Harry Belafonte stars as coach Eddie Robinson and LeVar Burton (already famous from Roots and later to be known for Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation) appears as Charles 'Tank' Smith, the first friend Jim Gregory makes on the team.
The story deals with issues of race, culture and integration at a critical time in America's history.
It ends with grudging acceptance and a positive message — although Gregory only actually plays for less than a minute in the final game of the team's division winning season.
The movie has enjoyed popularity outside the USA under different titles, usually some version of simply White Tiger.
Director: Georg Stanford Brown (also from Roots) Writers: William A. Attaway; based on a book called My Little Brother's Coming Tomorrow by Bruce Bahrenburg[6] The film was released on DVD on June 3, 1998.