Trent Ruble's Blog: The Other Way It Is , page 2

Hoosiers All

Most everyone wants their family to live nearby and I'm no exception. I'm blessed in this regard as all our children and grandchildren live right here in Indiana. That's right... our family has nearly repopulated this brain-drained state. But, it almost wasn't to be.



In 2008, my oldest daughter lived in a nice apartment in the Seattle area, was married to a great Seattle guy and worked there as an elementary school teacher. Their plan was to buy a house once they started a family and she'd quit working in order to be a stay-at-home mother. Well, along came baby number one and then the shock of west coast real estate prices.



On a day I'll never forget, I received a call from my daughter in which she told me, "Now, Dad, don't get too excited." She went on to say that, if her husband could find a job in Fort Wayne, they were going to move! Here! This was indeed a shock as she had previously countered my suggestion that she relocate to Indiana by saying that she was a "Washington girl" and didn't plan on leaving. So, in spite of her request, I was very excited!



A short time later my son-in-law was able to find a job and the small family moved from the hip Northwest to the middle of fly-over country. That small family is now a large, energetic family of six living happily on a Northeast Indiana farm they call the Wildflower Wood Homestead.

Our oldest son, whose Purdue University degree could have taken him anywhere, chose to marry the Indiana girl he met in college (see The Ever Expanding Family) and raise their children in Indianapolis. Add to that our two youngest children here in Fort Wayne and my parents who live nearby and we make an all-Hoosier family of 16. What could be better?

Space Needle image courtesy of worldartsme.com

The Wild West

In my experience, the reputation of America in other parts of the developed world is that of a one-time paradise now overridden with crime. In fact, I've spoken with some foreign citizens (exchange students) whose families back home are concerned that, while in America, they'll be robbed, raped or worse. But, is it really that dangerous?

All it takes is a look at the news to find that, in some parts of America, it really is true. For example, in Chicago in 2016 there were 4,331 shooting victims (almost 12 per day), including 762 homicides. Who'd want to visit a place like that? Maybe citizens of St. Louis, Baltimore, Detroit or New Orleans would feel safer in Chicago. Those cities ranked in the top 50 most dangerous cities in the world according to worldatlas.com. That same report listed only 14 cities worldwide more dangerous than St. Louis. How embarrassing.

So, how did it get this way? Many would say it's just our culture. Hollywood has been churning out super violent movies for decades. And, video games must take some of the blame with their gory, realistic and desensitizing carnage. However, the makers of these movies and video games tell us the violence they depict is just a reflection of ourselves. But, the constant exposure has to be affecting us. Even so, I don't believe either of these contributors is the most responsible. That distinction is shared by the news media and the courts.



The news media are supposed to serve as our watchdog on government. But, with that power comes their ability to control what we see and, therefore, control our opinions. Making it worse is that they choose what to report based on their own bias. Unfortunately, what we've seen lately is the vilification of the police. This was no more apparent than in 2014 in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson. The incident involved the seemingly justified shooting of black criminal Michael Brown by white police officer Darren Wilson. The warped coverage of the incident sparked a frenzied nationwide attack on the police and gave birth to the domestic terrorist organization known as Black Lives Matter, as well as a general distrust of law enforcement.

Ferguson, Missouri

Media creates "high profile" and, in criminal trials, high profile means justice is highly unlikely. There has never been a more high profile criminal case than the media circus that was the 1995 OJ Simpson trial and how, though obviously guilty, he was found to be innocent. The same thing has happened to other guilty celebrities, such as Don King and Robert Blake (oddee.com). But, the miscarriage of justice isn't just applied in high profile cases. Guilty defendants are routinely given every opportunity to be found not-guilty.

We've all heard that the prison population in the United States is higher than that of any other developed nation. While that's true, I would suggest that it should be doubled. I know that sounds crazy but, if you were to listen to the police radio in any large American city, you would agree that there is a huge number of criminals running free. A deeper check into those people would reveal that nearly all of them have had some presence before the court. Yet, here they still are; free to terrorize our communities.

