Bloomington, Ind. — Mike Woodson stepped into Assembly Hall on Sunday with a heartfelt mission to pay tribute to his mentor, the late Bob Knight.
The Indiana coach brought along a red plastic chair of his own, positioning it between the Hoosiers’ traditional metal folding seats while they faced off against No. 13 Purdue.
In a fascinating twist, Woodson reignited the mystery that has puzzled Indiana fans for four decades: the whereabouts of the chair that Knight famously threw in frustration on February 23, 1985.
“You understand that is ‘the chair.’ I have had it for a while. Many claim to possess the chair, but Scott Greer, who was the tennis coach here long ago, was the only one who thought creatively that night when Coach Knight tossed it. That morning, he came to Assembly Hall, retrieved the chair, and got signatures from (track coach) Sam Bell and Coach Knight, and took pictures with it,” Woodson explained after Indiana’s convincing 73-58 win.
Although Woodson’s narrative is compelling, verifying the claim presents its own challenges. Both Bell and Greer have passed away, as has Knight, making definitive authentication difficult.
The notorious incident remains vividly alive in collective memory, with countless replays racking up millions of views online, and stories about the moment Knight hurled a chair continue to circulate in sports discussions.
So, what actually transpired during that unforgettable game?
It all started five minutes into a match against their rival Boilermakers, when Knight expressed his displeasure over a foul call, receiving the first of three technical fouls.
In a fit of anger, Knight grabbed the plastic chair and launched it past Purdue guard Steve Reid, who was positioned at the free-throw line, sending it crashing into a group of photographers along the baseline. Luckily, no one was harmed.
Initially, the Indiana fans cheered Knight’s explosive outburst, but their excitement quickly transformed into boos when they realized he had been ejected from the game. Things escalated further when fans began hurling coins onto the court, one of which unfortunately struck Pat Keady, the wife of Purdue head coach Gene Keady, in the eye. Some players from Purdue later admitted they felt unsafe as the game continued.
The fate of the infamous chair, however, has lingered in ambiguity. Some speculate it was discarded over time, while others recount hearing stories of its rediscovery. Yet, no one can assert with certainty what ultimately happened to it.
Although Woodson’s chair may not be the original, it provided the team with purpose for the day.
“All the documentation is something I was fortunate to acquire — that’s why having it here tonight was significant,” Woodson shared as his players surrounded him after securing one of their biggest victories of the season. “I wasn’t set on throwing the chair, but I definitely wanted to sit in it.”
