Woody Hayes an , the coach of Ohio State, was seen gripping the face mask of Ken Fritz, a player for Ohio State, during altercation between the two teams following Clemson intercepting an Ohio pass in the 34th Annual Gator Bowl Classic in Jacksonville, Fla., on Dec. 30, 1978.
Ken Fritz, a renowned figure in Ohio State history and a former draftee of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has passed away, as reported by multiple sources. He was 66 years old, and no specific cause of death has been disclosed.
Fritz was selected by the Steelers in the 10th round of the 1980 NFL Draft, but he is most remembered for his impactful performance as a guard for the Buckeyes.
He achieved All-American status during his time at Ohio State. However, he gained national attention for his involvement in an incident during the 1978 Gator Bowl, where he attempted to restrain coach Woody Hayes after Hayes struck Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman.
An iconic photo from the altercation captures Hayes grasping Fritz’s facemask. Though it appeared that Hayes also punched Fritz, the lineman refuted this, stating that the coach was merely attempting to free himself by wrestling.
Fritz continued to play for Ohio State until 1979, concluding his collegiate career as a consensus All-American in his final season.