These local terrorists are free because of such things as trial rules, concurrent sentences, parole, good time, probation and, worse; the judge and prosecutor's perceived ability to be reelected and, worse yet... bias. Here's an example of the latter from Elie Mystal: Mystal, an editor and contributor to the law blog "Above The Law," posted an article urging all black Americans who end up on juries to engage in “jury nullification” by automatically voting to acquit all blacks accused of crimes, especially that of murder against white victims and to do so no matter how much evidence is brought to bear against the suspect (breitbart.com). Mystal is a lawyer; an officer of the court.

Ridiculous court officials and court rulings aren't a new phenomenon, either. Our judicial system has been failing us for years. A well-known example from 1992 demonstrates just that. During the Los Angeles riots of that year, poor Reginald Denny inadvertently drove his truck into the middle of the chaos. At an intersection, a mob forced him to stop the truck allowing thugs Antoine Miller, Anthony Brown, Lance Parker, Henry Watson, Damian Williams and Gary Williams, all previously arrested gangsters, to extract him, rob him, try to blow up his truck and then beat him nearly to death with a claw hammer. All of this depravity was broadcast to the world on live television. For this vicious attack, Watson, Miller and Parker received probation, Brown received a two-year sentence that was served concurrent to another sentence, Gary Williams received a three year sentence and Damian Williams; a ten year sentence.

So, what's to be done? For one thing, we must pay attention. Learn what companies sponsor irresponsible news media reports. We also need to know who the judges and prosecutors are who are letting us down. In addition, the system must be made to serve the victim and not the criminal and this can't be done unless those of us who care get involved. But, with humans comes inherent human weakness. Nothing will work unless we invoke the sovereign power of God and His holy justice.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. - Romans 1:18 (NIV 1984)

Scales of Justice illustration by Toby Hudson

The Time is Near

Time is an insidious sort of thing, creeping up on you before you realize it. Things that were once way off in the future are now right on the horizon. I don't know why, but young people have a difficult time understanding this. I work on a college campus and, if I talk about these things around the students, they look at me like I'm from another planet. I'm sure I was the same... back when I was going to live forever.

One of the things that creeps up on a person is the task of caring for elderly parents. My parents are both 78 and still live on their own. However, they are about to move to a very nice duplex on an assisted living campus. They'll still be independent, but that first step has to be painful. My mother even expressed how this means she'll never get that big house she's always wanted. Getting old is tough.

Being on the assisted living campus also means they'll be in line when the time comes to move into what Dad calls "the big house." Now, this is not the same big house that Mom always dreamed about. No, he's referring to the nursing home next to the duplexes. So, for them, moving onto the campus may be a step toward "the end." But, for my siblings and me, it's comforting to know their care is assured.

All this makes me think about my wife and me and who'll care of us. We have several wonderful children and they've been most gracious in offering to take care of us. But, what a burden that will be. And, it's not as far away as they may realize.

As for me, I can't imagine living in a nursing home and, if I end up in one, I plan to escape. I told my family not to be surprised if this happens. I don't know that I would really do it as I don't want to cause my family trouble. But, I also can't accept the idea of living in an evil place where doctors, nurses or aides can come into my room at will, try telling me what to eat or wake me in the morning.

I guess this is all to say that I still don't have any idea what's going to happen to us. Hopefully, I'll just stay young forever. Never mind, It's too late for that.

How I became the Unintentional Explorer: My Enlistment in the United States Air Force

I graduated from high school in May 1979 and decided not to go to college. I didn't know what I wanted to do in life anyway, so why waste money in attending college just for the sake of attending? It turned out that the only thing really being wasted was my life. And, I wasn't the only one to notice. My parents, especially my dad, were getting tired of seeing me flounder and also tired of me living in their house as I neared 20 years old.

By December I was still living at home and working at a local drug store. Dad had frequently suggested I join the military but that sounded like a horrible idea. I mean, the only thing I didn't like about living at home was Mom and Dad telling me what to do. The military sounded to me like a whole lot more of the same. However, Dad told me a story one day that caught my interest.



Dad said that, when he was in the Air Force in the late 1950s, he was sent on a temporary assignment to Puerto Rico. During the several hour flight in the cargo plane from his base in Texas, he had the opportunity to spend time with the plane's loadmaster. He learned that the loadmaster loved his job, which consisted of supervising the rear of the plane (cargo and passengers). He especially enjoyed having visited over 30 countries in four years of flying.

