Milan High School Basketball Team
The Milan High School Indians were the Indiana state high school basketball champions in 1954. Milan High School only had an enrollment of 161 students making them the smallest school to win a single-class state basketball title in Indiana. The team and town was the inspiration for the 1986 film, Hoosiers. The team finished their regular season 19-2 and had an overall record of 28-2.
At the age of 24, Marvin Wood was hired as head coach two years before, after a collegiate playing career at Butler University and a short time coaching in French Lick. His hiring was controversial, after Superintendent Willard Green fired previous head coach Snort Grinstead. Woods coaching style was completely opposite of Grinsteads. Expectations were higher in the 1952–53 season. The expectations were reached as the Indians won their first regional game in school history. The Indians also went on to shock the state by winning the regional title and the semi-state to advance to the final four, finally losing in a 56–37 semifinal blowout to the Bears of South Bend Central High School.
With four starters returning from the previous year, Milan was considered to lock in a win with both the Ripley County tournament and the sectional. To prepare for the rigors of this tournament, the school scheduled several games against larger, more prestigious schools. The state finals were held at Butler Field house in Indianapolis, Indiana. Milan won against Muncie Central with a score of 32-30. The next day, as the Indians returned home, 40,000 people descended on Milan lining highway 101 for 13 miles to congratulate the team.