Mar. 26, 1964 - Police received a tape recording today of Ed Budde’s version of what happened when the husky football player suffered a skull fracture and other injuries at the Bagdad lounge in Kansas City March 5.
The 23-year-old rookie guard for the Kansas City Chiefs was struck repeatedly on the head with an 18-inch length of pipe.
He underwent surgery March 6 to repair the skull fracture and was dismissed from the hospital March 18.
The injury made it impossible for Budde to speak clearly.
Charged with assault with intent to kill and facing preliminary hearing March 31 are John (Vito) Calia and Gus Charles Fasone, both 27.
According to Budde, he had three or four beers at the tavern then commented to a waitress “how pretty and attractive she was.”
“She smiled back at me and said, ‘Thank you, sir.’”
Budde said he and a friend then started to leave the tavern, and the friend mentioned that two men at a table were making remarks about Budde.
“I turned around to find out what was said,” Budde related.
“Both men stood up, and the bigger one said ‘Do you want him, or shall I take him?’”
Budde said he and the bigger man fought and “it seemed to me a pretty even fight. The next thing I remember I was being helped up and taken out to my car. I don’t even remember being hit by a pipe.”
Witnesses told police after the fight that while Budde and the larger man fought, the other hit Budde four or five times on the head with a piece of pipe.
Jack Steadman, general manager of the Chiefs, said he has been told by Budde’s doctor that the 265-pound athlete must undergo surgery again within a month for the insertion of a protective plastic shield on the left side of his head.
Whether Budde will recover enough to play football again Steadman said he didn’t know.
“The doctor has assured Ed and us if he continues the recovery has had, he will be able to play again. We plan for Ed to be with us for the 1964 season. He still talks slowly, but I can see a lot of difference in the last three weeks.”
Budde is a former Michigan State football star. He and his wife have three children.
