Bloomington, Indiana — Mike Woodson arrived at Assembly Hall on Sunday with the intent to pay tribute to his mentor, the late Bob Knight.
During the highly-anticipated rivalry game against No. 13 Purdue, the Indiana coach brought along his own red plastic chair that he placed near the Hoosiers’ row of metal folding chairs.
This gesture added an intriguing dimension to the enduring mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the infamous chair that Knight threw across the court in a fit of rage back in February 1985.
Woodson, following Indiana’s 73-58 triumph, shared an interesting story linking him to that very chair.
He mentioned, “You realize that is ‘the chair.’ I’ve had it for a while. Many claim to own the chair, but Scott Greer, the tennis coach from years ago, was really the only one who had the foresight that night when Coach Knight threw it. Early that morning, he came to Assembly Hall, retrieved the chair, and managed to get signatures from Coach Knight and track coach Sam Bell, capturing photographs with it.”
While Woodson’s explanation could hold water, confirming its authenticity presents a challenge as both Greer and Bell have passed away, and Knight himself died in November 2023.
The infamous chair-throwing incident remains a vivid memory for many.
Footage of that moment continues to circulate online, amassing millions of views, while the story of a furious Bob Knight hurling a chair is regularly retold within sports communities.
So, what led to this chaotic scene on that fateful day? Five minutes into the game against Purdue, Knight expressed his discontent with a foul call, resulting in the first of three technical fouls he received during that instance.
Following his initial disagreement, Knight turned around, picked up the plastic chair, and hurled it past Purdue guard Steve Reid, who was positioned at the free-throw line.
The chair then landed among a group of photographers stationed at the baseline, fortunately without causing any injuries.
Indiana fans erupted in cheers at first, but the mood shifted dramatically once they realized Knight had been ejected, leading to chaos and discontent.
Fans began to throw coins onto the court, with one striking Pat Keady, the wife of Purdue’s coach Gene Keady, in her eye. Some players from Purdue later reminisced about their unease as play resumed amidst the turmoil.
The fate of the chair itself continues to evoke curiosity, with various accounts claiming to track it down, yet a definitive answer has never emerged.
Some speculate it may have been discarded, while others recount stories from acquaintances insisting they know its current whereabouts.
Despite this uncertainty around the actual chair, Woodson’s connection to the replica gave both him and the Hoosiers a meaningful cause as they competed on Sunday.
“All the documentation came into my hands — that’s why it was special to have it here tonight,” Woodson reflected after his players surrounded him following the significant win.
“I didn’t plan to throw the chair, but I wanted to sit in it.”
