How well do you remember the movie "Hoosiers?"

By: J. Reinoehl
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
How well do you remember the movie "Hoosiers?"
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About This Quiz

"Hoosiers" is the quintessential movie about Indiana and its love of high school basketball. Loosely based on a game that took place in 1954, it follows a small town high school team to state finals. How well do you remember "Hoosiers?" Find out by taking this quiz.
In which state did the movie take place?
Illinois.
Ohio.
Kentucky.
Indiana.
A Canadian YMCA instructor invented basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1892 as a way for boys to be entertained during the winter months. Nicholas McCray brought the sport to the YMCA in Crawfordsville, IN.
Which actor played Coach Dale?
Robert De Niro.
Gene Hackman.
Gene Hackman (born January 30, 1930) was never nominated for an Oscar for his role as Coach Dale. Of the five movies for which he received an Oscar nomination, he won for his work in "Unforgiven" and "The French Connection."
Dustin Hoffman.
Jack Nicholson.
What was Myra expecting the new Coach to be but he wasn't?
A woman.
A parent.
Younger.
"Were you expecting somebody different?" "Younger… I must have misunderstood Cletus."
Older.

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Finish the quote "You know, if everyone is as nice as you, ______________________."
"…Country hospitality is gonna get an awful name."
"You know, if everyone is a s nice as you, country hospitality is gonna get an awful name." "What a pleasant thing to say."
"…I had better start learning to ignore people."
"…This town is gonna be a great place to live."
"…I better look over my shoulder a lot."
Before coming to Hickory, IN, what had Coach Dale done for the past ten years?
He was in and out of rehab.
Served in the Navy.
"Well, I've been in the Navy for the past ten years. I was a Chief Petty Officer."
Coaching at a high school in Michigan.
Sold cars in Chicago.
What subject(s) was the Coach supposed to teach?
Shop and Woodworking.
Geography.
Economics.
History and Civics.
Although Coach Dale was also required to teach History and Civics, some current football coaches do not have classroom duties, but instead do "fundraising" activities.

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What was the name of the Hickory team?
Hawks.
Huskers.
Hickory was not a real town in Indiana. The scenes in the Hickory gym were shot at the old Knightstown gym, which had been closed for almost 20 years when the film crew arrived.
Hornets.
Horned Frogs.
Why had Jimmy stopped playing basketball by the time Coach Dale arrived?
The other kids made fun of him because of his height.
He wanted to focus on his artwork.
He was injured.
His old coach had died.
"You say this kid Jimmy wouldn't play basketball after the coach died?" "Well, the coach was like an old man to him."
How did George's practices differ from Coach Dale's?
George had the boys run most of the practice.
Coach Dale only wanted the boys to shoot layups.
George only had the boys scrimmage.
Basketball became popular in Indiana because it did not require as many players as other sports, nor did it require a large budget. Many of the Indiana schools were like Hickory—small. Since the sport was played indoors during the winter months, it also didn't interfere with farming.
Coach Dale only wanted the boys to practice free throws.

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What did Myra want for Jimmy?
She wanted him to get out of Hickory.
"He's a real special kid, and I have high hopes for him. I think if he works really hard, he can get an academic scholarship to Wabash College and can get out of this place."
She wanted him to improve his poor grades.
She wanted him to be a basketball star.
She wanted him to get a job to help support his family.
What was the name of the town drunk?
Wilbur "The Drunken Dribbler" Flatch.
Wilbur "Shooter" Flatch.
Hoosiers was based on the 1954 Milan, IN, basketball team whose starting forward was Ronnie Truitt. Ronnie's dad, Walter "Peck" Truitt was a hard-drinker like "Shooter," but he didn't attend games. Ronnie went on to coach basketball in Texas at the Cy-Fair High School and led them to win the state title in 1970-71.
Wilbur "Rebound King" Flatch.
Wilbur "The Polish Hammer" Flatch.
How many passes were they supposed to make before shooting?
1.
2.
3.
4.
"Okay guys, a minimum of four passes before you take a shot. Get yourselves set."