Dad then encouraged me to talk to an Air Force recruiter about being a loadmaster, but I instantly thought about basic training and how awful that would be. I declined. But, Dad persisted by saying that maybe I could just listen to the recruiter and make a decision at a later time, so I agreed.

My dad and I went to the U. S. Air Force Recruiting Office in nearby Fort Wayne where the recruiter explained the loadmaster position to me as well as the requirements for getting the job. One of those requirements was to score high enough on the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) and he suggested I take it. He said there was no commitment involved but, without the test, there was no sense in continuing to discuss being a loadmaster, so I agreed.

My ASVAB score was high enough to be considered, so the recruiter told me that I should take the required physical examination at the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) in Indianapolis. He said there was no committment involved but, without passing the physical, there was no sense in continuing to discuss being a loadmaster, so I agreed.

On December 31, 1979, I traveled to Indianapolis where, along with several other recruits, we took the physical exam. After passing, we were herded into a room with a podium in front of a couple dozen chairs. There were flags on each side of the podium making it look very official. We were told that we were in the room because we had passed the physical and were now going to be given the opportunity to enlist. Somehow, this whole process seemed orchestrated from the start. I knew the most logical thing to do was to decline the enlistment and go home and think about it so that I could make a rational decision. But, I also knew what the decision would be. My life had no purpose the way it was and the Air Force offered the opportunity for adventure and excitement, as well as the opportunity to make a difference in the world. I made the decision, took the oath and was placed on delayed enlisted that day.

On April 11, 1980, I returned to MEPS for in-processing. Unfortunately, my suitcase didn't make the trip as I'd left it at the bus station back home. My parents made a special 200-mile round trip just to bring it to me. The next day I flew off to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio to begin the adventure (see All-Expense Paid Vacation in Sunny San Antonio!).

It's been many years now since I was in the Air Force, but I think about it often. I was able to visit more than 30 countries in four years, just as the loadmaster years before had done. Not only that, there were many adventures that I'll never forget (see International Incident, International Incident, Part 2 , and In-Flight Emergency!). I'm proud of my service and miss that time in my life. I would encourage any young person who doesn't have a plan for what to do with his or her life to consider the military. It can be a very rewarding experience.

In-Flight Emergency!

It was near the end of the Cold War when I served as an aircraft loadmaster in the United States Air Force and, as such, spent many hours in the air as we traveled the globe supporting our mission. During that entire time, there was only once that I felt my life was really in danger. In my four years of flying, there was just one in-flight emergency and it occurred immediately after take-off on what would have otherwise been a routine mission back in 1982.



Our 20th Military Airlift Squadron crew that day consisted of our Aircraft Commander, Major Ira "Dan" McCauley, the co-pilot, Captain Stephen MacCauley (no relation), flight engineers Staff Sergeant Joseph Del Sordo and Sergeant Felix Serret, and loadmasters Airman First Class Wilfredo (Willie) Pino and myself. Our aircraft was a 16 year old C-141B Starlifter based at our squadron's headquarters; Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina.

The crew had been on "alert" status, which meant the plane was made ready and then sealed. A few planes were, and probably still are, kept in this condition at all times in order to be ready in the event they are needed immediately. On this day, just such a situation required our activation. Upon our alert we loaded our gear, seated the 17 passengers and took off from Charleston en route to Athens, Greece.

Shortly after take-off the plane became uncontrollable, rolling first to the right and then to the left. Major McCauley immediately declared an in-flight emergency and then, together with Captain MacCauley, fought to regain control of the giant machine. Meanwhile, as I tried to keep myself composed in front of the concerned passengers, one of them pointed out that another crew member was smoking while making the sign of the cross on his chest. This in spite of the fact that Major McCauley had turned on the "No Smoking" and "Fasten Seat Belts" signs. I explained that our crew was doing everything necessary to keep us safe.

At Major McCauley's request, myself and another crew member looked out the windows and reported the positions of the ailerons. The way I remember it, when the pilot would steer one way, both ailerons would go down and then both would go up when he turned the other way (as opposed to one up and one down like they're supposed to). Major McCauley eventually corrected the problem using some creative thinking thus saving all our lives. My understanding is that he depowered the ailerons and used tab operable to, in essence, fly the ailerons. Evidently that wasn't the intended purpose of the tabs. Please understand that I am not a pilot and am relaying the story as I remember it from 35 years ago, so the technical details may not be exactly correct. What I do know is that it was way scary.

