1968

Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. The North Vietnamese launched a January offensive known as "Tet," and its apparent success suggested that America was not winning the war in Vietnam. Anti-war protests continued to expand.

The Minnesota Vikings improved from just three wins to eight, making the NFL playoffs. They closed the season with a pair of losses—24-14 to the eventual NFL champion Colts, and 17-13 to the Dallas Cowboys in the so-called Runner-up Bowl. Fans thought them to be a pretty good pair of performances despite the losses. Bud Grant was making lots of friends in his second year at the helm.

• The Minnesota North Stars went 27-32-15 in their first season, then defeated the L.A. Kings four games to three in their first playoff series. They then lost to the heavily favored St. Louis Blues, also four games to three. Goalie Cesar Maniago was their top performer with a goals-against average of 2.77. 

• The Edina basketball team completed the first-ever three-peat in MSHSL basketball. A mid-season loss to Richfield, 81-75, ended a 69-game winning streak that remains a record today, but they avenged that loss in the district playoffs. Bob Zender was obviously the best player in Minnesota. Rochester Lourdes and coach Orris Jirele completed a parallel three-peat in the Catholic tournament.

• St. Paulite Mary Meyers won an Olympic silver medal in the women’s 500 meter speed skating. Former Robbinsdale and Minnesota Gopher runner Tom Heinonen ran the fastest marathon by an American in 1968. His former teammates of the Minnesota Gopher track & field team won the Big 10 title for just the second time ever.

#42 (tie) Leader

Roy Griak

Roy Griak grew up in Duluth and, after serving in the military during World War II, he lettered in cross-country and track under Minnesota Gopher coach Jim Kelly. He coached at Mankato and St. Louis Park before succeeding Kelly as Gopher coach in 1963. In 33 years, he won Big 10 cross-country titles in 1964 and 1969, and only the Gophers second track & field title ever in 1968. He coached 47 all-Americans in the two sports, including four NCAA champions. 

The 1968 Big 10 track meet was held at Minnesota. The Gophers were underdogs to Michigan and Wisconsin but they prevailed with 50 points to 49 for Michigan and 48 for Wisconsin. Marvin Top and Tom Stuart combined for five points in the high jump to push the Gophers over the top. Hubie Bryant won the 220-yard dash, Dick Landwehr the 660, and the 440-yard relay team of Rich Simonson, Randy Jones, Peter Shea and Bryant won their event. Michigan appealed the results of the 220, where Simonson edged the Wolverines’ Sol Espie for third place. If their finishes had been reversed, Michigan would have won the title 50-49, but the Big 10 upheld the original call. The Gophers would not win a third Big 10 title in men’s track & field until 1998, after Griak had retired in 1996.

Year	Athlete of the Year	Team of the Year	Coach of the Year	Event of the Year
1968	1. Bob Zender, Edina basketball, C 2. Mary Meyers, speed skating 3. Heinonen, track & field	1. Minnesota North Stars (34-39-15 including playoffs) 2. Minnesota Vikings football  (8-6) 3 (tie). Edina basketball (26-1, state champion) Rochester Lourdes basketball (state Catholic champion)	1 (tie). Jim Finks and Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings football 2. Wren Blair, Minnesota North Stars hockey 3. Roy Griak, Minnesota Gopher track (Big 10 champion)	1. Richfield beat Edina 81-75, breaking a 69-game win streak, a record that still stands.  2. The Baltimore Colts beat the Vikings 24-14 in the playoffs.  3. The Minnesota North Stars beat the Los Angeles Kings in their first-ever playoff series.

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