The Fight at Williams Arena

Corky Taylor extended a hand to help Luke Witte up, then kneed him in the groin. The act came during Ohio State’s men’s basketball game against Minnesota on January 25, 1972, at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The court was raised, a feature described in accounts as limiting players’ ability to escape once the fight began. The geometry of the floor left the confrontation with nowhere obvious to go.

Ron Behagen ran onto the floor and stomped on Witte’s head. Fans came onto the court during the melee, and the playing surface filled with people as the violence spread beyond the initial exchange. What began with Taylor and Witte was now a confrontation involving Behagen and the crowd around them.

Witte was removed on a stretcher after the fight. He was reported to have a concussion, a scratched cornea, and 29 stitches in his face. Three Ohio State players were hospitalized after the game: Witte, Mark Wagar, and a player identified in the sources as Mark Minor or Mark Wager. The medical account narrowed the incident to its human cost, with Witte’s injuries documented alongside the hospitalization of his teammates.

Minnesota suspended Taylor and Behagen for the rest of the season. One retrospective account says Ohio State coach Fred Taylor later said the suspensions were not tough enough. The punishment was season-long for both Minnesota players: Taylor and Behagen would not play again for the remainder of the season.