BleedGopher
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per Steve King:
A lot of things changed for a lot of people – the whole country, in fact, especially for those in sports – 49 years ago on Monday.
It was Jan. 25, 1972 that the infamous “Melee in Minnesota” occurred involving – and actually centering on – former Marlington High School and Ohio State basketball star Luke Witte.
With the Buckeyes leading host Minnesota 50-44 with 36 seconds left in a key Big Ten matchup at Williams Arena, the Golden Gophers’ Clyde Turner was ejected for committing a flagrant foul on Witte. While sitting on the floor, Witte grabbed the hand of Minnesota’s Corky Taylor, who appeared to be offering to help him to his feet. But it was a ruse – a trick – as Taylor instead kneed the 7-foot- center in the groin, at which time Ron Behagen and Dave Winfield, the Baseball Hall of Famer who played on the Cleveland Indians’ 1995 World Series team, came off the Gophers bench and started pounding Witte senseless.
A brawl involved – still the worst such event of its kind in college basketball history – with both benches emptying and fans storming the floor to also take some shots at Witte.
The game was called at that point, but the damage was done.
The Buckeyes, as late, great Columbus sportscaster Jimmy Crum, who had the TV call of the game, told me in an interview 20 years ago, had to exit the locker room to their bus through an air duct to avoid the rioters as police and security continued to lose total control of the situation.
Years and years later, Witte got together with those Minnesota players for the first time to talk about the incident and try to mend fences. According to the men, it worked – to a degree, at least – but can you ever patch up a wound like that?
Go Gophers!!
A lot of things changed for a lot of people – the whole country, in fact, especially for those in sports – 49 years ago on Monday.
It was Jan. 25, 1972 that the infamous “Melee in Minnesota” occurred involving – and actually centering on – former Marlington High School and Ohio State basketball star Luke Witte.
With the Buckeyes leading host Minnesota 50-44 with 36 seconds left in a key Big Ten matchup at Williams Arena, the Golden Gophers’ Clyde Turner was ejected for committing a flagrant foul on Witte. While sitting on the floor, Witte grabbed the hand of Minnesota’s Corky Taylor, who appeared to be offering to help him to his feet. But it was a ruse – a trick – as Taylor instead kneed the 7-foot- center in the groin, at which time Ron Behagen and Dave Winfield, the Baseball Hall of Famer who played on the Cleveland Indians’ 1995 World Series team, came off the Gophers bench and started pounding Witte senseless.
A brawl involved – still the worst such event of its kind in college basketball history – with both benches emptying and fans storming the floor to also take some shots at Witte.
The game was called at that point, but the damage was done.
The Buckeyes, as late, great Columbus sportscaster Jimmy Crum, who had the TV call of the game, told me in an interview 20 years ago, had to exit the locker room to their bus through an air duct to avoid the rioters as police and security continued to lose total control of the situation.
Years and years later, Witte got together with those Minnesota players for the first time to talk about the incident and try to mend fences. According to the men, it worked – to a degree, at least – but can you ever patch up a wound like that?
King-Sized Bits: The basketbrawl that changed the country
The anniversary of the 'Melee in Minnesota' involving the Ohio State and Minnesota basketball teams still resonates nearly a half-century later
www.cantonrep.com
Go Gophers!!
