>> PRODUCTION SUPPORT FOR "JOURNEY INDIANA" IS BROUGHTED BROUGHT -- BROUGHT TO YOU BY: >> COMING UP, LEARN ALL ABOUT CHUCK TAYLOR, FROM HIS INDIANA ROOTS TO HIS FAMOUS SHOES.

>> TOUR THE NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS IN INDIANAPOLIS.

>> CHECK OUT A SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER SPORTS MUSEUM IN MILAN, INDIANA.

>> AND SHELBY GRUSS WHO IS THE FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM AND HEAR HER INSPIRING STORY.

>> THAT'S ALL ON THIS EPISODE OF "JOURNEY INDIANA."

♪ ♪ >> WELCOME TO "JOURNEY INDIANA," I'M ASHLEY CHILLA ALONG WITH BRANDON WENTZ HERE AT THE WABASH COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND ON THIS EPISODE, WE ARE FEATURING ONE OF THE INDIANA'S FAVORITE PASTIMES, BASKETBALL AND WE ARE STARTING IN RURAL BROWN COUNTY.

MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, PRODUCER JASON PEAR AND EDITOR JOHN TIMM HAVE THE STORY OF CHUCK TAYLOR.

♪ ♪ DEPENDING WHAT PART OF THE COUNTRY YOU ARE FROM OR WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD YOU GREW UP IN, YOU CALL THEM CHUCKS OR CHUCK TAYLORS.

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL IN CHICAGO, IN THE CITY, NOT A SUBURB, WE JUST CALLED THEM CHUCK TAYLORS.

♪ SOME ARTICLES, SOME RECORDS I SAID CHUCK TAYLOR INTERVENTED THE SHOE.

NO, CHUCK TAYLOR INVENTED CHUCK TAYLOR.

THAT WAS THE INVENTION AND HE RE-INVENTED HIMSELF AS THE TIME WENT ON.

THE SHOE WAS CREATED IN 1917, WHEN CHUCK WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

HE WAS BORN IN A LOG CABIN.

BROWN COUNTY WAS THE LAST COUNTY WHERE HE WAS BORN, NO CITY, JUST BROWN COUNTY, WAS THE LAST COUNTY IN INDIANA TO GET WATER AND ELECTRICITY.

HE WAS BORN IN 1901, I DON'T THINK IT RECEIVED THOSE MODERN AMENITIES UNTIL LATER.

♪ >> THEY MOVED TO BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY, A SMALL TOWN THERE BUT HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN COLUMBUS AND HE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL -- ITS WHAT THE NEAREST SCHOOL TO WHERE CHUCK LIVED THAT HAD A BASKETBALL TEAM.

NOT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL HAD A BASKETBALL TEAM IN THE TEENS OF THE 20th CENTURY.

COLUMBUS DID.

COLUMBUS BEING ALMOST A MIDMAJOR CITY FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA.

♪ >> HE WAS AGGRESSIVE.

HE WAS THE CAPTAIN OF HIS TEAM AS A SOPHOMORE.

THAT STOOD OUT TO ME.

HE WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE STAR OF THE TEAM.

THEY HAD A COUPLE OF GOOD PLAYERS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE TEENS.

THEY WENT TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

THEY NEVER WON THE STATE TOURNAMENT.

♪ HE MAID FOR SOME TEAMS IN INDIAN -- HE PLAYED FOR SOME TEAMS IN INDIANAPOLIS.

HE PLAYED MOST NOTABLY IN AKRON, OHIO.

HE PLAYED FOR A YEAR THERE.

HE WENT TO DETROIT AND IT WAS FROM DETROIT THAT HE GOES TO CHICAGO AND GETS A JOB FOR THE MIDWEST REGION OF CONVERSE.

♪ CONVERSE HAD ITS OWN TEAMS IN THE LATE '20s FOR SURE.

HE WAS THE PLAYER COACH.

THE IDEA OF A PLAYER COACH WAS NOT UNUSUAL.

AND THEY ONLY CARRIED SIX OR SEVEN PLAYERS.

SO THE PLAYER-COACH.

IT HAD TO BE A PLAYER-COACH.

THEY WOULD COME INTO TOWN AND THEY WOULD CHALLENGE LOCAL TEAMS.

