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January 25, 1972: Minnesota Brawl

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Steve19 - I believe it. Fred never got the respect, nor did he get the recruits after that, and it was a quick slide downhill. Lest anyone forget, that Dave Winfield (the all world Yankee) was part of the thuggery that took place.

For all you young whippersnappers :biggrin: without any gray in your hair.......during a rebound struggle, Minnesota players punched and pummeled Luke Witte senseless. I DO remember his picture, and I DO seem to remember it was SI. Fred Taylor was helpless, and I don't seem to remember the rest of the Buckeyes getting into the fray.

After that game, OSU just 'died' that year (kinda like Burson when Iowa broke his neck), and Luke Witte never fulfilled his potential. Fred Taylor was basically washed up as a coach, and two of the Minny players played in the NBA. Maybe Steve19 or Grad or someone can remember more than I do, but I'm still livid about it. Musselman was at Golden State (the son), and I didn't shed a tear when he was canned. Also, I do so enjoy thumping Minny in ANYTHING.

I guess I should forgive, but I'll never forget...:gobucks3: :gobucks4: :banger:
 
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I had never heard of this incident myself, and I was going to post it on here to see if anyone else knew much about it, but then I found this thread. Unbelievable is the only word that comes to mind when I read through all of these posts.

Here is where I first heard of it, my 2007 sports tear-off calender:

1/25/72: In a clash of Big Ten unbeatens, Ohio State defeats Minnesota, 50-44, at Williams Arena in Minneapolis after a wild brawl halts the contest with 36 seconds left. Seven-foot Buckeye center Luke Witte is roughed up by the Gophers, especially Ron Behagen and Corky Taylor, who are later suspended for the balance of the season. Several courtside fsans also get involved, and police are needed to quell the nasty row. Minnesota athletic director Paul Giel discontinues the game.
 
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BB73;728805; said:
The article didn't mention some items of interest.

Big Ten Commisioner Wayne Duke suspended Ron Behagen and Corky Taylor for the rest of the 1972 season.

Minnesota went on to win the Big Ten title in 1972.

Jim Brewer was drafted #2 overall by the Cavs in 1973 (who took Allan Hornyak in the second round), and Behagen was drafted #7 overall by the KC-Omaha Kings the same year.

Here's a picture of Witte from SI:

si.com.embarrassingmoments

Although some articles about Musselman claim that he was fired as a result of the incident, the 1971-72 season was actually the first of his 4 years at Minnesota.
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Thanks BB73 for the information and for the photo. It was a while ago and I wasn't sure if it was in fact an SI cover that I had remembered. I find it interesting that SI doesn't list this issue on their cover website. Guess they would like to forget this incident as well.

Interesting sidenote, Big Ten commissioner Wayne Duke was actually at the game, he was on campus visiting with Cal Stoll who had just been named head coach of the football team.
 
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BLASKO;728982; said:
Thanks BB73 for the information and for the photo. It was a while ago and I wasn't sure if it was in fact an SI cover that I had remembered. I find it interesting that SI doesn't list this issue on their cover website. Guess they would like to forget this incident as well.

Interesting sidenote, Big Ten commissioner Wayne Duke was actually at the game, he was on campus visiting with Cal Stoll who had just been named head coach of the football team.
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Some interesting info..I was a SR at Walnut Ridge HS that year . In 71 Ridge won the state bb title and Greg Olson a starter on that team was a freshman on that Minn team after that year he transferred to Miami of Ohio. That incident started a downward spiral in tOSU BB program culminating in Taylor leaving. After the incident I think Taylor lost his zeal for recruiting and the game. It makes the Det incident look like a picnic,fans came on the floor and confronted tOsu players besides Behagen stomping on Wittes throat.
 
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OSUsushichic;729023; said:
OK, so that game was for the Big Ten Championship and we won?

On Dave Winfield's Wikipedia page it says:



BTW -- that was the year my father graduated from OSU.
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It was for the Big Ten lead in January. tOSU won the game and led the conference, but Minny ended up with the title at the end of the year.
 
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I vividly remember this event, yet was only 10 years old at the time.

This "Brawl" pretty much ended Luke Witte's career, even though he did spend a few years here with the Cavs and got to play with Brewer. I remember seeing articles written about both players, and Luke made it real clear that although a teammate, Brewer was never a "buddy.

Mussellman was spot-on the reason behind this brawl. He was a weak, little man who surrounded himself with "bullies." He made it a point to whip his crowd into a frenzy. This game was just a time bomb in waiting.
 
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I actually meant what I said about my mother. She was a great Buckeye fan and spoke to Taylor frequently during his coaching years and afterwards. Fred Taylor could not believe that it took so much effort to get Corky Taylor and Behagan suspended or that charges were not brought against them and others involved in the attack.

Fred Taylor was everything that Matta is today, even more in his day. He was shattered that the Ohio State administration did so little to intervene and put pressure on the Big Ten and the other authorities. He told my Mom that he lost all enthusiasm for coaching, basketball and Ohio State. That is why he was distant from Ohio State in later years.

The report earlier in the thread of "a row" is not correct. Ohio State players were not involved in a fight. Witte was just pummelled and then the two other players were attacked. It is perhaps the most disgusting moment in American sports history. To this day, it sickens me to think about it.
 
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Luke Witte's career was not ended by the brawl. As a matter of fact he did play several years with the Cavs, returned to coaching at Asbury College, and then was called into ministry. He pastored a church in his home town and quite contrary to "the never a buddy" with Brewer, Luke told me that his faith had allowed him to forgive and not hold anger against anyone who had caused him harm. Last I knew he was pastoring a church in Carolina.
 
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gracelhink;729833; said:
Luke Witte's career was not ended by the brawl. As a matter of fact he did play several years with the Cavs, returned to coaching at Asbury College, and then was called into ministry. He pastored a church in his home town and quite contrary to "the never a buddy" with Brewer, Luke told me that his faith had allowed him to forgive and not hold anger against anyone who had caused him harm. Last I knew he was pastoring a church in Carolina.
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With all due respect, it clearly was. He was always rather thin but when he returned to play, he played like a different man. He was tentative and shied away from contact after that attack.

If I recall correctly, his average points per game, rebounds, and blocked shots dropped dramatically after the attack. As a result, he averaged less than 14 points a game compared with about 20ppg in his sophomore year.

Witte played tentatively throughout the rest of the season and his short pro career in which he averaged 4.5 points in his best year and less than half that his last two years.

As Woody always said, from every bad thing you get a good thing. Maybe all of this focused Witte on a ministry that helped others and maybe that made him happier than a pro career ever might have made him.

However, the facts speak very clearly. Witte's career was, for all intents and purposes, ended that night in Minneapolis.
 
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