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Which player continued to pray as the rest of the guys went out on the floor?
Merle.
Strap.
Most of the actors who played a member of the basketball team were Indiana high school basketball players. The director made them spend 24-7 with each other two months prior to filming so they could bond as a team, and Hackman gave them acting lessons during that time.
Jimmy.
Rade.
"First of all, let's be real friendly here, OK? My name is Norm. Secondly, ______________________."
"…Stop taking pictures of me and my practices."
"…Your coaching days are over."
"First of all, let's be real friendly here, okay? My name is Norm. Secondly, your coaching days are over."
"…Why don't you come over for dinner Saturday to discuss our coaching differences?"
"…I'll let you know when I want your help."
Why did the coach end up playing only four players on the court in the first game?
Two of the players didn't listen to him.
One player fouled out, and the other didn't listen.
In real life, when Milan Coach Marvin Wood took over for Coach Herman "Snort" Grinstead, his coaching style was drastically different and incorporated a passing offense that ran the clock down. As the offense became more popular for coaches and less popular for spectators, the shot clock and three-point line were introduced to improve the game.
One player was injured, and the other didn't listen.
One player fouled out, and the other was injured.

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Who had to sit on the bench in the first game because he wouldn't follow the coach's instructions?
Rade.
"Ollie, go in for Rade. Now! Move!"
Whit.
Strap.
Everett.
Shooter was the dad of which player?
Everett.
David Neidorf, who played Everett, was the only team member originally from Los Angeles, CA (as opposed to somewhere in Indiana). Neidorf (born November 24, 1962) also appeared in other movies such as "Platoon," "Bull Durham," and "Empire of the Sun."
Merle.
Whit.
Ollie.
What color did the preacher paint the bus in the summer?
Red.
Green.
White.
"Well, after sectional's over, we paint it white for the summer tent shows, but every fall—back to red… Well, God told him."
Blue.

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Who coached for Coach Dale when the referee ejected him from the Ceder Knob game for calling the other players gorillas?
Shooter.
Cletus.
Initially, the game of basketball used peach baskets for goals. However, Naismith attached metal rings to walls with coffee sacks connected to the bottom of them. After a few years, they began cutting open the bottom of the coffee sacks making it easier to retrieve the balls.
George.
Rooster.
Why did Cletus stop helping coach the team?
He didn't like the violent way the coach treated the boys.
He broke his arm in an on-court scuffle.
The townspeople pressured him to distance himself from Coach Dale.
His heart was too weak.
"Some saying my pump's going bad on me… Well, looks like you're on your own."
On what condition did Jimmy say he would start playing basketball again?
If they fired Shooter.
If Coach Dale stayed.
Maris Valainis, who played Jimmy, was the only player who had not played high school basketball. He made all the shots in the movie on the first take, not only the game-winning final shot but also the series of shots when the Coach was talking to him about missing class.
If he got to play the whole game as a point guard.
If Cletus coached.

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How did Coach Dale lose his previous coaching job?
He was an alcoholic.
He hit a referee.
He never won a game.
He punched a player in the jaw.
"Norman Dale… was given a lifetime suspension to be honored by all NCAA signatories for physically assaulting his own player… The New York High School Athletic Association has stated they will honor this suspension as well."
Which condition was the most difficult for Shooter to abide by as the assistant coach?
That he wore a suit.
That he stopped drinking.
They had two top Indiana high schools (including one that Valainis had attended) play an exhibition game to fill the stands for the final game. They then shot the scenes during halftime and right after the real game. Valainis had a tough time in front of the coaches who had cut him from the team four times, so he missed most of the shots while practicing for his final scene. The casting director, who knew nothing about basketball, pointed out that he wasn't looking at the basket and that fixed the problem, allowing him to sink the shots when the film was rolling.
That he showed up on time.
That he shaved.
What was the name of the last play Shooter called when Coach Dale asked to be ejected from the game?
The Picket Fence.
"All right now listen to me. All right, this is the last shot that we got. All right, we're gonna run the Picket Fence at 'em."
The Razor Back.
The Three Hammer.
Picking the Corn.