THAT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR LOCAL TEAMS BECAUSE YOU GOT TO PLAY A TRAVELING TEAM.

THE TRAVELING TEAM HAD SOME STATUS.

♪ HE BECAME A FULL-TIME SALESMAN AND I KNOW BY 1931, REALLY 1930, BECAUSE IT SHOWS UP IN THE 1931 YEARBOOK, CONVERSE YEARBOOK, WELL REGARDED.

WIDELY DISTRIBUTED, HE ALREADY HAS HIS PICTURE IN IT, AND HE'S TOUTING GOOD PLAYERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHERE THE NEXT YEAR HE HAS HIS ALL-STAR TEAMS AND HE SAYS WHO ARE THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE COUNTRY.

BETWEEN 1926, '27, WHEN HE'S A MAYER COACH, HE HAS SOME PROMINENCE TO 1930, '31 WHERE IT'S ALMOST HIS YEARBOOK.

HE WAS THE FACE OF CONVERSE BY 1930-'31.

WHAT HAPNED IN THE INTERVENING YEARS HE WAS A GOOD SALESMAN.

THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE WHO REMEMBERED HIM.

HE LIVED OUT OF THE TRUNK EVER HIS CAR.

HE HAD HIS CLOTHES WITH HIM.

HE WOULD GO TO HOTELS.

HE ALWAYS PUT EVERYTHING ON THE EXPENSE BEING.

HE DID NOT GET A LARGE, LARGE SALARY, BUT HE HAD NO EXPENSES.

♪ EVEN WHEN HE WAS THE SALES MANAGER OF CONVERSE, HE TRAVELED.

HE VISITED PLACES.

MOSTLY COLLEGES LATER IN HIS CAREER.

IT'S FAIR TO SAY HE WENT TO ALMOST EVERY COLLEGE AND HE ALSO WENT TO THE N.A.I.A.

TOURNAMENT WHICH WAS THE SMALL COLLEGE TOURNAMENT IN KANSAS CITY EVERY YEAR.

CHUCK WOULD GO THERE WITH LIKE DOZENS OF PAIRS OF SHOES AND OUTFIT PEOPLE IF THEY WORE OUT THEIR SHOE.

HE WOULD GIVE THE PLAYERS THE SHOES AT THE TOURNAMENTS.

OTHERWISE HE WOULD SELL THEM.

♪ I KNOW WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, YOU WOULD SEE TED WILLIAMS NAMES ON BASEBALL BATS AND MICKEY MANTLE'S NAME, EVERYTHING HAD AN AUTOGRAPH.

THAT WAS HIS SIGNATURE THIS WAS PUT IN IN '30-31, WHEN HIS FACE STARTS TO SHOW UP IN THE CONVERSE YEARBOOK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT HE STARTED THAT TREND.

I THINK THAT TREND PROBABLY -- OR THAT PATTERN PROBABLY EXISTED.

BUT HE EXPLOITED IT WELL.

♪ ONE RECORD SAYS HE IMPROVED THE SHOE.

I LOVE THAT WORD "HE IMPROVED THE SHOE" SUGGESTED BY PUTTING A PATCH BE PUT ON THE ANKLE.

TODAY IT'S JUST A VINYL STAMPING.

IN THE EARLY, EARLY SHOES, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A RUBBER OR A LEATHER PATCH THAT HAD A 1/16th.

WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING, YOU CAN KNOCK YOUR INNER ANKLE, AND THAT MAKES SOME SENSE.

THE BEST PART OF THE SHOE WAS THE SOLE.

THE SOLE HAD GOOD GRIP.

COULD YOU START AND STOP FASTER THAN ANY OTHER SHOE.

AND, IN FACT, TO THIS DAY, THE SOLE IS PATENTED.

♪ THE GAME IS PART OF HIS LEGACY.

HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME IN 1969, JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED AS A CONTRIBUTOR.

NOT AS A PLAYER.

NOT AS A COACH.

BUT AS A CONTRIBUTOR.

HIS CONTRIBUTION WAS HE WENT -- HE WAS LIKE THE JOHNNY APPLESEED OF BASKETBALL.

♪ >> YOU KNOW, GROWING UP IN A TIME WHERE CHUCK TAYLOR WAS A HOUSEHOLD NAME FOR FOOTWEAR, I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT HE WAS FROM INDIANA.

