Ripples still felt from infamous punch 25 years later

Ripples still felt from infamous punch 25 years later
Oct. 21, 2002
By Mike Kahn
SportsLine.com Executive Editor


Rudy Tomjanovich missed the rest of the '77 season after the punch.(Allsport)


The portrayals were crafted so tightly, it was hard not to believe all the versions of the same story. So in the end, it would have made just as much sense had John Feinstein's new book The Punch been entitled Brothers in this riveting tale of the ramifications from that NBA game in 1977 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets.

If you are a sports fan, you've seen the tape.


The Lakers' Kermit Washington and Kevin Kunnert of the Rockets had gotten tangled, both angrily swinging at each other. But the next 20 seconds will forever be in the annals of NBA history, as Kunnert's teammate Rudy Tomjanovich came running toward the two men, when Washington saw a blur coming at him out of the corner of his eye.

He turned, reared back and crushed Tomjanovich with an overhand right that nearly killed Tomjanovich and required a plethora of operations to give him back his face and his life.

The timing of the book's release is impeccable, of course, with the NBA season beginning next week. But even more so, it serves as a reminder of what could have happened last season when Shaquille O'Neal (intentionally?) missed Chicago's Brad Miller in a frightening scene which brought back to life that horrible night 25 years ago.

Feinstein, who has written numerous books, including A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled, writes about the consequences of the incident between the two men and played them off each other in rotating chapters. It included Tomjanovich's successful lawsuit against the Lakers, and followed the whereabouts of all involved through the end of last season.

It was all about how the two men overcame the obstacles of their childhood to succeed in college and the NBA before disaster struck ... Washington in the rough streets of Washington, D.C. and Tomjanovich in an equally tough area of Detroit.

It was about how misunderstood Washington had become because of the incident and because he's black, and all the success he had in life has seemingly been paled by that one night. He did overcome the circumstances after basketball, only to see his personal and professional world disintegrate in recent years. It transformed him from a loving husband and father, successful businessman and a benefactor to children in Africa into a messy divorce and difficulties with his own children; and finally, the suicide of his brother. He sued the NBA for $5 million to no avail, claiming he has been blackballed from coaching.

Tomjanovich, on the other hand, is entering his 12th season as head coach of the Rockets (with NBA titles in 1994 and 1995) and 33rd with the organization, including the first 11 as a player. He overcame the devastating blow to stunningly return the next season as an All-Star player, only to rapidly break down physically and retire two years later.

"You'll never be able to tell me that everything his body went through trying to recover from all those injuries didn't shorten his career," teammate Mike Newlin was quoted in the book. "The fact that he came back to play the way he did is a tribute to Rudy. But sooner or later, it was going to catch up to him."

Washington ended up moving from team to team, suffering serious knee problems, and finally settling in Portland, Ore., after a few stints with the Trail Blazers.

But on the periphery, Tomjanovich's best friend Calvin Murphy almost couldn't play anymore. It chased John Lucas from Houston to the Bay Area (and ultimately drug addiction) after the Rockets were forced to use him as compensation to acquire Rick Barry for fear Tomjanovich would never return. It caused Jerry West to retire from coaching shortly after he began because of what he said distressed him so much about being that close to the game that had gotten out of hand. And then there was Kunnert, who ironically also ended up with the Celtics and Blazers like Washington, and still lives in the suburban Portland area. To this day, he still resents the way Washington depicts him whenever there is an interview published or spoken.

Then commissioner Lawrence O'Brien suspended Washington for 60 days, while many others believed he should have been out for the season, since Tomjanovich certainly was. But those who knew Washington characterized him as such a wonderful man -- including Pete Newell, Red Auerbach and college friend Josh Rosenfeld (who later became PR director for the Lakers) -- that O'Brien felt justice was served by the two months.

Today, taking a swing results in automatic ejection, a fine and suspension.

"One thing was obvious, you couldn't allow men that big and that strong to go around throwing punches at each other," NBA commissioner David Stern, then legal counsel for the league, was quoted as saying about the incident.

It took years before Tomjanovich and Washington actually spoke about the incident, and in reality, it was the positive approach coaxed by his doctor that allowed Tomjanovich to forgive Washington. But the inference was always there for Washington that he was still "a public enemy."

"I haven't let it go," Washington said, "because the world hasn't let it go."

There is a reason -- because it is part of history. It was an infamous moment in the NBA, in professional sports, that won't ever, can't ever be forgotten, because Rudy Tomjanovich fortunately lived to succeed in what was nearly a tragedy. The fluke of the timing, the angle and the power with which he was hit nearly killed him.

They will forever be joined at the hip due to that one night. It is unfortunate that nothing good has come of it for Kermit Washington ... but, as Tomjanovich is quoted saying as the book ends, "I hope he does really well, because we're brothers."

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/5822258