Fifty years ago Friday. Remembering the 31 people who died on Oct. 2, 1970 through the archives of The Wichita Eagle: Photos of the team and the crash | The names of the victims, Those left behind mourned and built new lives | A beautiful fall day then an ominous sound | Pilot steadfast in denying fault: Someone needed to be blamed | The years drive a wedge between survivors linked by tragedy |, 1970 healing process began on a Saturday night in Little Rock | It is time to heal | Playing with pain, Marvin Brown was Solomons favorite son | Daughter grew up without her da-da | Complex connection for WSU survivors | Families never lose memories | Former Utah State player still feels linked to Shockers, Former WSU player Rick Stephens rides to remember friends who died | Photos: Crash survivor and friends honor victims in Colorado. The 2006 movie, We Are Marshall, depicted the aftermath of the crash. The team compiled a 09 record (04 against conference opponents), finished last out of five teams in the MVC, and was outscored by a total of 381 to 99. It was bigger than most planes we get down here and flying a lot lower. . Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. [40], On October 24, 1970, the team played the first game after the crash. Current Team: Lurleen B. Wallace CC Birthplace/Hometown: Freeport, Florida Nationality: United States Height: 6-1 (185cm) Weight: 160 (73kg) Current NBA Status: Draft Eligible in 2026 Draft Entry: 2026 NBA Draft Pre-Draft Team: Lurleen B. Wallace CC (Fr) Change player? Pennsylvania had a connection to the Marshall tragedy No. Record: 0-9 (123rd of 123) (Schedule & Results). You really do. Mike Bruce, I hate like hell to fly. The records below only includes games while a member of the conference and does not include games against teams listed below considered non-conference games. However, the aviation company did not own a DC-6 so it made arrangements to use one. [2], 1970 NCAA University Division football season, 1970 Missouri Valley Conference football standings, Wichita State University football team plane crash. Reeves died Oct. 5 in a Wheat Ridge, Colo., hospital. Joyce Series No: FBC613 Holdings: Box 1 (FBC613-1) Abilene Christian (Abilene Christian University - Abilene TX) 17 Sep 1960 vs East Texas State - 15 Oct 1960 vs Howard Payne - 29 Oct 1960 vs Mississippi Southern 30 Sep 1961 vs Lamar Tech 3 Nov 1962 vs Arlington State 26 Oct 1963 vs Trinity Richard Taylor Minister at University United Methodist Church, he knew many of the players, coaches and administrators on the plane. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses. Find out more. Join our linker program. On Friday, October 2, 1970, Wichita State traveled to Logan, Utah, in two chartered planes, designated as "Gold" and "Black" according to the school colors, for a game against Utah State. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. The stadium is still used by the schools track and field, soccer, and lacrosse programs. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Caden Henderson NCAA Stats Splits: Stat Type: Pace Adjusted Season View At Wichita State, our students are the engine of innovation, with a collaborative infrastructure that helps develop new ideas, and get new projects and businesses off the ground. As a former starter, he asked to move to sit with his friends. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. All rights reserved (About Us). Football players and coaches on the "Black" plane were told of the crash by Bob Seaman, assistant coach, shortly after arrival in Logan, I feel badly that it happened, of course. The team compiled a 09 record (04 against conference opponents), finished last out of five teams in the MVC, and was outscored by a total of 381 to 99. There was talk over the summer about reviving the football program. All Rights Reserved. Q: How did the Black plane reach Utah safely? A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshall's football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. 84 defensive end Pete Naputano was a junior from Altoona who was on the injured list and not on the plane. He would subsequently drop the plan weeks later. medical attention for their injuries. Former college football team in Kansas, USA, Breaking the color barrier in college football coaching, 1897 Fairmount Wheatshockers football team, 1905 Washburn vs. Fairmount football game, Wichita State University football team plane crash, "Wichita State suspends football program", "MEMORIAL '70 - Memorial '70 Home - Wichita State University", "Wichita State gives up football, too expensive", "Shocker football players return to Cessna Stadium", "Stadium Fix-up Costs Throw WSU Football Hopes For Loss", "PRICE FOR WSU TO START FOOTBALL AGAIN: $11 MILLION * REPORT CALCULATES COST OF ADDING 1-AA FOOTBALL AND THREE WOMEN'S SPORTS", "Not so fast: Football's return to campus no done deal - The Sunflower: Campus Life", "WSU