. Well, Bobby took it out and threw it to me, he recalled. Lynch also served as the head football coach at Butler University (19851989), Ball State University (19952002), and Indiana University Bloomington (20072010). Please try again. Milan High School, with an enrollment of only 161, defeated powerhouse Muncie Central High School, which had an enrollment of 1,662, by a score of 32-30 in the state championship game at Butler Universitys Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse). Bailey went on to become Indiana's all-time high school leading scorer and would earn All-America honors playing for the Indiana Hoosiers. Even larger than the game, nine of the 12 players on the team graduated from college, an inspiration to many, leading to more students, not just athletes, furthering their education. Defensive rebound Engel.Milan: Engel misses 20-footer from right wing. "The Milan vs. Muncie Central 1954 State Championship is undoubtedly the most famous high school basketball gameever played," IHSAA director of broadcasting/executive producer Heath Shanahan told the Star Press in an email. But it wasnt. . Bobby Gene Plump (born September 9, 1936) is a member of the Milan High School basketball team, who won the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) state tournament in 1954. The smallest school to win the state tournament after Milan was Plymouth in 1982, led by future NBA star and coach Scott Skiles. Carnegie's radio and television broadcasting career, which spanned from 1942 to 1985, included work at KITE radio in Kansas City, Missouri; WOWO (AM) radio in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and WIRE (AM) radio in Indianapolis, Indiana. Close product quick view . Youre never going to have that happen again, saidBirge, because youve got four different classes herenow. Indiana still possessed a large rural population well into the 1950s and rural school consolidation was still in its infancy. The 20232024 school year will mark the second year for the TASO ABUSE of OFFICIALS POLICY. Quick to side-step the debate about the Indiana High School Athletic Associations later implementation of a multi-class format, Craft turned back the clock to a time when aluminum cans and paved parking lots werent commonplace. But it worked out better because Bobby could get in position.. The team and town are the inspiration for the 1986 film Hoosiers. Milan High had 12 team members in 1954. Upon graduating from Butler, Hainje played professionally in Europe and in the United States as part of the International Basketball League until 2005. [3]. Defensive rebound Plump.Milan: Plump misses 7-footerMuncie Central: Agullana misses half-court shot at the buzzerMILAN 23, MUNCIE CENTRAL 17, Tip controlled by MilanMilan: Plump misses pull-up 15-footer from free throw line. Milan's defense held Arley Andrews to nine points as they coasted to victory. Milans Plumpliterally held onto the ball, without moving, for fourminutes and 13 seconds at center court. True to his word, Grinstead jettisoned seven seniors off the team but later brought two back. (WKRC) - The Milan High School Indians out of Ripley County won the Indiana state basketball title in 1954 beating Muncie Central at Butler Fieldhouse in one of the greatest upsets in . The Bulldogs stunned perennial power Michigan State 5250 in the national semifinal to make it to the National Title Game, where they lost to Duke 6159. [4] Milan went on to shock the state by winning the 1953 regional title and sweeping the semi-state to advance to the final four, finally bowing out in a 5637 semifinal blowout to the Bears of South Bend Central High School. Defensive rebound EngelMilan: Engel swishes 23-foot set shot from left wing. Offensive rebound, Truitt. Milan led, 23-17, at halftime, but Muncie came backand tied the game, 26-26, by the end of the third quarter. As a result, most Indiana high schools of the era had what today are considered extremely small enrollments. The Milan High School 1953-54 varsity basketball team. Referee News bulletin: Were all aging, and theres nothing we can do about it. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. It tells the story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that enters the state championship. He just took a long stepas he dropped the ball. Officiating In Perspective with Barry Mano, Bronx Brawl Yankees vs. Orioles May 19, 1998, Officiating In History: Nolan Ryans 7th No-Hitter May 1, 1991, Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series, Next Level Baseball Umpiring Free Email Series, Sports Officiating Summit: July 30-August 1, History as ref announces VAR penalty at Womens World Cup, Langley named national coordinator of womens ice hockey officiating, MLB umpire team delivers Build-a-Bear stuffed animals to Childrens Hospital patients, New NFHS Officers, Board Members Elected for 2023-24. Down by two points in the fourth quarter during the state finals, Plump was ordered by Wood to hold the ball for four minutes and 13 seconds to shorten the game. The team that wins the championship is Hickory High. Herman Snort Grinstead, though, ultimately put the ball in motion, said Craft, for what became a championship dream. Muncie got the rebound but turned the ball overand Milans Ray Craft made a basket to even the scoreat 28-28 with 2:12 remaining. It makes me miss the single-class tournament. (WANE) In 1954, a high school basketball team from Milan, Indiana, upset state juggernaut Muncie Central High School in the state championship game . All rights reserved. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Since 1998, there have been four high school basketball championships divided into divisions based on school size. The release comes just weeks before the 65th Anniversary of Milans historic victory, which was on March 20, 1954, and as Hoosier Hysteria kicks into high gear. He was a teacher for 10 years, an athletics director for 15 years, became a principal at Shelbyville High School and was appointed assistant commissioner of the IHSAA in 1983. Footage of the final seconds of the 1954 basketball state championship Watch on Learn all about the 1954 Team, the players positions, their life, and more. The 2010 run of Butlera university team that to this day plays its home games in the same building that hosted Milan's historic victoryto the Final Four led to countless comparisons with both the 1954 Milan team and its cinematic alter ego of Hickory High. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Tied at 30, Plump hit a 14-footer from the right side as time expired to seal the win in a low-scoring defensive battle, denying the Bearcats a fifth state title. Damon Bailey is an American former professional basketball player. His hiring was controversial, coming on the heels of Superintendent Willard Green's firing of coach Herman "Snort" Grinstead, who had ordered new uniforms without authorization. With four starters returning from the semifinalists, Milan was considered a lock to win both the Ripley County tournament and the sectional. This is 62 years, people, since this happened, and were still talking about it, Craft quipped. Defensive rebound EngelMilan: Turnover (Plump pass)Muncie Central: On break, offensive foul Hinds, chargingMilan: Plump free throw GOOD (5:40) 5-5Muncie Central: Flowers misses 23-foot shot from right wing, Hinds offensive rebound. In early 2000, a committee was formed to explore the possibility of developing a museum in Milan to house the artifacts and memorabilia of the 1954 Milan Indians Team. The school closed as a high school in 1970. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Arguably, none were as memorable as the Milan Indians run led by 1971 Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame coach Marvin Wood. Forty thousand people descended on Milan, which had a popular of only 1,150, the following day as the team returned home from Indianapolis, lining State Road 101 for 13 miles to congratulate the Indians. The Milan Miracle team in the 195354 season inspired the 1986 movie Hoosiers. Yes, it was big for basketball because Muncie was going for its fifth state championship that year. Milan High School won the Indiana state basketball championship against Muncie Central High School in 1954, the victory being significant as Milan was one of the smallest towns to win a state championship in the United States at that time. With the game tied at 30, the teams leader, Bobby Plump, hit a 14-footer from the right side as time expired to win the championship and deny the Bearcats a fifth state title. Hinkle Fieldhouse is a basketball arena on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. In fact, that was the next to the last game (Robertson) lost as a high school player. The 1954 Milan High School Indians won the Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament championship in 1954. Fewer than half of the 751 schools entered in the 1954 tournament exist today. [5] MILWAUKEE, Wi., March 7, 2019 Today, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum and the Milan 54 Hoosiers Museum unveiled a limited edition series of bobbleheads commemorating Milan High Schools 1954 Boys Basketball State Championship. Defensive rebound HindsMuncie Central: Jump ball, Muncie Central controls. Explore current events and the history of the association, its schools and . For example, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament, "Five years after Indiana carved up its basketball - 12.02.02 - SI Vault", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1954_Milan_High_School_basketball_team&oldid=1159556183. The score was 32-30. It does not store any personal data. Defensive rebound CraftMilan: Craft drives about 30 feet for layup 19-11-------Muncie time out 5:56-------Muncie Central: Hinds pulls up for 16-foot jumper 19-13Milan: Foul, Craft free throw GOOD 20-13Muncie Central: Turnover (Agullana)Milan: Craft misses 15-footer on break, Plump misses 17-footer from key. No school with an enrollment less than five times that of Milan's ever won the tournament again under the one-class system that was replaced with a multi-class tournament in 1997. 