A 30-YEAR TIME OUT

I’m flabbergasted!

“Hoosiers,” while a fine movie, and unarguably basketball’s “Rocky,” was nevertheless technically flawed, unless it wasn’t their intention at all to accurately reflect the times.

The biggest flaw, however, is having six alleged player/writers critique the movie and not even pick up any of the transgressions (“ ‘Hoosiers’ and the Way We Were. . . ,” by Lawrence Christon, John Voland, Michael Wilmington, Max Jacobson, Patrick Goldstein and Dennis Hunt, Feb. 15). Apparently, they’re as blind as some of the officials operating today.

For starters, jump shooting was not the form of the day in the ‘50s, particularly the early ‘50s. It was the two-handed chest and overhead set shot and the one-hand push shot. I didn’t realize Dr. J played Indiana high school basketball in the 1950s.

Second mistake: A player was observed starting a “high five” when the good old-fashioned hand shake was the manner of the times.

But the coup de grace was the stupidity of the “big school,” which enjoyed a several-point lead in the championship game with only a minute and some seconds left and didn’t stall, but instead shot the ball so the director could be sure the little team would win.

Now, if the director had played some basketball--even intramural--he should have had a steal develop off the stall and accomplish a realistic ending.

Sure, it was a good movie. But do it right and, for you, Calendar, try someone from the society page next time--maybe they’ll know the history a tad better than the guys you picked.

JACK KINCAID

Woodland Hills