gets the OK to tear down Cessna Stadium", "How and why Wichita State? Instead of hanging around campus, the two traveled to Naputano's hometown of Altoona, Pa., with Withers making a detour to visit his maternal grandparents who lived in nearby Johnstown.. The elevation of the site is 10,750 feet. Wichita's freshman quarterback Rick Baher also threw two touchdown passes, and John Potts kicked a 47-yard field goal. But they could not pull the overweight plane, a Martin 404, out of a box canyon. Sure enough, Arkansas led 14-0 just three minutes in and head coach Frank Broyles quickly got his reserves into the game. Explaining Shocker football's peculiar role in 'Ted Lasso', Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wichita_State_Shockers_football&oldid=1133405551, American football teams established in 1895, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Independent (18951923, 1927, 19401945, 1986), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Longest field goal (tied) Joe Williams 67 yards vs Southern Illinois October 21, 1978, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 16:51. Make sure you're in the loop --- take five seconds to Sign up for our FREE Razorbacks newsletter now!). In 1986, president Warren Armstrong said the football program lost $839,000. All rights reserved. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. A: Nine days after the crash, the players voted 76-1 to start what became known as the Second Season. The players said returning to practice gave them a sense of comfort and allowed them to honor their teammates. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. Facing an Arkansas team ranked No. The plane crashed while trying to land at Tri-State Airport in Kenova, W.Va. Bulldozers plow through wreckage of the DC9 chartered jet that crashed in Kenova, W.V., Nov. 15, 1970. Significant factors were the overloaded condition of the aircraft, the virtual absence of flight planning for the chosen route of flight from Denver to Logan, a lack of understanding on the part of the crew of the performance capabilities and limitations of the aircraft, and the lack of operational management to monitor and appropriately control the actions of the flight crew., Federal investigators take readings from the instrument panel of the DC-9 jet that crashed in Kenova, West Virginia, Nov. 15, 1970, killing all 75 occupants, including the Marshall University football team. The football players decided to continue the season, which was later designated as on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado while en route to Logan, Utah for a game 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. ON THE MORNING of Oct. 2, 1970, 21-year-old Malory W. Kimmel drove away from Wichita State University's Jardine Hall, heading for the Field House nearby. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. But, the DC-6 was damaged so the aviation company opted to use two Martin 4-0-4 aircraft. The Arkansas players were clearly affected by the events that transpired, evidenced by a story written by James Thompson, another Arkansas Gazette journalist. It crashed around 1 p.m. about 40 miles west of Denver on Mount Trelease. This years is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday. '70 at 9 a.m. each October 2. Ahlberg traveled to Colorado with the families to visit survivors and identify the dead. The Gold plane was taking a more scenic route, but the pilot encountered difficulty and was unable to pull the overweight aircraft out of a canyon. The tragedy-ridden Wichita State football squad looked for all the world like kids just out of high school as they warmed up Saturday night to face the nations No. We acknowledge you as a real and important part of both. According to history.com, on the plane were 37 football players, head coach Rick Tolley, team doctors, the university athletic director and 25 football boosters from the Huntington, W.Va. community. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Q: Why did Wichita State resume its season? The National Transportation Safety Board issued this executive summary, The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the intentional operation of the aircraft over a mountain valley route at an altitude from which the aircraft could neither climb over the obstructing terrain ahead, nor execute a successful course reversal. "[9] According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two. On Saturday, Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying members of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team and coaching staff crashed in West Virginia killing all 75 people on board and. Player Randy Kiesau flew from Wichita to Denver on the Black plane, then changed to the Gold plane. Bert Katzenmeyer, 52, Wichita, athletic director, Marian Katzenmeyer, 52, Wichita, wife of athletic director, Marty Harrison, 19, Argonia, team manager, Carl Fahrbach, 