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 from a tiny Indiana town.

When I heard that Gene Hackman had died, I thought of the movie “Hoosiers.” I thought of Coach Norman Dale at Hickory High. I thought of so many scenes from the movie when stopping in the “Hoosiers Gym,

In “Hoosiers,” Gene Hackman, whose death was announced Thursday, created a man with understated strength, a taskmaster with emotional intelligence and a tormented winner.

Hackman’s fellow actors from the 1986 film remembered him as an actor who offered wise advice but hated rehearsing and multiple takes.

Gene Hackman, the Oscar-winning actor, died at the age of 95. Hackman, his wife and their dog were found dead inside their New Mexico home, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

You might think of him first as Lex Luthor or Popeye Doyle or Little Bill Daggett or even as the blind hermit who sets Peter Boyle’s thumb ablaze. But chances are, if you are both a sports fan and a movie buff,

Gene Hackman was a veteran actor in his 50s when 'Hoosiers' was released in 1986. Former Hickory Huskers and 'Hoosiers' producer remember Hackman