Jack Anderson: Criminal law does not stop at the touchline

A landmark legal case 50 years ago warned that the touchline offers no protection from prosecution if a player recklessly disregard the safety of an opponent. Cowardly, off the ball punches are criminal assaults

VIOLENCE: Minnesota North stars, Boston Bruins and referees are involved in a real knockdown, drag-out fight in the first period here 1/4,. The fight started between North Stars' Henry Boucha and Bruins' Dave Forbes and led to a landmark legal case for violence inside the white lines

Fifty years ago this month, that most expected of sporting events occurred – a fight broke out during a professional ice hockey game. On January 4th, 1975, Dave Forbes of the Boston Bruins hit Henry Boucha of the Minnesota North Stars during what otherwise could only be described as a routine, hockey melee.

What was most unusual, and possibly a first in North American sport, was that on January 15th, 1975, Forbes was indicted on aggravated criminal assault charges carrying a maximum of five years’ imprisonment. The allegation was that Forbes, after an earlier scuffle with Boucha, used his hockey stick to beat his opponent into the ice, resulting in Boucha suffering eye and head injuries.