My wife and I at Michigan State game Nov 11, 1967

[iujknut]

While I am 90 years old now, by 1967 I has become a IU football season ticket holder. Like IU now, IU's football history was terrible.one of the more recent hires Phil Dickens plunged the entire athletic program in despair resulting in an almost four year suspension because of recruiting violations. John Pont (I think from Yale or some Ivy league school) was hired....an the magical never before football success resulted. That my wife (who I met at IU-we just celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary) went to 7 games, home and away including the Rose Bowl.

Indiana was ranked 6th in the country--many people don't remember that Purdue was ranked 5th in the country. Mich St was having a down year with a 2 wins and 5 losses record. Still many thought IU was an underdog. IU's winning streak was by the following margins, 2,3,4,5,7, 13. The weather favored MSU, gray,rains,windy dark skies. INDIANA held on to win 14-13-the magic of Harry Gonzo prevailed. One play we remembered was John Isengarger punting for IU when MSU tried to take him out of the game with a illegal tackle after he had punted the ball, run John run became a chant for the season. Indiana attemped 18 passes and completed 9, but had two turnovers fumbles.

With 6 minutes left in the game IU trailed 13 to 7. Isenbarger after being knocked out of the game, drove the the Hoosiers to the winning touchdown and the IU dream season moved on. It was a memorable day for us-driving back to Chicago suburbs, stopping at Win Schulers for dinner was a great trip. 57 years have passed since then.

We saw two more games after that-at Minnesota and home to Purdue- still in my mind the greatest IU game we ever saw.

 

[Irregulars]

While I am 90 years old now, by 1967 I has become a IU football season ticket holder. Like IU now, IU's football history was terrible.one of the more recent hires Phil Dickens plunged the entire athletic program in despair resulting in an almost four year suspension because of recruiting violations. John Pont (I think from Yale or some Ivy league school) was hired....an the magical never before football success resulted. That my wife (who I met at IU-we just celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary) went to 7 games, home and away including the Rose Bowl.

Indiana was ranked 6th in the country--many people don't remember that Purdue was ranked 5th in the country. Mich St was having a down year with a 2 wins and 5 losses record. Still many thought IU was an underdog. IU's winning streak was by the following margins, 2,3,4,5,7, 13. The weather favored MSU, gray,rains,windy dark skies. INDIANA held on to win 14-13-the magic of Harry Gonzo prevailed. One play we remembered was John Isengarger punting for IU when MSU tried to take him out of the game with a illegal tackle after he had punted the ball, run John run became a chant for the season. Indiana attemped 18 passes and completed 9, but had two turnovers fumbles.

With 6 minutes left in the game IU trailed 13 to 7. Isenbarger after being knocked out of the game, drove the the Hoosiers to the winning touchdown and the IU dream season moved on. It was a memorable day for us-driving back to Chicago suburbs, stopping at Win Schulers for dinner was a great trip. 57 years have passed since then.

We saw two more games after that-at Minnesota and home to Purdue- still in my mind the greatest IU game we ever saw.

Great story, brings tears to my eyes. GO HOOSIERS

 

[vesuvius13]

To be 90 and still have these memories is wonderful, thank you for sharing the story.

 

[Tammany Hall]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Charlesroast]

Thanks for sharing!

Great memories. Wife to be and I were on the Banks of the Red Cedar that day. My memory tells me that late in the game IU was deep in their own territory and Harold Mauro (Monk) the Center was out. Anyway Steve (Plug) Applegate was in for him and Roger (Rebel) Grove was in as a blocking back. Reb threw a block that create enough of a hole that Isenbarger made a crucial 1st down. My memory also tells me the year before Bubba and his friends beat IU to a pulp.
Go Hoosiers

 

[abraxis]

I believe the more popular chant that season was “Punt, John, PUNT!”.

This current season may be very reminiscent of ‘67. We were 9-0 heading into the last two games of the season. Minnesota kicked our asses 35-7 but we came back to prevail the following weekend, IU 19 - PU 14. This year’s undefeated team may suffer a similar big loss to Ohio State, before coming back home for a final conference victory against Purdue.

 

[RQ76&81]

While I am 90 years old now, by 1967 I has become a IU football season ticket holder. Like IU now, IU's football history was terrible.one of the more recent hires Phil Dickens plunged the entire athletic program in despair resulting in an almost four year suspension because of recruiting violations. John Pont (I think from Yale or some Ivy league school) was hired....an the magical never before football success resulted. That my wife (who I met at IU-we just celebrated our 65th wedding anniversary) went to 7 games, home and away including the Rose Bowl.