YOU CAN GET MORE INFO ON THE BOOK AT IUPRESS.ORG.

JUST SEARCH FOR CHUCK TAYLOR.

SINCE WE'RE TALKING BASKETBALL THIS EPISODE, WE TRACKED DOWN T.J. HONEYCUTT THE ARCHIVIST TO SEE HOW THEY HIGHLIGHT HOOSIER HYSTERIA.

>> PROBABLY OUR MOST FAMOUS BASKETBALL LEVEL CONNECTION, THE FIRST THREE-TIME CHAMPION WHO DID THE NCAA, THE NBA AND AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL, AND THEN AFTER HIS HALL OF FAME NBA CAREER, HE CAME BACK HERE AND COACHED BASKETBALL AT WHITES INSTITUTE IN WABASH, COUNTY, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND WAS A FIXTURE HERE.

BASKETBALL HAS ALWAYS BEEN HUGE HERE IN GENERAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE '50s, WHEN WE HAD A LOT MORE HIGH SCHOOLS ALL IN THE AREA THAT WERE AT A REALLY STRONG RIVALRY GOING BETWEEN ALL OF THEM.

ALSO, INTERESTINGLY, IN 1920 -- SO THIS IS ANOTHER KIND OF SPORTS THING, THE STATE DID NOT DO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BECAUSE OF THE H1N1 PANDEMIC.

SO WABASH HIGH SCHOOL ACTUALLY WAS AWARDED THAT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDEFEATED BUT THEY DIDN'T PLAY THE GAME.

SO THAT WAS WABASH'S FIRST MAJOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, FROM KIND OF A SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE TO WHAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN DEALING WITH LATELY.

>> YOU CAN LEARN EVEN MORE AT WABASHMUSEUM.ORG.

ASHLEY?

THANKS, BRANDON.

UP NEXT, WE'RE HEADED TO THE CIRCLE CITY TO TALK HOOPS AND A WHOLE LOT MORE AT THE NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS.

PRODUCER JASON PEAR AND EDITOR ADAM CARROLL HAVE THE STORY.

♪ >> THE NCAA HALL OF CHAMPIONS CAME AS PART OF THE DEAL WHEN THE NCAA MOVED TO INDIANAPOLIS.

SO THE HALL OF CHAMPIONS ACTUALLY OPENED IN 2000.

THE NATIONAL OFFICE CAME HERE IN 1999.

THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS REALLY MADE AN OFFER THAT, YOU KNOW, THE NCAA COULDN'T REFUSE, JUST GIVING US SUCH A WONDERFUL LOCATION.

AND HOOSIERS LOVE THEIR BASKETBALL AND THEIR SPORTS, THEIR COLLEGE SPORTS.

SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A GREAT FIT FOR US.

THE MUSEUM ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT ALL 24 OF OUR NCAA SPORTS AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST ABOUT BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL.

THOSE ARE GREAT.

BUT BOWLING AND TENNIS AND FENCING AND SKIING AND SO MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVD IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS.

♪ ACTUALLY, THE MIAC CONFERENCE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THEIR 50th 50th ANNIVERSARY AND WONDERED IF WE WILL MIGHT DO A DISPLAY BECAUSE THEY HAD KNOWN THAT WE HAD DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND WE WERE THRILLED TO DO THAT.

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO HIGHLIGHT HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

THEY PUT IT TOGETHER.

I WORKED WITH THEM.

WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT STORIES SHOULD BE INCLUDED AND THEY DID A PHENOMENAL JOB,OB, I THINK, OF REALLY TELLING THEIR STORY.

THE FINE WEDGE TELLS AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF HOW THE NCAA WAS FOUNDED.

THERE WERE 18 DEATHS IN 1905 AS A RESULT OF FOOTBALL AND THIS FLYING WEDGE FORMATION THAT YOU SEE WAS -- SOMETHING THAT WAS BLAMED FOR THAT.

SO IN 1906, THE NCAA WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDED AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE KIND OF COMING TOGETHER AND SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO THAT WE CAN'T HAVE ANY MORE YOUNG MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT OF THE GAME OF FOOTBALL.

AND SO THE FLYING WEDGE, IT JUST TELLS THAT STORY.