40,000 people descended on Milan (population: 1,150) the next day as the team returned home from Indianapolis, lining State Road 101 for 13 miles (21km) to congratulate the Indians. I worked some big games in theBig 10, but its not nearly like highschool. Craft, who went on to play with Plump at Butler, earned his masters degree at Indiana University. boys basketball, Indiana, national, Uncategorized. Milan High School is most famous for its 1954 basketball team, which won the Indiana state championship against Muncie Central High School, a school ten times its size. The basketball player who led underdog Milan High School to the championship in Indiana's state tournament in 1954 - a victory that inspired the movie Hoosiers - will join Nelson in studio to share insights (and separate facts from folklore and myths) as we mark the 60th anniversary of the "Milan Miracle." Phil Sklar, Co-Founder and CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, These bobbleheads are the perfect way for to commemorate Milan High Schools state championship, one of the greatest sports stories in Indiana history. Craft misses 12-foot jumper. [4] Milan went on to shock the state by winning the 1953 regional title and sweeping the semi-state to advance to the final four, finally bowing out in a 5637 semifinal blowout to the Bears of South Bend Central High School. I think we were prepared.. . Following the 1954 championship game, veteran referees Cyril Cy Birgeand Marvin Todd had no idea how significant the last-second upset they hadjust officiated was or would become to Indiana basketball and the state. However, Milan became legendary because of two sequences against powerhouse Muncie Central, which Craft commented on as the film played before his captivated audience. Hainje joined the Butler Bulldogs beginning the 199899 season after graduating from and playing basketball and football at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. . People still talk about it yet andhow many years has it been?. Under theleadership of Coach Marvin Wood,26 years old at the time, Milan wonits first eight games in the 1954tournament by at least eight pointsbefore facing Muncie. But the tension was there evenmoreso, I guess, because it wassomething we didnt do that often. Around that time, it was a really good basketball era in Indiana. Milanentered the postseason with a 19-2 regular-season record and made it to the semifinals the year before, losingto South Bend Central. Defensive rebound FlowersMuncie Central: Flowers misses 30-footer at the buzzer.MILAN 14, MUNCIE CENTRAL 11, Tip controlled by MilanMilan: Foul Raisor; Craft free throw GOOD 15-11Muncie Central: Crawford misses 7-foot jumper from right baseline. Defensive rebound Agullana.Muncie Central: Flowers 19-foot, one-hand set shot from right wing. I love the movie, Hoosiers, and I know its not the same. The teams star player, Bobby Plump, was named Jimmy Chitwood in the movie. Here's a play-by-play recap of the Milan-Muncie championship game: Tip controlled by MilanMilan: Turnover (Plump)Muncie Central: Flowers swishes 22-foot one-hand set shot from right wing. Your email address will not be published. Todd, who passed away several years ago, was alongtime high school basketball official from Fort Wayne, Ind. Offensively, Milanonly took 29 shots in the game,hitting 10. Each of the living members of the team participated in this project which was sponsored by the Milan 54 Board of Directors. . Your email address will not be published. Milan beat powerhouse Muncie Central 32 - 30. We didnt have fights. South Bend Tribune. We knew a big school got beat by a small school, but we didnt think anything of it. MILAN INDIANA 1954 STATE CHAMPIONS Milan, Indiana Date: 1954 Source Type: Postcard Publisher, Printer, Photographer: Groganphoto Postmark: None Collection: Steven R. Shook Remark: Milan High School won the 1954 Indiana State Basketball Championship against Muncie Central High School, a school ten times its size. The ball hit the floor, Muncie picked it up and the gunwent off. In his email, Shanahan also noted that if a 3-point line had existed, Muncie Central would have won 37-33, thanks to Jim Hind's three 3-pointers. It was unexpected, but that wasMilans only way of staying close.. Todd, who passed away several years ago, was a longtime high school basketball official from Fort Wayne, Ind. Constructed in 1924 and located just outside of Milan's downtown district, the most famous water tower in Indiana has proclaimed Milan's improbable high school boys basketball state championship since the mid-1950s. Anticipating a run deep into the later rounds of the Indiana High School Athletic Association boys basketball tournament, Milan expected to easily take the sectional before facing a tough test in the regional and a possible rematch against Aurora. No. The movie Hoosiers was inspired in part by the story of the 1954 Milan team and typifies the hysteria related to basketball in Indiana. They were a school of around 2,000 and we were a school of around 162.. Milan stalls. The Butler standout repeated the strategy in the games final play before draining his unforgettable jumper. It consisted solely of schools in Indiana. (Butler forward Gordon Hayward narrowly missed a last-second half court shot that would have won the game, and the national championship, for Butler.) Defensive rebound Raisor.Muncie Central: Hinds misses 23-footer from right wing. Crowe coached numerous Indiana All-Star players, including Oscar Robertson, Hallie Bryant, and Willie Meriweather, and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. The building was later used for middle school classes and adult education programs. