Where Are They Now?

No month of March in Indiana will ever go by without recalling the Miracle Men of Milan. And, yes, ever is a long time. But since 1954, the story of tiny Milan's Indiana high school basketball championship is transcendent. Indeed, the legend and lore seems to grow with each passing year, especially since it was given a second and even larger life when Angelo Pizzo's movie, Hoosiers, was released in 1986. Now the nation, even the world, knows what we in Indiana have known all along about that gigantic upset of Muncie Central. And no discussion of Milan lasts more than a sentence or two without the name of Bobby Plump coming into the conversation. Plump, of course, hit the shot - a 16-footer, just to the right of the foul line - that lifted the Indians to their climactic victory in Hinkle (then Butler) Fieldhouse. Bob Collins, the great sports editor and columnist for The Indianapolis Star who covered that game, often joked that, "If Plump had missed that shot, he'd be pumping gas in Pierceville today." Pierceville was the little town, even smaller than Milan, where Plump and several of his teammates lived. Fact is, Plump undoubtedly would have become the successful businessman he is today even if he had missed that shot. Plump parlayed his college education at Butler University with intellect, personality, drive and motivation into a successful insurance/investments career in Indianapolis. Forty-five years ago, he began Bobby Plump & Associates and the small company - buoyed by the presence of daughter Kelli and son-in-law Mike Piechocki - has done well. Plump also owns the building in Broad Ripple his son, Jonathan, has transformed into a popular pub/restaurant aptly called "Plump's Last Shot." In 1997, he also co-wrote his biography, Bobby Plump, Last of the Small Town Heroes." Now 71, it would figure that Plump might contemplate retirement. Hardly. "I don't know what I'd retire from," he says. He certainly can't retire from being, well, Bobby Plump. Media, both statewide and nationally, still contact him regularly for interviews. Occasionally, he's asked to go to Hinkle Fieldhouse and re-create the shot. He does a multitude of public appearances. "It's wonderful to be remembered, to re-live the story and to talk about it," Plump remarks. Then he laughs. "People call me a 'legend.' That's what happens when you live long enough and tell enough lies that people start to believe them." Plump, like many Hoosiers, still smarts over the decision 11 years ago to split the Indiana basketball tournament into four classes. He was one of its leading opponents and formed an advocacy group, Friends of Hoosier Hysteria, all to no avail. "The two questions I'm always asked are, one, how true is the movie, and two, will we ever go back (to a single-class tournament)," he says. Yet, the irony is that because of that decision, there never will be another Milan. Its place in sports history is secure, which makes the team's annual reunions even more special. "It's been an amazing phenomenon," says Plump. "I remember after about the 15th or 16th reunion one of the guys said, 'Do you think people will still be talking about us next year?' Well, now we're at 54 years later and people are still talking about us." Amazingly, nine of the 10 players are still living, along with two assistant coaches. Only coach Marvin Wood and teammate Ron Truitt have passed. Plump also points out proudly that nine of the 10 Milan players went on to college. Plump survived his own health scare when he had heart bypass surgery and had a pacemaker implanted in 1994. But, other than a bad back that's curtailed his golf, he remains fit and active. Plump and his bride, Jenine, live on Indy's northside. In addition to Kelli and Jonathan, they have another daughter, Tari, and four grandchildren. "Life is good," he says. "It's been a great run."