Indiana was ranked 6th in the country--many people don't remember that Purdue was ranked 5th in the country. Mich St was having a down year with a 2 wins and 5 losses record. Still many thought IU was an underdog. IU's winning streak was by the following margins, 2,3,4,5,7, 13. The weather favored MSU, gray,rains,windy dark skies. INDIANA held on to win 14-13-the magic of Harry Gonzo prevailed. One play we remembered was John Isengarger punting for IU when MSU tried to take him out of the game with a illegal tackle after he had punted the ball, run John run became a chant for the season. Indiana attemped 18 passes and completed 9, but had two turnovers fumbles.

With 6 minutes left in the game IU trailed 13 to 7. Isenbarger after being knocked out of the game, drove the the Hoosiers to the winning touchdown and the IU dream season moved on. It was a memorable day for us-driving back to Chicago suburbs, stopping at Win Schulers for dinner was a great trip. 57 years have passed since then.

We saw two more games after that-at Minnesota and home to Purdue- still in my mind the greatest IU game we ever saw.

I was a freshman in high school in 1967, and was already a diehard IU fan. My parents had met at IU, and my dad was in IUB law school when I was in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade, from 1958-60. I remember football games in the old 10th Street stadium with Earl Fasion and Mike Rabold. Phil Dickens liked blue and he had IU wear baby blue jerseys with red stripes on their shoulder pads!

But the ‘67 season was magical with the “Cardiac Kids” sophomores (freshmen couldn’t play) Harry Gonzo, John Isenbarger, and Jade Butcher being the heroes all season for one close win after another.

After getting pounded at Minnesota in the second to last game, IU needed to beat a powerful Purdue team with Leroy Keys and Mike Phipps to secure a three way tie for the Big 10 Championship. Two IU seniors played huge roles in the game, as fullback Terry Cole, who had blocked for Gonzo and Isenbarger all season, had two long bursts up the middle for 56 and 64 yards, surprising the Boilers who were keying on the Gonzo/Isenbarger wide out options. IU was clinging to a 19-14 lead with Purdue driving for a go ahead score, when IU senior linebacker Jim Snidecki (sp?) forced a Perry Williams fumble on the 6 yard line to secure the victory!

I earned IUB degrees in ‘76 and ‘81 and I went to every home basketball game in ‘75, ‘76, and ‘81, but the greatest IU victory I ever saw was against Purdue in 1967 that gave IU the Rose Bowl bid!

Great story, brings tears to my eyes. GO HOOSIERS

 

[RQ76&81]

I believe the more popular chant that season was “Punt, John, PUNT!”.

This current season may be very reminiscent of ‘67. We were 9-0 heading into the last two games of the season. Minnesota kicked our asses 35-7 but we came back to prevail the following weekend, IU 19 - PU 14. This year’s undefeated team may suffer a similar big loss to Ohio State, before coming back home for a final conference victory against Purdue.

You are correct! After successfully running for a first down in punt formation, John tried it again and failed at least once, so the chant was “Punt John Punt!”

 

[Walt542]

I was a freshman in high school in 1967, and was already a diehard IU fan. My parents had met at IU, and my dad was in IUB law school when I was in Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade, from 1958-60. I remember football games in the old 10th Street stadium with Earl Fasion and Mike Rabold. Phil Dickens liked blue and he had IU wear baby blue jerseys with red stripes on their shoulder pads!

But the ‘67 season was magical with the “Cardiac Kids” sophomores (freshmen couldn’t play) Harry Gonzo, John Isenbarger, and Jade Butcher being the heroes all season for one close win after another.

After getting pounded at Minnesota in the second to last game, IU needed to beat a powerful Purdue team with Leroy Keys and Mike Phipps to secure a three way tie for the Big 10 Championship. Two IU seniors played huge roles in the game, as fullback Terry Cole, who had blocked for Gonzo and Isenbarger all season, had two long bursts up the middle for 56 and 64 yards, surprising the Boilers who were keying on the Gonzo/Isenbarger wide out options. IU was clinging to a 19-14 lead with Purdue driving for a go ahead score, when IU senior linebacker Jim Snidecki (sp?) forced a Perry Williams fumble on the 6 yard line to secure the victory!

I earned IUB degrees in ‘76 and ‘81 and I went to every home basketball game in ‘75, ‘76, and ‘81, but the greatest IU victory I ever saw was against Purdue in 1967 that gave IU the Rose Bowl bid!

Great memories. I was also in the same HS class as you. Got to go to all those game in the knothole section. I think however it was Ken Kaczmarek that forced that fumble. I played some golf with Ken years later. It was fun hearing his stories.