THERE WERE SCHOOLS CANCELING THEIR FOOTBALL PROGRAMS.

SO IT WAS VERY SERIOUS THING, AND COLLEGE SPORTS WERE IN JEOPARDY.

AND THAT STORY IS TOLD NOT ONLY WITH THE IN FLYING WEDGE.

IT'S A GREAT PHOTO-OP.

IT'S FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU WALK IN AND A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUR PICTURE AND REMEMBER YOUR VISIT AT THE HALL OF CHAMPIONS.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXHIBITS IS OUR WOMEN'S TIMELINE.

THE REASON I LOVE IT SO MUCH AND THINK IT'S SUCH A GREAT ASSET IS THE NCAA DIDN'T HAVE WOMEN'S CHARM.

IONSHIPS UNTIL 1981 -- CHAMPIONSHIPS UNTIL 1981, BUT THE WOMEN WERE DOING SO MUCH IN ATHLETICS.

I THINK IT IS A GREAT WAY TO TELL THAT STORY OF ALL THE PIONEERS AND THE TRAILBLAZERS AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE SCHOOL GROUPS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE WOMEN THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR THEM AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE NOW.

♪ >> JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT OF FUN AND TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF THE FAMOUS SHOTS, WE DO HAVE MICHAEL JORDAN'S SHOT IN HERE.

CHRISTIAN LAETTNER, WE HAVE SEVERAL SHOTS FROM THE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AS WELL.

AND THERE WERE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.

I MEAN THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY GAMES WHERE THERE'S BEEN A BUZZER BEATER OR SOMETHING WHERE A REALLY, REALLY CLOSE GAME WHERE IT WAS WON IN THE END.

IT WAS NOT EASY TO CHOOSE.

THESE ARE JUST A HANDFUL, BUT IT'S FUN FOR THE PEOPLE TO COME IN HERE AND SEE IF THEY CAN MAKE THAT MICHAEL JORDAN SHOT.

ANOTHER GREAT SPACE IS THE HALL OF HONOR.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE HALL OF HONOR.

YOU WILL MIGHT GO TO A CANTON OR COOPERSTOWN WHERE YOU ARE REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ENSHRINED, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENT-ATHLETES THAT HAVE WON OUR AWARDS.

OUR AWARDS ARE BASED ON ATHLETICS BUT ALSO BASED ON ACADEMICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, DIFFERENT ASPECTS SUCH AS THAT.

THERE'S SO MANY NAMES THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BUT THESE INCREDIBLE STORIES OF THESE 4.0, YOU KNOW, STUDENT-ATHLETES THAT GETTING THROUGH COLLEGE AND THEY ARE GREAT IN THEIR SPORT BUT THEY ARE AMAZING ACADEMICALLY, AS WELL AS INSPIRATION WINTERS AND VALOR WINNERS WHO HAVE BEEN- THROUGH SO MUCH AND EXPLAINING THAT EXPERIENCE TO OTHERS.

AND THOSE STORIES SORE INCREDIBLE.

-- THOSE STORIES ARE SO INCREDIBLE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE NCAA.

I THINK THAT'S BEST PART ABOUT THE MUSEUM.

I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE MUSEUM, AND A LITTLE GIRL WAS LOOKING AT THE TENNIS KIOSK AND IT CAUGHT HER EYE.

SHE STOPPED AND SHE SAID, OH, TENNIS!

I DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD TENNIS IN COLLEGE!

I PLAY TENNIS!

AND IT -- IT SPARKED THIS EXCITEMENT IN HER AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE AND SEE THAT THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES.

IT'S ABOUT EDUCATION, ACADEMICS AND JUST THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF BEING A STUDENT ATHLETE, AND SO WE FEEL IT TELLS THAT STORY.

SO I THINK PEOPLE WOULD LEARN SOME THINGS THAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL 24 OF OUR SPORTS.

>> I THINK BASED OFF OF OUR PREVIOUS BASKETBALL ENDEAVORS HERE IN "JOURNEY INDIANA," BRANDON AND I COULD HIT ALL OF THOSE FINAL SHOTS!

YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT NCAAHALL OFCHAMPIONS.ORG.

UP NEXT, WE ARE HEADED SOUTH TO RIPLEY COUNTY TO LEARN ALL ABOUT THE MILAN MIRACLE OF 1954 AND VISIT THE MUSEUM THAT CELEBRATES IT.