50, Wichita, dean of admissions, Floyd Farmer, 35, Wichita, ticket manager, Ray Coleman, 45, Wichita, chairman of Shocker Club, Maxine Coleman, 43, Wichita, wife of chairman, John Grooms, 42, Wichita, won membership drive, Etta Mae Grooms, 38, Wichita, won membership drive, Yvonne King, 41, Hesston, wife of state representative. This story was originally published October 1, 2015, 12:36 PM. With permission from the NCAA, the Shockers played seven freshmen in their starting lineup. On October 2, 1970, airplane carrying Wichita State University football team crashed in Colorado Rocky Mountains killing 31 team members, supporters, coaches and airline personnel. In one of the worst tragedies of college sports history, a plane carrying WSU football We will take a step back in time and look back at something that happened in Razorbacks history. On September 12, Wichita State opened its season with a 4114 loss to Gene Stallings' Texas A&M Aggies before a crowd of 30,006 in College Station, Texas. it with us, please let us know. This article uses material from the Wikipedia article 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team, and is written by contributors. The Shockers were a common opponent for the Razorbacks in those days; they played five times between 1964 and 1980. Taylor,. Preview pages of the 1970 yearbook from West High School from Wichita, Kansas online. [38] The remaining portion of the schedule was designated the "second season. Herald-Dispatch photo archive - Marshall University (dark jerseys) beat Morehead State (white jerseys) 17-7 in the season opener Sept. 19, 1970, at Fairfield Stadium. But I dont feel badly about anything I did. co-pilot Ronald Skipper. [9], On November 14, Wichita lost to Memphis State by a 516 score. This is a weekly feature at Hawgs247. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. players, athletic staff members and team boosters crashed at approximately 3 p.m. The main thing is that people take a few minutes to remember. AP. | Opinion, Rare critter eluded Kansas biologists for years. The unfortunate loss of 31 fine individuals deserves to be remembered.. Prior to the game, a 15-minute ceremony featuring astronaut John Swigert was held to commemorate the team's return to Cessna Stadium for its first game since the crash. Each year, the university holds a ceremony on campus at the Memorial 70 monument. Utah State placed a memorial wreath at the 50-yard line at its football stadium. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. of the survivors to Denver. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators On October 2, 1970, a plane crashed that was carrying about half of the football team on their way to play a game against Utah State University. Skipper. And thats only because I had to. Randy Jackson, You get used to sounds in the valley. KMUW, 89.1-FM, will broadcast The Pieces that Remain: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash, at 5 p.m. Friday. The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the crash. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. According to Orville Henry's story in the following day's Arkansas Gazette, a crowd of 40,000 at War Memorial Stadium gave Wichita State's team - a 46-man roster with 19 freshmen and 20 sophomores - a minute-long standing ovation. A plane was made available by Governor Docking to take university officials and family Find . It landed in Logan. The pilots of the Gold plane changed their flight plan, deciding to give their passengers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains. [10] The game was canceled, and the Utah State football team held a memorial service at the stadium where the game was to have been played. Last year, the Tampa Bay Times, published a story about another player, David Withers, who also was not on the plane because of an injury. But it was a team that hung together. John Yeros, The friendships and bonds forged have been a very important of all our lives. Wichita waving white flag on Fourth of July skyrockets | Opinion, Wichita man sentenced for murdering 19-year-old who tried to steal $450 worth of marijuana, Kansas State at West Virginia could have major Big 12 Tournament seed implications, AAC tournament seeding on the line for Wichita State basketball: a look at tiebreakers, The bizarre stats the Wichita State basketball team finished with in loss to Houston, Turnovers spoil valiant road effort for Wichita State basketball in loss to No. Aboard the plane were the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and boosters. [15], In 1997, the cost was cited at $11 million to restart the football program and three other women's sports. Taylor died Oct. 28 in a San Antonio hospital. Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. Twenty-nine persons died Subject: Wichita (Kan.) -- Pictorial works. Of the 31 people killed, 14 were Wichita State football players. Hugh McElroy, who that week became the . A list of the 31 people killed in the Wichita State football plane crash on Oct. 2, 1970. 