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The National Federation of State High School Associations calls on all sports officials to join us in our partnership with By Austin Ardrey, runninref.com Austin Ardrey is a personal trainer for many officials. No school its size had ever won the state titlebefore that March 20 game and no school that small ever would again. First, however, the former star guard from the 1954 Milan High School basketball championship team needed a show of hands. Hoosiers (released in some countries as Best Shot) is a 1986 American sports drama film written by Angelo Pizzo and directed by David Anspaugh in his feature directorial debut. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for organizations, individuals and teams across the country. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. It sits on a raised foundation. Eleven of the Milan High School teams players are included in the bobblehead series, which is available for purchase online in the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museums Online Store or at the Milan 54 Museum. Then later on it mushroomed. View. It is the sixth-oldest college basketball arena still in use. played by Gene Hackman who was 55 when the movie was being filmed. The 1954 Milan High School Indians won the Indiana High School Boys Basketball Tournament championship in 1954. Defensive rebound Hinds.Muncie Central: Raisor misses 25-footer from top of the key. Indiana high school football is still immensely popular, with tens of thousands now packing Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to watch six state championship games over two days in November. A forward and shooting guard, Hainje was named Horizon League Player of the Year in 2002. Is Carl Armato Rockford Guilfords New Head Boys Basketball Coach? The real Coach of the championship team, Coach Marvin Wood, was only 26 when Milan won the title. We might have thought we werent a little nervous, but maybe we were. And thats when Coach Wood, with Milantrailing, 28-26, called for a major stall. The 1986 movie Hoosiers is loosely based on the story of this team. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. We could hear them celebrating upabove. Plump was selected Indiana's coveted "Mr. Basketball" in 1954, the award bestowed upon Indiana's most outstanding senior basketball player as voted on by the press. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". No school its size had ever won the state title before that March 20 game and no school that . Milan's enrollment is now over twice as large as it was in 1954. But the second game of their suspension was the county tournament, and that was pretty important, Craft said, so he had them run 100 laps in their gym to fulfill the punishment. 1954 State Champions - Milan Indians - Milan 1954 Museum On a cold March night in Butler Fieldhouse, the Indians of tiny Milan High School (enrollment 161) defeated the mighty Muncie Central Bearcats (enrollment 1,662), to win the state championship and secure their place in Hoosier Folklore. 1953-1954: 1954 State Boys' Basketball Tournament: Details: 1952-1953: 1953 State Boys' Basketball Tournament: Details: 1951-1952: . MUNCIE Some 66 years later, the 1954state championship game between Milan and Muncie Central remainsone of the most enthralling games in Indiana basketball history. Milan, IN 47031, Find out the latest Milan54 It tells the story of a small-town Indiana high school basketball team that enters the state championship. That happens every once in a while. 0:00. Many of these small schools had realistic expectations of advancing several rounds into the tournament in that era, but they would almost inevitably fall in the regionals to urban schools from places such as South Bend, Evansville, Gary, Terre Haute, Muncie, Bloomington, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, Anderson and Indianapolis. When the game was over, of course, we went straight to our dressing room, which was underneath Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse), said Birge, 88, from his home in Jasper, Ind. College: Butler University 1958. The smallest school to win the state tournament after Milan was Plymouth in 1982, led by future NBA star and coach Scott Skiles.
milan high school 1954 state championship
