BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On Sunday, Mike Woodson arrived at Assembly Hall with intentions to commemorate his mentor, the late Bob Knight.
To do this, the Indiana coach brought along a red plastic chair of his own, situating it between the Hoosiers’ metal folding chairs that remain connected, using it during the heated face-off against No. 13 Purdue.
In an unexpected twist, Woodson addressed a lingering mystery that has puzzled Indiana fans for the past four decades: the whereabouts of the chair that Knight famously threw across the court in frustration on February 23, 1985.
“You realize that is ‘the chair,’” Woodson shared following Indiana’s 73-58 win. “I’ve had it a while. Many claim they have the chair, but Scott Greer, the tennis coach here a long time ago, was the only one thinking outside the box that night when Coach Knight tossed that chair. That morning, he came to Assembly Hall, took the chair, and got track coach Sam Bell and Coach Knight to sign it, capturing memories with photos.”
Woodson’s account stands as credible as any other, although confirming its authenticity may prove challenging now that Bell passed away in June 2016, Greer in July 2022, and Knight in November 2023.
However, the notorious event has certainly not faded from memory. Clips of the incident continue to circulate online, racking up millions of views, and stories about the furious moment when Knight hurled a chair across the court frequently resurface in sports discussions.
So what led to this iconic moment?
Just five minutes into the intense competition against Purdue, Knight made his displeasure known regarding a foul call, earning his first of three technical fouls during the exchange.
Knight then turned around, seized his plastic chair, and flung it past Purdue guard Steve Reid, who was standing at the free-throw line, hitting a row of photographers positioned at the baseline. Luckily, there were no injuries from this act.
For a brief moment, fans cheered Knight’s actions, but excitement quickly transformed into dismay when it became clear that he had been dismissed from the game. Things escalated as disgruntled fans began tossing coins onto the court—one of which struck Pat Keady, the wife of Purdue’s coach Gene Keady, in the eye. Some players from Purdue later recalled feeling threatened as the game continued.
The fate of the chair remains shrouded in mystery, with no definitive resolution.
Some speculate it was simply discarded, while others insist they know someone who located it, sharing anecdotes from acquaintances in their quest for the truth. Nonetheless, no one holds the actual answer.
Despite not possessing the original chair, Woodson and the Hoosiers found inspiration on that Sunday.
“I had all the documentation, which is why having it here tonight was special,” Woodson commented after his players gathered around him, celebrating a crucial victory of their season. “I didn’t plan on throwing the chair, but I certainly wanted to sit in it.”
