The Real HICKORY

Anyone who likes sports movies knows the back story on the film “Hoosiers”

Inspired by the 1954 Indiana High School Finals, we find little Hickory facing the favored team from South Bend Central. But very little is true about this movie. Yes, Hickory was a small school from out in the middle of nowhere. And South Bend Central was a powerhouse in Indiana High School basketball. They probably gave Hickory the nickname of “Huskers” to make them sound rural.

In truth, it was tiny MILAN High School taking on state powerhouse Muncie Central for the state championship.

The Bearcats of Muncie Central

The MILAN Indians

Very few people gave Milan much of a chance. Many have forgotten that Milan made it to the final four the year before, so it wasn't that they never played in a big arena. (Another departure from the movie) 

The year before on the way to the 1953 semi finals, Milan would beat Indianapolis Crispus Attucks and future Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson 65-52. (Attucks would win back to back state titles in '55 & '56) The Indians would loose in the semi final that year to none other than South Bend Central 56-37

But in 1954 it was Muncie Central playing the role of the Giant. They already had more state titles than any school in the state. (4) And had won back to back titles in '51 & '52. 

Back in those days, the final four would play two early games. 

Then the two winners would square off for the state title that evening.

In the early games, neither school was threatened. The Bearcats beat Elkhart 59-50 while Milan had a 12 point win over Terre Haute Gerstmeyer 60-48

We all know the rest of the 1954 story. That night, with the score tied (30-30) and time running out. Bobby Plump of Milan hit a 14 foot jumper over Bearcat Jimmy Barnes, and history was made at Hinkle Field House in Indianapolis. At least the movie showed this as it actually happened.

And that brings us to the story of the “real” Hickory High, and the connection to Muncie, Indiana.

In the late 1950's Westinghouse Electric joined a number of manufacturing companies building large facilities in Muncie. 

Westinghouse would erect a new sprawling plant outside of Muncie on Cowen Road.

Many of their management team came from another Westinghouse facility located in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

Most of those 'transfers' were already high school basketball fans. Sharon and nearby Farrell were a hot bed of High School basketball in the 50's and 60's. From 1950 to 1960 Farrell won 4 State titles. The fan frenzy never reached the status of the rabid Indiana fans, but fans are fans no matter where they come from. And they were all anxious to follow the mighty Muncie Central Bearcats.

But in 1961 all those western Pennsylvania fans were watching another school. A little county school located just outside of Sharon in West Central Pennsylvania. It was so small, it wasn't even considered to be a city. Just a Township. Many years later, they would incorporate under the name Hermitage. 

 They were the Hickory Hornets.

They were led by senior John Crumbacher. At 6 foot 6 he was called 'Big John' long before Jimmy Dean recorded a song by the same name. John was also a football player who would be go on to play for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Their play maker on the court was William “Bill” Lenzi. The quick guard, who also shined on the defensive end of the floor, scored 297 points his senior season for the Hornets of coach Francis “Frannie” Webster and set a school record with 25 wins out of 27 games.

In the state semifinals, he led the team with 19 points in an upset of previously undefeated WPIAL champion Mt. Lebanon, making 13 of 16 free throw attempts.

However unlike the Milan and Hickory team in that movie, the fun didn't last. The Hornets would lose to the Nanticoke Rams in the final game in Harrisburg, 56-46.

The Nans defeated Hickory Township in that championship under the direction of head coach Syl Bozinski and with the help of their all-state player Kenny Legins.

The Rams won 20-straight games that season, including a tough 51-47 win over Reading in the Eastern final. It all culminated with the win over Hickory in the Class A championship game at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg.

And those Hickory players would move on with their lives, always remembering that Golden Season.

Like Milan, Hickory would have some good seasons after that Cinderella trip, but would never again return to the finals.

'Big' John Crumbacher would go on to the University of Tennessee on a football scholarship. Sadly, on the way back to Knoxville from spring break in Brooksville, Florida he would lose his life in a car accident. Also killed was fellow Tennessee team mate Tom Fisher.

Crumbacher and fellow Hickory team mates William "Bill" Lenzi, Gary Roberts, and Fred Greene would all be inducted into the Mercer County PA Hall of fame for that 1960-61 ride to the State Finals.

The people of Muncie never got over that loss to Milan.

To go along with their State Titles from '28, '31, '51, & '52 The Bearcats would win 4 more State Titles  ('63, '78, '79 & '88) 

They would also lose title games in 1960, 2006 & 2007.

The loss in 1960 may have been harder for them to take than the one in 1954 when the undefeated Bearcats, nicknamed ‘The 
Untouchables’ went into the state championship game with East Chicago Washington.

Everyone thought it was a done deal. They hardly worked up a sweat all season. But the gravy train derailed in the final and biggest game of the season. At the end the ‘Cats lost 75-59 and another state title disappeared into the night.

On the 50the anniversary of that 1954 battle, Muncie hosted an anniversary game at the Muncie Field House with Milan.

ESPN Classic broadcast the game nationally. Muncie got to show off their famous field house to the world. 

The North Walnut Street Field House rocked in opposing seas of purple and black. It was Milan and Muncie Central once again, the small-town, country kids against the big boys from the city, played in front of a Who's Who of Indiana basketball past and present and a national television audience.

Most of the 6,700 people in the field house weren't alive on that
magic night 50 years ago when Bobby Plump's last-second shot gave tiny Milan the upset victory over Central's mighty Bearcats.

They would also get a bit of revenge for that 1954 loss by beating Milan 81-40.

But they would have traded all that history and fame in exchange for that 1954 State Title.