“But there’s just one thing…. I play, Coach stays. He goes, I go.”– Jimmy Chitwood

For hoopsters it just might be the most beloved sports movie ever made. “Hoosiers” opened on the big screen today in 1986. Gene Hackman, a Hall of Fame actor is there ever was one, played Coach Norman Dale, the tough as nails coach with the heart of gold, who takes a small town Hickory high school to the Indiana high school basketball teams to the state title. Dennis Hopper was nominated for Best Supporting Actor as the town drunk who loves basketball and assists Dale, but this is Hackman’s movie.

Another great sports movie came out of a tragic plane crash that happened today in 1970. Southern Airways flight 932 crashed in the mountains near Huntington, West Virginia, killing 75 people, including the Marshall University Football team. 

Tonight in 1987 on Late Night with David Letterman, Sonny and Cher reunited at Dave’s urging to sing, “I Got You Babe,” together one last time. Though Cher was reluctant to do it, she ended in tears.

CBS debuted “Murphy Brown” tonight in 1988. Candice Bergin starred at the titular character who was an investigative journalist for a news magazine show. The show was a staple for the network for a decade, running 247 episodes.

The Walt Disney company began it’s movie comeback today in 1989 with the release of “The Little Mermaid.” earned $84 million in it’s original release and is largely credited with being the movie that got Disney back on the map in that field with brilliant animation and an excellent soundtrack.

— Bill Hubbell