Upon our return to Charleston, I was very happy to be safely on the ground and was ready to go home and recover from this terrifying experience. However, the Air Force had other plans as they still needed their mission completed. They insisted we get right back on the horse. Our crew, passengers and cargo were transported to another airplane and off we went.

I want to take this opportunity to thank my fellow crew members, especially Major Dan McCauley, for their professionalism that day. Because of their training and determination, 23 lives were saved, including my own.

Photo from the August 1982 edition of The MAC Flyer

The Next Giant Leap for Mankind

When I was a kid, Mars was just a red blur in the night sky. Now, anyone can download detailed maps of the planet's surface. People are even starting to talk seriously about living on Mars. Some go so far as to say that living on Mars is humanity's only hope for survival. I'm not sure I buy that one. Necessary or not, life on Mars is many years away and won't happen at all unless experts get past some pretty nasty obstacles. But, if it does happen, it'll be a great opportunity for a "do over," especially in the area of government.



Most likely, the new Martians will use rules for life that are similar to what they experienced on Earth. The sending agency, whether a government (probably China) or private company, will dictate the legal system for their "employees" and, if they should choose something different, it would be like a revolution of sorts. After a typical Earth revolution, and there have been many, the new government generally put provisions in place to make sure the old problems didn't resurface. For example, the Constitution of the United States, including its Bill of Rights, has many such provisions and has probably been the most successful governing document so far, flawed and misinterpreted as it is.

I think the Martians will find that, when it comes to government, the problems on Mars will be the same as the problems on Earth. Whoever the leaders will be, they will be driven by inherent human weakness. For example, the type of person who desires to live the life necessary to be President of the United States, or President of Mars, is and will always be someone with a big ego and a need to have it fed. Even leaders we consider to have been "good," have had many flaws. Just ask the opposite party. Outside of a coup d'état, that human weakness should rule out a Dictatorship, which would only work well if the dictator were free from his or her humanity (as in the coming 1,000 year reign).

Other choices would be a theocracy, which again only works when the right "person" is in charge; communism, which, even in its perfect form, provides no incentive for excellence; anarchy, which has left places like Somalia nearly unlivable; democracy, which could work for a while until there are too many people to vote on each and every issue; or a republic, which seems to cultivate some very wealthy citizens who control the rest and are vulnerable to corruption. Or, it could be something totally different that has yet to be invented.

In this yet to be invented government, Martians would likely want guaranteed freedoms such as those we in the United States enjoy. We have many of those freedoms because, in 1789, the Bill of Rights was introduced in order to protect us from an overly powerful government. These rights include our freedoms of speech and religion, as well as our freedoms from compulsory self-incrimination and unreasonable searches. In addition, the bill gave us states' rights and the right to own firearms. None of these rights were intended to protect us from one another, but from tyrannical government.

No matter the government of Mars, I don't want to go there anyway. Who would want to suffer through months of traveling in a small, cold metal box in order to live on a dry, rusty-red world. It would be like living in Antarctica with no snow. OK, I like the "no snow" part.

The Evolution of Law Enforcement

After 30 years of working in law enforcement, I've found that the way I do my job has changed, with much more emphasis on people and their problems than on their compliance with the law. This change in thinking occurred as I gradually came to realize that the primary difference between the people I investigate and me is that their sins have been revealed and mine, for the most part, have not. But, I have them to be sure. With the understanding in mind that we’re all imperfect beings with much in common, police officers should, in addition to enforcing the law when necessary, assist their constituents in negotiating life, even in “non-police related issues" when time allows.

I've found that when we’re conversing with someone who is very similar to us, whether in an investigation or just casual contact, it’s easy to treat them in a respectful manner. And, after years of experience, most officers can even converse respectfully with people who are of a different race or religion, etc... However, it seems that police officers have the most difficulty in relating to those whose primary difference is that they are of the criminal element; our "opponents." Many times we've even escalated situations unnecessarily. There is an “us against them” mindset that must change if we are to serve our community appropriately.

“Law enforcement’s mission is accomplished primarily through one-on-one interaction with citizens in the community. Simply put, the better we are at dealing with people, the better we are at doing our jobs. Excellent policing is only possible through the development of strong, positive relationships with the public—relationships built on good customer service and mutual respect. Every interaction with the public should be grounded in the core law enforcement values of service, courage, respect, fairness, integrity, responsibility, and professionalism. Treating people with respect and dignity is not just good business – It’s the right thing to do.” (policecommunity.net)

Retired Lombard, Illinois police officer Lieutenant Jim Glennon wrote in an article for Police One that “treating people with dignity and respect, regardless of their character, has far-reaching benefits. It’s how you get a confession, how you get information, how you calm the crazies, how you develop rapport, and often, it can even be a factor in thwarting an attack… I want you to bend over backwards for most people. Listen to their complaints; understand their emotions; realize that even if they only had their bike stolen, it’s a major emotional issue for them. So empathize — treat them the way you’d like your mother treated.”

That's how I envision a successful police officer. I may not always be successful, but this is how I strive to do my job. However, I’m not naïve. I understand, just as Lt. Glennon went on to address, that even as we treat people well, we must be prepared to defend ourselves or others should things go badly, as they do from time to time. The secret is in keeping our preparedness from appearing aggressive or superior.

Jeffrey H. Witte, Springdale (Ohio) Police Department, wrote in the magazine The Police Chief that "by collecting and applying in-depth information about customer satisfaction (and dissatisfaction), police agencies can identify and build upon their strengths, and correct their deficiencies, improving the delivery of police service to their various customer groups. Although this process is still relatively new in policing, it has significant benefits not only for the organization, but also for the chief executive… Once customer satisfaction becomes a driving value and is achieved, an executive is likely to be able to draw on powerful community allies to support directions and sustain tenure. Although the focus on customers of police service is primarily an outgrowth of community oriented policing, the idea of customer satisfaction is also tied to the more traditional police mission of law enforcement. Customer satisfaction and crime control objectives are reinforcing concepts, not alternatives. In fact, by effectively fulfilling their basic crime control and law enforcement functions, the police are striving to satisfy three of their most important customer groups: citizens as potential victims of crime, the community as stakeholder, and taxpayers as investors in the police organization.”

Police should develop a good relationship with their constituents through the partnerships described by Officer Witte. In addition to a positive police presence, partnerships provide opportunities, not only for the officers to patrol affected neighborhoods, but also for the citizens to relay important information to the officers and vice versa. Additionally, in order to avoid unnecessary violence, officers must be trained in methods of respectful de-escalation, persuasion (verbal judo) and interpersonal skills along with other aspects of customer service just as they are trained in defensive tactics, firearms, and report writing. It is just as important, especially considering the frequency of our citizen interaction.

Nearly all officers want to do their best to serve their communities and are worthy of your respect and encouragement. But, sometimes, we need to remember who our community includes and change our perspective in order to serve you best.

The Willful Disobedience of Mustang Sally

My beautiful car, Sally, and I are having a long-running adversarial relationship. Oh, she's sexy to be sure, and she knows it. But, her sultry good looks belie the real truth; I don't think she likes me much. She won't listen to me and is frankly... rude.

Photo by Tami Ruble

I was initially excited to learn that Sally came equipped with a voice-activated computer designed to control my music, navigation, telephone and climate. Having the system encourages my fantasy of commanding a starship. Back when Sally and I were still friends, I would pretend to be the captain and ask her things like, "Computer, where are we now?" But, she would stubbornly respond, "I'm sorry, I do not understand." I realize I'm not very computer literate (see Techno Reject ) but I think I speak clearly enough. It's no better even now, though we've known each other for more than two years. Just recently she attempted to get me stuck as she directed me into a muddy field. Thankfully, I recognized her preferred path was not the roadway and made the proper adjustment.

Sally refuses to learn my language so, by checking the manual, I've finally learned her's. When she says, "Please say a command." I know I have to use words in her limited vocabulary, such as "MP3 player," and then "Play Ray Charles," to which she responds, "Playing Tommy Tutone." I'm telling you, if she were controlling a starship, it'd be crashed by now.

I'm not sure what the future holds for Sally and me as we both think we're in charge. For now I've been bypassing her and using the manual controls, but I suspect she doesn't like that. I'm awaiting her retaliation.

Ugly Americans

I recently saw an article on the internet about the perceptions people from Europe have about Americans. It wasn't pretty. Nearly all the opinions were negative and most of them deserved. Although I thought it ironic that a German man said we were "arrogant."



In addition to our perceived arrogance, the foreign representatives thought we were loud, extremely religious, heavily armed, and overly friendly yet superficial. In addition, we are an obese people who eat super large portions of extra fatty foods. And, it's evidently easy to spot an American man in Europe because of our polo shirts, stretched as they must be. Some said that, in spite of these negative opinions, they liked America and Americans. We must be a likeable sort considering how many people bypass our legal process and just move in with us.

All of the interviewees were liberal and thought of Americans as conservative to the point of craziness, using our nomination of Donald Trump for President as an example. But, there's a reason for our way of thinking and they (or, at least, their ancestors) caused it.

Our conservatism dates to the late 1700s when our forefathers revolted and eventually overthrew our oppressive English government. This led to a government of our own. However, people were rightly concerned that our new government would eventually become just as oppressive as the one under which we'd just suffered. In 1789 the Bill of Rights was introduced in order to protect us from just such a government. These rights include ten constitutional amendments protecting our freedoms of speech and religion, as well as our freedoms from compulsory self-incrimination and unreasonable searches. In addition, the bill gave us states' rights and the right to own firearms. None of these rights were intended to protect us from one another, but from tyrannical government.

Although liberals, even in this country, don't want to admit it, anyone can see that these rights are in jeopardy. However, most Europeans have never enjoyed these rights and don't understand what's at risk. I believe that, if given the opportunity, citizens of countries outside our own would love to have some of the protections we have and would then be desperate to defend them. As for being superficial, loud and fat... we'll work on that.

Long live the Bill of Rights!

Long Live the Lightning 5!

Attending a high school basketball game in Indiana is a cultural experience. I feel lucky to have known Hoosier Hysteria first-hand. But, as my parents tell me, I just missed out on the real fun.

I entered high school in 1975 and, like almost everyone I knew, made sure to be in attendance at all the home basketball games. And then, at the end of the season, came the much-anticipated state tournament which began with the local Sectional. In those days all schools in Indiana were in the same class which meant a giant school like mine nearly always won the Sectional. Our Vikings' lop-sided, demoralizing victories were greatly celebrated. But, those triumphant feelings were usually short-lived. Even though our Sectional championships regularly earned our school a trip to the Regional, it was there that we played a team of our own size or bigger, which routinely spelled defeat for the mighty Vikings. The Regionals were usually our last games of the season. Now, with class basketball, our team generally doesn't even win the Sectional (how is that even fair?).

However, prior to 1968, there were more than a dozen high schools in the county where I grew up. These small schools, which eventually merged to form my giant high school, played each other during the season and then again at the county seat's Community Gym in the Sectional. Most all the kids knew each other (and their parents) even if they attended a different school, which led to a festive atmosphere that is unequaled today. The Sectional tournament was truly the event of the season.



That was certainly true in Warren. Way back in 1966 I began kindergarten at Salamonie Township School. No one called it that, of course. It was just known as Warren for that was the name of the town where it sat. The Warren Lightning 5, whose name was adopted from a sports writer's description of the team being "as fast as lightning," had a long history of great basketball, including a world record 158 point victory over nearby Converse in 1912. For decades the townsfolk lived for games against neighboring high schools from such great places as Jefferson or Rock Creek Townships. A basketball team from one of these small schools represented not just their school, but the whole community, creating a following most schools would envy today. What fun it would have been to be a part of those fierce rivalries! But, unfortunately, the Lightning 5 and most of their rivals play no more. There is now no high school in Warren and the people there must travel 15 miles to see games. And, even though they support the Vikings, there is still some resentment and even a little animosity. It's a confliction. On one hand they must support their children's school, especially if their child is an athlete. But, on the other, they still aren't over it. Nor am I.



The consolidation of schools was a money-saving idea and I've heard that, in that respect, it has been a success. But, in every other facet, it's been a failure. The consolidation has dealt a serious blow to our sense of community and has been an overall defeat to one of the greatest parts of our once-great Hoosier culture.

If you're not familiar with Indiana high school basketball, check out the Gene Hackman movie, Hoosiers, which, though fictional, is based on the true story of tiny Milan High School's unlikely and never to be repeated state championship in 1954.

Long live the Lightning 5!

Photos courtesy of Hoosier Hardwood.