After reading about the Ohio University's mascot rampage in the 'Shoe last Saturday, my former blogging cohort, Benny, discovered the tattered newspaper picture below and sent it my way.
The photo is from the Michigan Daily from November, 1983. Apparently Brutus was running around the perimeter of the field in A2, waving his Tosu banner, when, as the picture's caption states, "an unidentified Michigan letterman" rushed onto the field and tackled him. Rumor has it that the "unidentified Michigan letterman" was a U-M diver at the time.
Boy, how times have changed -- back when Bo was head coach, even members of the swim team knew how to make a damn tackle! *sigh*
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| Found in Benny's mom's closet and donated to the MichiganZone.net archives |
ED. NOTE: This story doesn't signal Benny's return to the MZone. Quoting from his email:
"It's an incredible coincidence that I had this and knew where it was right away.
Don't consider this as Benny coming back. I just always loved this picture (and the incident) and wanted it to be remembered. This picture wasn't on the Web when I searched for it."
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12 comments:
I was at that game.
IIRC, this took place around midfield as the Go Blue/M Club banner was about to be raised, before the team took the field.
Brutus was running around out on the field with the "O" flag and ran past the students who were out there to raise the banner. As the picture shows, the "unidentified letterman" took him out at the knees with a spectacular hit.
It happened so fast, I'd bet that 50,000 people missed it completely.
It's not like anyone affiliated with Ohio State has ever done anything to that banner...
Video
I have always heard that it was Bruce Kimball, the diver, that took out Brutus that day.
It's one thing to tackle an opposing team's mascot in your own house but it takes a pair to tackle an opposing team's mascot in their own house. Especially when that house has a reputation for being nasty to fans of opposing teams.
Threadjack. The beard gets a dui.....
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=5598872
"I’ve been to games to see Brutus dishing out as well as receiving abuse. But the most memorable was in 1983 when Brutus, as is his wont, ran the perimeter of the field at Michigan Stadium waving the Ohio State flag. As he made his way down the Michigan sideline, one of the athletes holding the M GO BLUE banner had seen enough. He made a beeline for Brutus and dove into his legs, taking down the costumed mascot. Brutus’ head almost fell off and he cocked his fist, ready to punch the Wolverine athlete who took him down. And who was that diving star that day? Olympic silver medalist, and former felon Bruce Kimball."
Benny had it here too
Andy,
It's takes unmitigated audacity to think that the banner would not be torn down when you make the opposing team run through it to enter the field. In a wise move the banner is reserved for only the Wolverines to enter under.
Back in the 70's the opposing team entered the field first but was not "forced" to run under the banner. The opposing team exits the tunnel on their own sideline and normally turns left and goes to the south end zone where the visiting fans normally are. When this incedent happened, the tosu team ran directly to the banner with the intent to rip it down. I do not remember when it changed but Michigan now always comes out of the tunnel first and the banner is being taken down before the other team comes out. Also, the refs stand near the sideline by the tunnel to try to keep the peace.
Watch the video Plood.
The banner was in the middle of the field where it always is. No one was forced to run under it. As the home team, you always have the choice to be the first or second team out on the field. Bo liked to come out after the visitors arrived. It was his choice.
Woody's '73 bucks just decided to sprint to the banner and tear it down.
"Woody's '73 bucks just decided to sprint to the banner and tear it down."
And this is a surprise, because...?
Geez, it's THE game. It's a war. I'm surprised this stuff doesn't happen every year with a little escalation thrown in for spice.
I was at that game too--my sophomore year at Michigan. I am so glad someone found this picture, as I reminisced with old friends about the great Brutus/Kimball takedown after last weekend's Ohio-on-Ohio violence and was so bummed when I couldn't find any pictures of it myself. (Of course, video was out of the question, since that was back in the Dark Ages!) I was lucky enough to be looking at the field as the takedown happened, and quite a few others must have been too, as there was a definite roar when Brutus was dropped.
Hmmm . . . what's more important to Kimball's Michigan legacy--his fantastic diving career capped by the Olympic medal, or rising to the occasion when duty called to chop block Brutus? Tough call, but we'll give the silver medal the nod--barely. Go Blue!
Thank you to Benny for finding this and sending it in, and thanks for posting it! Such a great picture.
Thanks to
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