♪ >> TYPICAL SMALL TOWN.

>> A LOT LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW, EXCEPT IT IS SLIGHTLY LARGER.

HIGH SCHOOL, 12 GRADES WERE IN ONE BUILDING.

OUR CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS 30 PEOPLE.

IN 1953, WE HAD A NEW COACH, AND SEVERAL PLAYERS WERE BACK FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.

BUT WE WERE KIND OF A TYPICAL DANGEROUS MILAN TEAM, WHICH MEANS WE PROBABLY WON THE COUNTY TOURNAMENT AND THAT WAS THE BIG THING TO DO IN THOSE DAYS.

>> A THREE-POINT LEAD HEREERE FOR MUNCIE WITH SEVEN MINUTES LEFT IN THE BALL GAME.

WHITE.

WHITE HOLDS AND FEEDS OFF TO CRABBE.

>> WE HAD A HUDDLE WITH 13 OR 15 SECONDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND MR. WOOD SAYS, WE'LL ALL MOVE OVER AND LET -- GET THE BALL TO BOB AND LET HIM TAKE HIM ONE-ON-ONE.

I SAID, WHY DON'T WE JUST GO EVERYAND STAND THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FLOOR?

HE SAID, GOOD IDEA.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

AND HE HIT THE SHOT, AND THAT WAS THE GAME.

>> 6 SECONDS.

SCORES!

THE GAME IS OVER.

MILAN WINS.

[ CHEERS ] MILAN WINS!

>> THE END OF THE 20th 20th CENTURY, A BASKETBALL GAME WAS CONSIDERED THE NUMBER ONE ATHLETIC STORY FOR THE CENTURY.

SO IT STRUCK HOME WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN INDIANA.

BECAUSE BASKETBALL IS PRETTY MUCH THE SPORT -- AT ONE TIME IT WAS THE SPORT.

>> FOR THESE GUYS TO GO IN '53 TO STATE FINALS WAS JUST MIRACULOUS.

BUT THEN TO GO BACK IN '54, WE CERTAINLY WERE VERY, VERY PROUD, BUT TO SAY LET'S COLLECT MEMORABILIA AND LET'S BRING OUTSIDE PEOPLE IN TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT JUST NEVER -- AS FAR AS I KNOW, NO ONE EVER STEPPED FORWARD TO SAY, LET'S -- LET'S DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

♪ >> WE HAD A LADY MOVE IN TO MILAN.

SHE MARRIED A MILAN FELLA.

SHE MOVED HERE FROM IOWA, AND SHE ALWAYS ASKED, DID -- DOES THE TOWN DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT GAME FROM '54?

AND THE ANSWER WAS, NO.

IT WAS JUST -- YOU KNOW, THE BASKETBALL.

WE WON THE STATE, BUT IT WAS A BASKETBALL GAME.

SHE SAID, WELL, I THINK WE NEED% TO DO SOMETHING.

SO SHE STARTED COLLECTING ITEMS AND AS EACH OF THE PLAYER -- AND ASKED EACHE PLAYERS IF THEY WOULDN'T DONATE SOME OF THEIR PERSONAL ITEMS FROM THE '54 ERA.

>> WE RECEIVED JACKETS AFTER OUR JUNIOR YEAR.

THAT WAS NEVER DONE.

AND I KNOW WHY IT WAS DONE.

AFTER GOING TO STATE FINALS, I'M SURE THE POWERS THAT BE FIGURED WE WOULD NEVER HAVE THAT HAPPEN AGAIN.

SO WE'LL GIVE THOSE GUYS JACKETS.

WELL, WE GOT JACKETS NEXT YEAR ALSO.

>> WE GOT A BRANT TO BUY -- WE GOT A GRANT TO BUY THE OLD BANK IN TOWN, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE PRESENT.

THERE'S SO MANY MILAN THINGS THAT -- PICTURES OF TEAMS IN THE PAST.

>> WE PASSED CARS PARKED SIX OR SEVEN MILES OUT OF TOWN.

PARKED AND PEOPLE WERE WALKING INTO TOWN.

>> TICKETS.

HADTICKETS, OH, GOLLY, ANDPICTURES.

>> WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE WAY THEY DID EVERY STATE CHAMPION.

>> WE HAVE AN ARRAY OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AT THAT TIME THAT YOU COULD SPEND ALL DAY JUST READING THOSE.

>> LISTEN UP.

>> RICHARD HOSPITAL IN INDIANAPOLIS SAID WE ARE CLEANING UP OUR OUTSTAIRS AND WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS FROM THE MOVIES.

DO YOU WANT THAT STUFF?

AND WE SAID WE CERTAINLY DO.

WE HAVE THE HOSPITAL BED WHERE SHOOTER IS JUMPING ON AND ALL THE APPARATUS THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT PARTICULAR SCENE.

THEY BROUGHT THAT TO US.

WE HAVE A SCRIPT FROM THE MOVIE.

ONE THING THAT I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE TEAM GAVE BACK TO THE TOWN WAS THE FACT THAT THEY ALL GOT SCHOLARSHIPS.

>> AND THEN WHEN WE WON, THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO US TO GO TO COLLEGES.

AND AT A LOWER PRICE.

AND SO ALMOST ALL OF US WENT TO COLLEGE.

>> BUT THAT THOUGHT OF GOING TO COLLEGE TRICKLED DOWN THROUGH THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT WAS SUDDENLY ANOTHER OPTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

IT'S JUST GREAT WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEY -- THEY ARE USUALLY AMAZED THAT WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS AND I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S -- IT'S A GOOD -- A GOOD THING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEY ARE VRE VERY PLEASED WHEN THEY LEAVE.

>> WANT TO PLAN YOUR OWN VISIT?

YOU CAN GET ALL THE INFO AT MILAN54.ORG.

>>> AND FINALLY WEST LaFAYETTE, TO MEET AN ATHLETE WHO OVERCOME DIVERSITY WITH, FAMILY, TEAMMATES AND A PRETTY RIDICULOUS WORK ETHIC.

>> THIS CAMPUS IS PRETTY QUIET IN THE MORNING, HE ESPECIALLY BEFORE SUNRISE.

MOST OF THE BOILERS ARE STILL SLEEPING, BUT SHELBY GRUSS, A Ph.D. STUDENT, STUDYING PLANT BIOLOGY, IS NOT LIKE MOST STUDENTS.

>> I MAKE A PLAN WHEN I COME IN.

I HAVE A SETTING FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF WORKOUT IN THE MARGININGS AND THEN MY LIFTING -- THE MORNINGS AND THEN MY LIFTING WORKOUTS.

I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT MY THREE LITTLE BROTHERS WERE ABLE TO DO.

IF I COULDN'T DO IT, I WOULD PRACTICE A TON AND THEN I WOULD COME BACK AND SAY, SEE, LOOK, I'M GOOD.

MY FAMILY WAS GOOD ABOUT MOTIVATING ME AND PUSHING ME BUT ALSO NEVER PUSHED ME PAST MY LIMITS.

THEY WANTED ME TO PUSH MYSELF TO THE LIMIT.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A POINT TO PROVE SOMETIMES NOW, THAT EVERYBODY IN A WHEELCHAIR CAN DO SOMETHING.

WE JUST MIGHT DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

I KIND OF HAVE THAT PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO SHOW WHAT WE CAN DO.

SO I GREW UP IN AUSTIN, INDIANA, JUST A SMALL TOWN SOUTH EVER FORT WAYNE, A CLASSIC INDIANA FARM FAMILY.

WE HAD A HOOP INSIDE THE BARN THAT I USED TO PRACTICE ON AND STUFF.

WE HAD ONE ON THE DRIVEWAY TOO, BUT THE ONE IN THE BARN IS A LOT NICER AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED LIKE TAKING BASKETBALL A LOT MORE SERIOUSLY, WAS WHEN THAT ONE GOT ESTABLISHED.

>> 'SAND GRUSS BEGAN ESTABLISHING HERSELF.

IN 2010, WHEN SHELBY WAS A SENIOR, A SNOWBOARDING ACCIDENT, ONE THAT LEFT HER PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN NEARLY PUT AN END TO HER BASKETBALL PURSUITS.

BUT VERY SOON AFTER THE ACCIDENT, JUST A WEEK OR SO, SHE WAS INTRODUCED TO WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL.

