INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosiers of a certain age will recall the astounding victory of tiny Milan High School over the powerhouse team from one of the state’s largest high schools, Muncie Central, in 1954. A Kickstarter campaign has just been launched by film historian Eric Grayson to save the rapidly deteriorating film of that historic game that has been stored at Milan for more than 50 years.
A split second before the final buzzer went off, Bobby Plump of Milan threw a “last shot” which gave Milan a two-point lead for the final score. Milan was the smallest high school ever to win the state championship before schools were divided into classes according to student populations.
The story was the inspiration for the 1986 film, “Hoosiers.” The final game in the film was shot in Butler University’s Hinkle Fieldhouse, the same location for the Milan-Muncie Central game.
Grayson has just initiated a Kickstarter campaign to save deteriorating film shot by Milan High School of the championship game – and of the preceding game between Milan and Terre Haute Gerstmeyer. To help Grayson raise the goal of $7,500 to restore these films, visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1622418422/save-the-1954-milan-basketball-films.
Only recently did Grayson learn of these films, stored for more than 50 years at the school, and evaluate their condition. A consultant to the Library of Congress, Grayson has restored other rare, one-of-a-kind films, a painstaking procedure that, with the case of the Milan films, means he has to work with each frame of the 16mm films. It is assumed this is the only copy of this film in existence.
Donors to the campaign will receive gifts, depending on the level of the donation. Details are available at the “Save the 1954 Milan Basketball Films” Kickstarter site.