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Sports InsiderThe Most Infamous Night in NBA History.
July 12th 2007 07:39
Many casual fans to NBA basketball may have deemed the Detroit
Pistons/Indiana Pacers brawl involving Ron Artest as the lowest moment in league history. In terms of exposure and press coverage, yes, that may be correct. However, the most infamous moment in NBA history occurred on December 9, 1977, when the lives of two players would be changed forever.
Houston’s Rudy Tomjanovich, who has since built up a storied coaching resume, was then a multiple All-Star, with a sweet shooting touch and a popular player to boot. While Kermit Washington was a 6’ 8” player known for his immense strength and was embarking on a promising NBA career, would cross paths and be synonymous with each other evermore.
Back in 1977 the NBA had a notorious reputation for violence, with that year seeing a lot of on-court fights. Even the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not immune, when he broke his hand punching Kent Benson in that same season.
Twenty games later his Laker teammate Kermit Washington would change permanently the league’s attitude to basketball violence.
In the midst of a typically physical game between the Rockets and Lakers, Washington found himself getting into a scuffle with Houston’s Kevin Kunnert. Rudy T reacted instinctively by running to the fracas, and Washington sensing someone rushing towards him took a swing that violently connected with the face of Tomjanovich.
Lakers assistant coach Jack McCloskey called it “the hardest punch in the history of mankind.” (Vliet, Sacramento Bee, 2002) Meanwhile, Kareem who didn’t see the actual punch, has stated that he would never forget the sound of the impact. (Moore, USA Today, 2002)
Perhaps most unfortunate for Rudy, was the fact that he was running to the mayhem to play peacemaker, rather than trying to escalate the drama.
Here is how Sports Illustrated described the injuries suffered by Tomjanovich who, ‘…suffered fractures of the face and skull, a broken nose and separated upper jaw, a cerebral concussion, and severe lacerations around his mouth. In effect, the bone structure of his face was knocked loose from his skull.’ (Kirkpatrick, Sports Illustrated, 1977)
The damage to Rudy’s face was so severe that the nurses attending to him, and family members put towels over mirrors to keep him from seeing the extent of damage he had suffered from the punch: “When I was (in the emergency room), I wondered if I would ever play again," Tomjanovich said. "I thought I was gonna be the Elephant Man and have to be put away and, 'Oh, my God, look at the face on that guy.' (Vliet, Sacramento Bee, 2002)
Doctors actually compared Tomjanovich’s injuries to that of a person hitting the windshield of a car at 50 mph.
Washington was fined $10, 000 and suspended for 60 days.
Although Washington was reputed to be a basketball enforcer, many that knew him described him as a gentle guy off-court that was unfortunately at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The punch on Rudy cannot directly be attributed to malice, but rather instinct, with most
players agreeing as much such as current Laker GM, Mitch Kupchak who was a Washington player at the time: “We've all talked about it on the Bullets and we all agree. If we put ourselves in Kermit's position, we would have reacted in the same way. Maybe what happened between him and Kunnert beforehand was all wrong, but when you turn and you see a guy roaring down on you, you have to fight.” (Kirkpatrick, Sports Illustrated, 1977)
Needless to say, the lives of both Washington and Tomjanovich were never the same after the incident. Kermit was permanently stained by the punch, while Rudy T’s basketball playing prowess was irreversibly damaged.
In 2002 John Feinstein wrote a book about the incident called The Punch, and it was also around this period that both Rudy and Kermit sat together for the first time since that terrible night.
Washington apologised, articulating to the world that he was never able to let that night go, whilst constantly wondering how different his life may have been without the punch. Tomjanovich on the other hand, and to his credit, never actively sought an apology because he felt it wasn’t his place to pass judgement on Washington, but has also forgiven Kermit.
Today’s video is of the top 10 fights in NBA history. The actual punch from Kermit Washington isn’t there, but it’s a clip that anyone shouldn’t rush to see in the first place.
The punch. (Image from USA Today)
Houston’s Rudy Tomjanovich, who has since built up a storied coaching resume, was then a multiple All-Star, with a sweet shooting touch and a popular player to boot. While Kermit Washington was a 6’ 8” player known for his immense strength and was embarking on a promising NBA career, would cross paths and be synonymous with each other evermore.
Back in 1977 the NBA had a notorious reputation for violence, with that year seeing a lot of on-court fights. Even the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not immune, when he broke his hand punching Kent Benson in that same season.
Twenty games later his Laker teammate Kermit Washington would change permanently the league’s attitude to basketball violence.
In the midst of a typically physical game between the Rockets and Lakers, Washington found himself getting into a scuffle with Houston’s Kevin Kunnert. Rudy T reacted instinctively by running to the fracas, and Washington sensing someone rushing towards him took a swing that violently connected with the face of Tomjanovich.
Lakers assistant coach Jack McCloskey called it “the hardest punch in the history of mankind.” (Vliet, Sacramento Bee, 2002) Meanwhile, Kareem who didn’t see the actual punch, has stated that he would never forget the sound of the impact. (Moore, USA Today, 2002)
Perhaps most unfortunate for Rudy, was the fact that he was running to the mayhem to play peacemaker, rather than trying to escalate the drama.
Here is how Sports Illustrated described the injuries suffered by Tomjanovich who, ‘…suffered fractures of the face and skull, a broken nose and separated upper jaw, a cerebral concussion, and severe lacerations around his mouth. In effect, the bone structure of his face was knocked loose from his skull.’ (Kirkpatrick, Sports Illustrated, 1977)
The damage to Rudy’s face was so severe that the nurses attending to him, and family members put towels over mirrors to keep him from seeing the extent of damage he had suffered from the punch: “When I was (in the emergency room), I wondered if I would ever play again," Tomjanovich said. "I thought I was gonna be the Elephant Man and have to be put away and, 'Oh, my God, look at the face on that guy.' (Vliet, Sacramento Bee, 2002)
Doctors actually compared Tomjanovich’s injuries to that of a person hitting the windshield of a car at 50 mph.
Washington was fined $10, 000 and suspended for 60 days.
Although Washington was reputed to be a basketball enforcer, many that knew him described him as a gentle guy off-court that was unfortunately at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The punch on Rudy cannot directly be attributed to malice, but rather instinct, with most
Rudy and Kermit come together. (Image from USA Today)
Needless to say, the lives of both Washington and Tomjanovich were never the same after the incident. Kermit was permanently stained by the punch, while Rudy T’s basketball playing prowess was irreversibly damaged.
In 2002 John Feinstein wrote a book about the incident called The Punch, and it was also around this period that both Rudy and Kermit sat together for the first time since that terrible night.
Washington apologised, articulating to the world that he was never able to let that night go, whilst constantly wondering how different his life may have been without the punch. Tomjanovich on the other hand, and to his credit, never actively sought an apology because he felt it wasn’t his place to pass judgement on Washington, but has also forgiven Kermit.
Today’s video is of the top 10 fights in NBA history. The actual punch from Kermit Washington isn’t there, but it’s a clip that anyone shouldn’t rush to see in the first place.
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Comment by David
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Comment by charles
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I, too, would love to see that king hit on Rudy T -- heads over to You Tube
Charles.
Comment by Stanley
charles - yes sir charles could probably have a top 10 of his own.