Hometown Hero: Gene A. White

In Indiana, we tend to equate the month of March with what we natives call Hoosier hysteria. Though class basketball and time has changed the dynamics of tourney time, Indiana’s passion for basketball cannot be denied.

The most famous example of occurred in 1954 when the small school of Milan (with an enrollment of 161 students) defeated Muncie Central (with an enrollment of over 1,600) to win the state title. This classic story of David versus Goliath was depicted in the 1986 film “Hoosiers.” As Hollywood stories often go, the movie version is not totally accurate, but the emotions, and the passion of the team and the town portrayed, run remarkably close.

Gene A. White, or “Whitey” to his closest friends, played center on that renowned Milan team. “I wasn’t much of a scorer,” White said. Accounts indicate he was well-known for his rebounding and defense. White’s induction into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame came in 2024, while the team induction took place in 2004. A more modest man may not be found. When asked about his induction, he shrugs his shoulders and seems baffled as to why he was selected.

With a little internet research, you can easily find the reason for his induction. Along with his high school achievements, White went on to coach at Batesville High School as well as Milan High School, leading them to a sectional title. Later, he coached women’s basketball at Franklin College and was named Indiana Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year three times.

In 1954 times were much different than they are today. There were no summer sports camps, AAU tournaments or weight training for the players. “We were what appeared to be just a regular team,” White said. That team went on to make basketball history in Indiana. White offered up insider details about that experience. He recalls sitting in the locker room before the final game. “We played up against Oscar Robertson, who played on the Muncie team,” he said. “When the Muncie Central players marched by our locker room, their eyes looked towards us almost as if they were afraid of us. I do not know if that is true or not, but it was fun to see. We were good at holding the ball and slowing the game down. We played together as a team and we played like it was just any other game.”

Remembering the aftermath of the game is still a magical memory. Following the win at Hinkle Fieldhouse, the team was driven around Indianapolis’s monument circle three times backwards. This created somewhat of an unexpected traffic jam. White said he later learned the police escort got in a little trouble for that escapade. According to a quote by White in Greg Guffey’s book “The Greatest Basketball Story Ever Told”, the team returned to a downtown hotel where they celebrated by “drinking Cokes and watching TV.” The next day revealed their celebrity status among spectators and radio listeners. It was a drive home the team would never forget. Cars lined the country roads, and every intersection in small towns held a group of people holding signs and cheering them on. White said he has since talked to people who traveled out of state just to join the welcome-home party.

While the storyline in the movie parallels Milan’s journey to the 1954 state title, much of the movie features fictional situations. When asked if Milan’s coach, Marv Wood, was like the character Gene Hackman played, White replied, “not at all.”

White said Hollywood inserted a romantic interest in the film, whereas Wood in fact was married. Coach Wood was much younger than Gene Hackman too. It was Wood’s wife who suggested the team have a reunion every year. Every year since, most of the team has met for a reunion. Those still alive celebrated the 70-year reunion in 2024.

In 1990 at the grand opening of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, the Milan players were asked to play against the “Hoosiers” film cast. The Milan team alumni were bigger and older than the cast, but White says “we put it on them pretty well.”

White has made Franklin his hometown since 1985. He and his wife, Anita, have two daughters and a son, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. In addition to coaching, White taught math at Franklin Community High School.

In December he celebrated turning 89. Through the years he has enjoyed gardening in his spare time. His wife says there were some years his garden was the size of a basketball court. White said he always favored baseball over basketball, and he enjoys watching his favorite team the Cincinnati Reds. Naming Zane Gray as a favorite author, he enjoys reading books.

When asked what he thought about Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark, White says “she is good. She is extremely good at finding open people on the court. She is a deadly shooter.”

White also offers a message for young athletes today: “My philosophy isn’t to win or lose, but to focus on always improving.”

To learn more about the 1954 Milan team, visit milan54.org.