When I heard that Gene Hackman had died, I thought of the movie “Hoosiers.” I thought of Coach Norman Dale at Hickory High. I thought of so many scenes from the movie when stopping in the “Hoosiers Gym,

Hackman's portrayal of coach Dale's transformation — and redemption — throughout "Hoosiers" was the heartbeat of the box-office classic.

Gene Hackman was a veteran actor in his 50s when 'Hoosiers' was released in 1986. Former Hickory Huskers and 'Hoosiers' producer remember Hackman