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

The Athletic placed “Hoosiers” at No. 15 on its list of the top 100 sports movies, with “Rocky” taking first. On Rotten Tomatoes, “Hoosiers” is ranked as the No. 53 best sports movie with a certified fresh score of 91%. “Hoosiers” did not win any Academy Awards — unlike AP’s runner-up “Rocky,” which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1977.

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

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,