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At sectionals, what happened to Shooter?
He had to coach the entire game because Coach Dale didn't show up.
He had to leave half-way through it to get a drink at the bar.
He showed up drunk and got the team a technical foul.
Steve Hollar was playing for the NCAA at the time with DePauw University. The only reason he went to tryouts was that his friend needed a ride there. In the end, he ended up with a three-game suspension for getting paid to play basketball while still in the NCAA.
He handed in his resignation.
Which actor played Shooter?
Dennis Hopper.
Although Dennis Hopper (1936—2010) was nominated for an Academy Award because of his performance as Shooter, his most famous role was probably his work on "Easy Rider." He struggled with addiction and spent time in rehab.
Peter O'Toole.
Mickey Rourke.
John Belushi.
Why did Everett have to come out of the regional competition?
He had caused five fouls and had fouled out of the game.
His stitches were coming out.
"The stitches are pulled… I can't do it."
He couldn't keep his mind on the game because of his dad.
He got angry at the referee and hit him.

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Where did they find Shooter after he was ejected from the game?
At the local tavern.
Shooting layups in the high school gym.
Asleep in front of the fireplace at home.
Unconscious near a pond in a wooded area.
Many people, including Orion Pictures and Gene Hackman, did not believe the movie would be a success. The crew had to pay to have it distributed to Los Angeles and only had a budget of six million.
Who went in for Everett when his injury was a problem?
Strap.
"Strap, you're gonna play for Everett. Don't shoot the ball unless you're under the basket all by yourself."
Ollie.
Buddy.
Rade.
Who played Myra Fleener?
Ann-Margret.
Jacqueline Bisset.
Jessica Lange.
Barbara Hershey.
Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948) had a rocky start in theater spending most of her time in exploitation labeled films or co-starring in the shadow of her then boyfriend, David Carradine. It wasn't until the 1980s that she began receiving notice for her work in films such as "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "The Last Temptation of Christ." More recently, she appeared in "Black Swan," "Insidious" and its sequel, and the television series, "Chicago Hope."

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"A man your age comes to a place like this either he's running away from something or __________________."
"…He wants to be free."
"…Too tired to do any good."
"…He has nowhere else to go."
"A man your age comes to a place like this either he's running away from something or he has nowhere else to go."
"…Trying to pick up the broken pieces of his life."
Ollie was playing poorly in the regionals until what happened?
The Coach told him he was proud of him.
Strap prayed for him.
Hinkle Fieldhouse was the largest basketball stadium in the U. S. A when it was built in 1928 on the campus of Butler University. It is a National Historic Landmark, and one of the oldest college basketball arenas still being used.
His dad showed up to cheer for him.
He calmed down after someone fouled him.
What did Coach Dale do to try to make the team feel more at home in Indianapolis?
He gave them cookies Myra's mom baked.
He had Strap lead them in prayer.
He measured the free throw line and hoop height.
"I think you'll find that's the exact same measurements as our gym back at Hickory. Okay, let's get dressed for practice."
He made them run laps.

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What team went against the Hickory Huskers in the state finals?
The Montezuma Aztecs.
The Muncie Central Bearcats.
The Terre Haute Patriots.
The South Bend Central Bears.
"A most incredible and improbable… takes place in tonight's championship game with the pint-sized… Hickory Huskers, enrollment 64, take on the defending state champions, the mighty Bears of South Bend Central with an enrollment of 2800… News people from all over the Middle West are here to witness Hoosier-land's version of the Cinderella story."
Who made the final winning shot?
Buddy.
Jimmy.
"All right, Buddy get the ball to Jimmy at the top of the key. Rest of you spread the floor."
Strap.
Merle.
You Got:
/35
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