>> WHEN I WENT HOME, I DID OUTPATIENT THERAPY AT TURNSTONE.

THEY WERE THE ONES THAT I LIKE FINALLY STARTED PLAYING WITH.

>> INITIALLY RELUCTANT, GRUSS FOUND THAT WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL SASKATCHEWANED ANSCRATCHED AN ITCH.

>> I WAS IN MY COMFORT ZONE.

>> SHE STARTED A TEAM AT IPFW AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

IN 2013, GRUSS WAS INVITED TO TRY OUT FOR THE U.S.A. WOMEN WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL TEAM.

>> I THOUGHT SURE, WHY NOT?

IT DOESN'T HURT.

>> SHE DIDN'T MAKE THE FINAL ROSTER THAT YEAR.

>> I WAS LIKE, WOW, I CAN GET THAT GOOD.

I'M NOT THAT GOOD YET BUT I CAN GET THERE.

EVER SINCE THEN I WAS LIKE, YEAH, I WILL DO IT.

I WILL WORK HARD AND I WILL GET THERE.

>> SHELBY SAID LET'S IDENTIFY WHERE MY WEAKNESSES ARE AND WORK ON THEM.

AND THAT'S THE OTHER STEP THAT A LOT OF ATHLETES MISS.

THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY A WEAKNESS BUT ARE THEY WILLING TO GO BACK AND IMPROVE ON IT?

>> IT TOOK THREE ATTEMPTS, BUT GRUSS' HARD WORK EVENTUALLY PAID OFF.

>> I MADE MY FIRST ONE IN 2017 AND MY LAST ONE IN 2018.

SO I HAVE BEEN ON IT FOR TWO YEARS NOW.

>> ONCE WE SELECTED HER TO THE TEAM, SHE CONTINUED TO WORK AND CONTINUED TO PUSH HERSELF TO GET BETTER THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS, AND SHE HAS TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF HERSELF FOR THE EFFORT SHE PUT OUT.

>> IN 2018, SHE NOT ONLY MADE THE TEAM, SHE WAS NAMED CAPTAIN.

>> MY WORK ETHIC, I THINK IS WHAT GOT IT FOR ME.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE PUSHING AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO PUSH SOMEBODY NEXT TO ME OR ANSWER QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS IT.

IT WENT A LOT TO ME.

I HAD ONLY BEEN ON THE TEAM FOR TWO YEARS.

THAT WAS HUGE.

I WAS HONORED.

>> SHELBY IS ONE OF THOSE UNIQUE ATHLETES THAT CROSSES THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES AND ATHLETES IN GENERAL, BECAUSE OF HER APPROACH TO THE SPORT, HER DETERMINATION TO GET BETTER, AND WORK ETHIC.

PEOPLE LOOK AT HER AS AN ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY, BUT SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE ATHLETE.

>> IN EARLY 2019, THERE WAS ANOTHER ROUND OF TRYOUTS.

GRUSS TRAVELED TO COLORADO SPRINGS AND AFTER A DAY WHERE SHE SIMPLY DIDN'T PLAY HER BEST, SHE WAS LEFT OFF THE TEAM.

BUT CHANCES ARE, THAT WON'T BE THE END OF THIS STORY.

IN 2020, GRUSS PLANS TO TRY OUT FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE NOT LONG AGO, BASKETBALL WAS NEARLY TAKEN FROM SHELBY GRUSS FOR GOOD, AND SHE'S NOT READY TOY TO LET GO OF IT JUST YET.

>> YOU CAN FOLLOW SHELBY'S FORMER TEAM AT NWBA.ORG.

>> AND YOU CAN FOLLOW US AT JOURNEYINDIANA.ORG.

>> THERE YOU CAN SEE FULL EPISODES, CONNECT WITH US ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM AND SUGGEST STORIES FROM YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS.

>> WE ALSO HAVE A MAP FEATURE THAT ALLOWS TO YOU SEE WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND PLAN YOUR OWN INDIANA ADVENTURES.

>> BEFORE WE SAY GOOD-BYE, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT AIL LARGER THAN LIFE MURAL OF ONE OF INDIANA'S BASKETBALL LEGENDS.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> PRODUCTION SUPPORT FOR "JOURNEY INDIANA" IS PROVIDED BY: