|
The Detroit Turbos/Philadelphia Wings brawl in 1994 was far worse than the Attack/Mammoth bench clear.
The Wings/Turbo event actually started in the 1st quarter when Wings player Bill Miller got into it with one of the Turbos, I beleive it was Peter Parke, I could be wrong. Bill actually kicked the Turbos player in the midst of the scuffle when he was on the ground. Rules were a lot different then. Current Minnesota Swarm coach, Duane Jacobs took Billy to task and basically pummelled him. All ten players except the goales from both teams squared off at that point in a line brawl.
Things settled down a bit for the rest of the game but every opportunity the Turbos had they went after Bill Miller for the kick!!
Now, the Wings were mostly American players that are not consider tactitions when it comes to fighting. Not to say they aren't tough, just saying they aren't used to fighting. Detroit was all Canadians, all pretty handy with their fists. Needless to say we were a bit over matched!
Sometime in the third quarter, newly inducted Hall of Famer, Tom Marechek, crosschecks former MILL toughguy Kevin Dance in the face as he was shooting on goal. Dance, never one to back away goes after Tommy for the high hit. Kevin is already dentally challenged from years of previous lacrosse battles without a mask back in Canada, Marechek chose to point out his lack of teeth by saying "smile, Kevin, smile" several times.
Dance goes after Marechek repeatedly until Paul Deniken of the Wings steps in to protect Tommy. Game on! Bill Miller happened to be on the floor as well, and having already been a target earlier, a lot of attention turned to him. The benches all clear and everyone starts to go with someone.
I will always remember Steve Dietrich, Detroit goalie, and Dallas Eliuk, Philly goalie, going at with each other to the point of exhaustion. They finally end up on the ground so tired they can't continue to move. They just lay there holding each other in the corner, breathing heavy.
Teddy Dowling, Detroit Turbo and former Mammoth player, just kept running around punching guys and then running to the next fight and punching someone else.
I honestly don't remember Pat Coyle playing that game, I know that his "lifetime suspension" came much later in the season in a playoff game in Buffalo against the Bandits.
I think I had 3 separate fights with three different players, I know one of them was Chris Driscoll, now with the Toronto Rock.
Kevin Dance went on to take on John Nostrant, current legendary high school coach in Philadelphia. Dancer, completely undressed Nody, literally, he was out there after getting the crap kicked out of him with no shirt, all he was wearing was the spandex shorts that we had to wear and his shoes. Pretty funny actually!
The video is the best because it doesn't show very much at all, some of the fights, but mostly just the beginning and the Dallas Eliuk thing. There was utter pandemonium for about 25 minutes. Players everywhere fighting everyone. At one point the jumbotron cuts away to a sign that says PLEASE DO NOT THROW OBJECTS ON THE FIELD, everything that is happening on the field is not captured because of this sign.
They had to put the sign up, I think because everyone in the building that had a beer that night threw it on the field, it was raining cups and beer the entire time we were out there going at it.
Even League officials were on the field trying to stop the battle, they finally brought the police on the field to separate us. Mike Mathis, former league VP was being thrown around like a rag doll when he tried to get in the middle of the whole thing, Mike was about 5'7, 150lbs. He looked pretty funny when it was all said and done with his suit and tie a complete disheveled mess. Even Russ Cline and Chris Fritz were out there breaking up fights.
Absolute chaos!!
Everyone involved in that night has had some great laughs about it since then. From the league personnel to players on both teams, we all remember it occasionally with a great chuckle and a shake of the head.
They finally called the game in the 3rd quarter after the brawl, the Wings were blowing the Turbos out. We all received nasty letters of reprimand and they told us not to do it again!!!
What a night.
SG
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
