The dazzling films of Gene Hackman stand out for sports fan for one reason: His unforgettable role as Norman Dale, coach of the feel-good, state champion Hickory Huskers in “Hoosiers.” News of his death hit hard in basketball-mad Indiana.

Declared as one of the greatest sports movies in film history, the 1986 flick Hoosiers starred the late Gene Hackman as high school basketball Coach Norman Dale. The famed film follows the story of the Huskers and how they went from small-town Hickory,

To the people in the Henry County town that’s about a 40-minute drive east of Indianapolis, Hackman is more than an actor, but someone who helped shine light on basketball and the Hoosier community, leaving a legacy for generations to come.