Appropo of our imminent March Madness, brothers and sisters!
Excerpt below about Jimmy Chitwood's warmups being god awful, but when the cameras rolled, MAGIC.
E5
Full article well worth your time is here: https://www.wcpo.com/hoosiers-movie
Final shot was 'almost divine'
Bobby Plump was a tough act to follow.
The Milan High School guard earned lifetime fame through his game-winning jump shot near the free-throw line at Butler Fieldhouse in the 1954 state final. More than 30 years later, the shot was immortalized on the silver screen.
It was in 1985 when Pizzo and Anspaugh were finally able to work on a film that came to fruition after bouncing around ideas they had as college friends years ago.
Jimmy Chitwood, played by actor Maris Valainis, was tasked with replicating Plump's shot in "Hoosiers" at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Plump was there during the filming of the movie and pointed to the exact spot on the floor where he took the jump shot. In fact, the movie was almost called "The Last Shot."
Whether it was nerves or bad luck, Valainis had difficulties during warm-ups.
"Jimmy that night couldn't hit the side of a barn," said Long. "He was missing everything. And I remember Gene Hackman (who played coach Norman Dale) saying under his breath to (director) David Anspaugh, 'We have to move this kid in - we're going to be here all night.'"
Tom Strickland/AP
Actor Gene Hackman plays coach Norman Dale during filming of the final game in the movie "Hoosiers" at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus Dec. 6, 1985 in Indianapolis.
Yet, Valainis channeled the real-life Chitwood. He proved to be clutch when the five cameras started rolling. He made the final shot on the first take.
"It was all organic; it was all real," said Pizzo. "Everything that happened after that shot went in with the players rushing the floor, the fans and the opposing team kind of hitting the floor in frustration - none of that was directed. It was all spontaneous."
Said Long: "I think that's almost a divine thing."
Pizzo and the film crew did two other takes with Valainis taking jump shots but nothing came close to the initial crowd reaction.
One significant difference from Milan and the movie was the final score. Hickory won 42-40 over South Bend Central in the 1952 state final instead of Milan's 32-30 victory over Muncie Central in the 1954 state final.
The Milan players - including Plump - raved about the movie, especially the final 18 seconds.
"Before it premiered here in Indianapolis, Angelo Pizzo asked our team to come to a sneak preview of it two days before or two nights before," Plump said. "After it was over he called me aside and he said, 'Bob, what did you think about it?' I said, 'Man, you nailed it. That was one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen."
Pizzo made sure to ask Plump's opinion of Chitwood in the final shot.
"He (Pizzo) said, 'Did we get the last 18 seconds right?' I said, 'Perfect,'" Plump said.
Excerpt below about Jimmy Chitwood's warmups being god awful, but when the cameras rolled, MAGIC.
E5
Full article well worth your time is here: https://www.wcpo.com/hoosiers-movie
Final shot was 'almost divine'
Bobby Plump was a tough act to follow.
The Milan High School guard earned lifetime fame through his game-winning jump shot near the free-throw line at Butler Fieldhouse in the 1954 state final. More than 30 years later, the shot was immortalized on the silver screen.
It was in 1985 when Pizzo and Anspaugh were finally able to work on a film that came to fruition after bouncing around ideas they had as college friends years ago.
Jimmy Chitwood, played by actor Maris Valainis, was tasked with replicating Plump's shot in "Hoosiers" at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Plump was there during the filming of the movie and pointed to the exact spot on the floor where he took the jump shot. In fact, the movie was almost called "The Last Shot."
Whether it was nerves or bad luck, Valainis had difficulties during warm-ups.
"Jimmy that night couldn't hit the side of a barn," said Long. "He was missing everything. And I remember Gene Hackman (who played coach Norman Dale) saying under his breath to (director) David Anspaugh, 'We have to move this kid in - we're going to be here all night.'"
Tom Strickland/AP
Actor Gene Hackman plays coach Norman Dale during filming of the final game in the movie "Hoosiers" at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the Butler University campus Dec. 6, 1985 in Indianapolis.
Yet, Valainis channeled the real-life Chitwood. He proved to be clutch when the five cameras started rolling. He made the final shot on the first take.
"It was all organic; it was all real," said Pizzo. "Everything that happened after that shot went in with the players rushing the floor, the fans and the opposing team kind of hitting the floor in frustration - none of that was directed. It was all spontaneous."
Said Long: "I think that's almost a divine thing."
Pizzo and the film crew did two other takes with Valainis taking jump shots but nothing came close to the initial crowd reaction.
One significant difference from Milan and the movie was the final score. Hickory won 42-40 over South Bend Central in the 1952 state final instead of Milan's 32-30 victory over Muncie Central in the 1954 state final.
The Milan players - including Plump - raved about the movie, especially the final 18 seconds.
"Before it premiered here in Indianapolis, Angelo Pizzo asked our team to come to a sneak preview of it two days before or two nights before," Plump said. "After it was over he called me aside and he said, 'Bob, what did you think about it?' I said, 'Man, you nailed it. That was one of the most enjoyable movies I've ever seen."
Pizzo made sure to ask Plump's opinion of Chitwood in the final shot.
"He (Pizzo) said, 'Did we get the last 18 seconds right?' I said, 'Perfect,'" Plump said.
Last edited:
