When the Gophers Mugged the Buckeyes

• Prescott

  I have heard stories about this tragic event, but had never seen an account of the event that is so full of information.Until now.
  
  http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1085766/1/index.htm
• LJ

  

  <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value=" name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
• justcompete

  That was the beginning of the end for Fred Taylor. I can't believe how little was done to the Gophers after that. If it happened now, they would get the death sentence. I went to a Columbus Horizon game at the fairgrounds many years ago and Mussleman's son was coaching the other team. I tried to pick a fight with him the whole game telling him that Buckeyes will never forget. His team had no idea what I was talking about, but thought it was funnier than hell because he was so distracted.
• ytownfootball

  

  It's still hard to believe how few people know about that mess. Not many here old enough to remember.
  
  I still can't stand Dave Winfield because of it. Never will.
• TCSoup

  Corky Taylor, Ron Behagen and Winfield should all have went to jail for that. Luke Witte is now a preacher and you can still tell to this day how much it affected him. Dave Merchant got his ass whupped pretty good to.
• Skyhook79

  

  ytownfootball wrote: It's still hard to believe how few people know about that mess. Not many here old enough to remember.
  
  I still can't stand Dave Winfield because of it. Never will.

  What really gets me is how NO ONE ever confronts Winfield about that incident
  when he does interviews. Behagen and Corky Taylor never did anything after that professionally but Winfield was in the spotlight for a long time and no one mentions it to him. I'm sure he (Winfield) made sure it wasn't mentioned. Winfield also chose to punch a guy, Mark Wager, who was already laying on the floor 5 times.
• ytownfootball

  

  Skyhook79 wrote:

  ytownfootball wrote: It's still hard to believe how few people know about that mess. Not many here old enough to remember.
  
  I still can't stand Dave Winfield because of it. Never will.

  What really gets me is how NO ONE ever confronts Winfield about that incident
  when he does interviews. Behagen and Corky Taylor never did anything after that professionally but Winfield was in the spotlight for a long time and no one mentions it to him. I'm sure he (Winfield) made sure it wasn't mentioned. Winfield also chose to punch a guy, Mark Wager, who was already laying on the floor 5 times.

  I know, and I agree. He basically got a free pass thoughout his entire career. During the peek of his run with the Padres and later with the Yanks especially, in the 70's, everytime I saw his grinnin' mug I was pissed. If anyone ever did ask him about the incident I surely missed it. He's a cheap shot POS.
• Big Gain

  None of the three criminals ever apologized.
• reclegend22

  

  That's pretty nasty. This is brought up on the Huddle almost every year, but I don't believe I've ever taken the time to watch the video -- or even knew one existed. What a disgrace.
  
  I can't imagine there ever being a more blatant fight in college basketball history. That's got to rank up there.
• Prescott

  I wish that there was video of Mark Wagar being held and assaulted.The is when Dave Winfield did what he did,
• cat_lover

  Was 10 going on 11 when this happenened. The game was on at 9:00 so I didn't get to see it live,but my parents told me what happened and we watched the news the next night to show me what had happened. Minnesota and their players basically got off scot free. Fred Taylor got no backing from OSU's AD or Big Ten Officials and basically lost a desire to coach. To this day reading articles or seeing footage of this puts a sickening feeling in my stomach. As far as Winfield goes I took great pride in heckling him from behind home plate when he played for the Indians. Pretty sure he heard me too. Wasn't very mature on my part but it sure made me feel good.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  I can remember this and it still p^^^^^ me off.
• cbus4life

  One of the most disgusting events in sporting history, certainly in NCAA history.
  
  Gophers never received a real punishment, and that is a shame. Should have been people put in jail over that.
• cbus4life

  And, btw, my father and I also made some not-so-nice comments whenever we had the chance at baseball games.
• Turf Warden

  I'm old enough to remember this, and remember it fairly well. Everyone is right, Minnesota, their slime ball coach and thug ass players basicly got off with a slap of the wrist. I still believe to this day, that those players involved, including/especially Winfield, should have been prosecuted! This was a public assault, and the ball-less Big Ten and wimpy ass NCAA officials hid their heads in the sand.
• cat_lover

  Dave Merchant was the one getting chased around the court. Sickening. Still don't like watching games from Williams arena.
• Footwedge

  Bill Musselman was the Gopher coach at that time. Musselman ended up coaching the Cavs...and Witte refused to play for him.
• charliehustle14

  Wow, I never knew about this. Of course I'm 19 so I wasn't around then....but being a big Buckeye fan, I feel like I definitely should have known about this. Oh well, better late than never.
  
  Minnesota = classless thugs. The slap on the wrist they received is mind boggling.
• Eric Taylor

  That was a pretty mean nut shot.