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The last time Northwestern won in Columbus...

Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

By Zach Pereles
NUHighlights on Youtube

In case you didn’t know, it’s been a long, long time since Northwestern beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. It was November 13, 1971, to be exact, when the Wildcats stormed into The Shoe and won 14-10 on the shoulders of running backs Al Robinson, who ran for 109 yards on 30 carries, and Randy Anderson, who ran for 70 yards on 20 carries. Oh yeah, and current defensive backs coach Jerry Brown was a second-team All-Big Ten performer.

Jerry Brown with, well, Jerry Brown
Adam Rittenberg/ESPN

So it’s been a while. Here’s what else was going on back then.

Politics and pop culture:

  • Richard Nixon was in office, and Watergate was two years away.
  • The United States was in Vietnam, and would be for nearly four more years.
  • Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon (Feb. 6).
  • Charles Manson sentenced to life in prison (April 19)
  • Billboard’s top song that week was Cher’s “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves.” The top song for the year was Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World.”
  • “Ed Sullivan Show” ends (June 6).
  • The Eisenhower $1 coin is in circulation (Nov. 1).
  • The Fiddler on the Roof is the No. 1 grossing movie of the year; The French Connection wins Best Film at the Academy Awards.
  • 26th Amendment lowers the voting age to 18.

Sports

  • The Baltimore Colts were the reigning Super Bowl champs, having defeated the Dallas Cowboys 16-13. Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley was the game’s MVP, the only player to ever win Super Bowl MVP despite losing the game.
  • UCLA wins fifth-straight NCAA basketball championship, beating Villanova 78-72.
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the defending-champion Baltimore Orioles in seven games in the World Series. Roberto Clemente becomes the first-ever Spanish-speaking player to win the honor.
  • Joe Torre and Vida Blue are NL, AL MVPs, respectively.
  • Richard Petty wins the Sprint Cup.
  • Pat Fitzgerald wouldn’t be born for another three years.

Other

  • A gallon of gas cost 40 cents
  • Movie tickets cost $1.50
  • NASDAQ debuts (Feb. 4)
  • Postage stamp costs 8 cents.

What a year it was... What do you remember about 1971?

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