24 with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock at the War Memorial Stadium. [17], In 2006, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans proposed to use public funds to restart the football program at Wichita State. Senior center Hayden Gillum became the first to make the leap, announcing Friday on social media that he will be back for the . Check out the detailed 2000-01 Wichita State Shockers Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Few times has a home crowd openly cheered for the visitors. If you have this information and would like to share Do you have a sports website? The 1970 Wichita Shockers football team was an American football team that represented Wichita State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. Coach Bob Seaman Wichita States offensive coordinator took over as coach, a job he held until 1973, when athletic director Ted Bredehoft fired him. The starters played only 18 snaps, long enough to build a 20-0 lead. line. Trainer Tom Reeves and athlete John Taylor died later in hospitals after suffering burns. with Utah State University. (AP Photo/File)AP. [35], The following month, Southern Airways Flight 932 carrying the Marshall University football team crashed, killing 37 members of that team. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Buy 1 Month, Get 2 additional Months FREE. Physical Details: 5 x 7 inches . This week, we take a look back at Arkansas' game against Wichita State in 1970. The two schools shared in the proceeds from the A Night of Stars benefit at Levitt Arena. Tolle made it look like 1993 all over again at Eck Stadium on Saturday, doing his best Darren Dreifort impression. Conrad Downing, Sports Information Director, Dale Mullen, Wichita Beacon sports writer, Bob Seaman, Coaching Staff - Offensive Coordinator. Out of that great loss came a strength that was given to each survivor, to each member of the athletic administration, she said. The state of Kansas paid an out-of-court settlement of $1.56 million divided among the heirs of survivors and the eight players who survived, on the condition all lawsuits be dismissed. Understanding the 1970 Wichita State football plane crash. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Wichita State's game against Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 24, 1970 was one of those times. Reeves, inducted in 1986 to the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame, is said to have helped several injured people after the crash. Fewer people are familiar with another football tragedy that happened the month before the crash of an airplane carrying Wichita State University football players. the "Second Season." John Duren, 19, Oklahoma City, Okla., Sophomore TE, Randy Kiesau, 20, Clinton, Okla., Junior CB, Mal Kimmel, 21, St. Genevieve, Mo., Senior C, Carl Krueger, 19, Chicago, Ill., Sophomore DE, Tom Owen, 20, Temple Terrace, Fla., Junior RB, Gene Robinson, 21, Dayton, Ohio, Junior TE, Tom Shedden, 20, Oklahoma City, Okla., Junior OT, Richard Stines, 19, Kansas City, Kan., Sophomore G, Jack Vetter, 21, McPherson, Kan., Senior DT, Bert Katzenmeyer, 52, Elwood City, Penn., Athletic Director, Ray Coleman, 45, Wichita, Kan., Shocker Club Chairman, Minority Owned Businesses & Cultural Opportunities in the AAC, Wichita State Crash Survivor Relives Details, Crash site an important memorial for 'Gold Plane' family, Triumph and tragedy: Scotties grad Barkell starred at Wichita State, recalls plane crash, Forgotten tragedy: Survivors' quest to keep memories of 1970 Wichita State crash from fading, Daughter of WSU plane crash victim never knew her 'Da-da', 1990: Those left behind mourned and built new lives, Three generations later, the secrets of Wichita State's devastating plane crash are still unfolding, Wichita State plane crash killing 31 in 1970 revisited Saturday, Youve got to go on: Children of Wichita State crash victims share a 50-year bond, Wichita State marks anniversary of 1970 football team plane crash - Wichita Eagle, Overshadowed: The Wichita State Football Crash, Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash, Surviving Oct. 2nd: Remembering the Fallen with Rick Stephens, 'Gold Plane' & Silver Plume: the Wichita State Plane Crash Revisited, A Look at the WSU Plane Crash's Aftermath, Crash Site an Important Memorial for 'Gold Plane' Family, Former Utah State player still feels linked to Shockers, Shocker Summer: 1970 healing process began on a Saturday night in Little Rock, Shockers forever: Area graduates were part of Wichita State program when plane crash killed 31 in 1970, Greg Hansen: Remembering the Wichita State plane crash, 50 years later, The Valley of No Return: The Story of the Wichita State University Football Team Plane Crash, Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection.