And no…we’re not talking about the fist that belongs to a talkative puppet…

During the NBA season of 1977, Rudy Tomjanovich who played for the Rockets was a multiple All-Star, with a sweet shooting touch and a popular player on his team. Kermit Washington, who played for the Lakers was a 6’ 8” player known for his immense strength, was embarking on a promising NBA career.

In 1977, the NBA had a notorious reputation for violence. There were many on-court fights. Even the Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not immune to the fighting. Kareem broke his hand during a fight with Kent Benson

In the midst of a typical physical game between the Rockets and Lakers, Washington got into a scuffle with Houston’s Kevin Kunnert. Rudy Tomjanovich reacted instinctively to the scuffle by running towards the fight. During Tomjanovich’s his short sprint to the fight, Washington sensed someone rushing towards him took a swing. The swing violently connected with Rudy Tomjanovich’s face.

Lakers assistant coach Jack McCloskey called it “the hardest punch in the history of mankind”. Meanwhile, Kareem who didn’t see the actual punch, stated that he would never forget the sound of the impact.

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.’

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.’

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 “Rudy Punch” cannot directly be attributed to malice, but rather instinct. Most players and teammates of Washington agree with the ‘instinct’ explanation.

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | fight, Kermit, Kermit Washington, lakers, NBA, NBA Fight, Rockets, Rudy T, Rudy Tomjanovich