Charlie had given his wife a manifest before he left. Wichita Falls is 1,100 miles from Huntington. 75 members, coaches, and fans were killed in November 1970 plane crash. A week later, he died at age 66 as a result of the injury. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) A bill has won final legislative approval in West Virginia that would establish an annual day of recognition for the worst sports disaster in U.S. history, a plane crash that killed most of Marshall Universitys football team. Mary Jane Tolley didn't go because the local veterinarian recommended she stay because the couple's dog was sick. His football will didn't come back quickly, but something has changed over the years. [8], The board made three recommendations as a result of this accident, including recommendations for heads-up displays, ground proximity warning devices, and surveillance and inspection of flight operations. This plaza and this fountain are the heart of Marshall University, university President Jerome Gilbert said. White roses are placed along the edge of the Memorial Fountain to honor the 75 lives lost in the 1970 plane crash during the 50th Annual Memorial Fountain Service Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, at the Memorial Student Center in Huntington, W.Va. Marshall commemorated the 50th anniversary of the worst disaster in U.S. sports history, when 75 people, including most of the football team, were killed in a Nov. 14, 1970, plane crash. [13][14], The Marshall University football team only won two games during the 1971 season, against Xavier and Bowling Green. - The Yeti Airlines flight with 68. Carter wants everyone to know God chose him to survive for that purpose. })(); (aka "The Marshall University Football Team Crash"). A bunch of her husband's former linemen were lining the walls of her living room. FAQ It all began with a three-year long losing streak from season 1966-69. There is still a hint of that strapping tight end's body. Marshall's defensive coordinator did not return home with the team. [16] The sculpture's designer, Harry Bertoia, created the $25,000 memorial that incorporated bronze, copper tubing, and welding rods. They couldn't see. There were 64 children who became orphans after losing one or both parents on the flight. Hokie Stone is the native Virginia limestone that makes up many of the buildings on the Virginia Tech campus. He returned to find a city, a university and a program in despair. His body was not identified and he is buried with five other unidentified players in the Springhill Cemetery. Cemetery Visibility: Public. The 1970 Marshall Thundering Herd football team was an American football team that represented Marshall University as an independent during the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. > Caption on back reads: "Saturday Nov. 14, 1970. They couldn't take the tough routine. Tolley's grave was moved up there a few years ago. The event marked a boundary by which an entire community would forever . [4][9], The effects of the crash on Huntington went far beyond the Marshall campus. [18], Each year on the anniversary of the crash, those who died are mourned in a ceremony on the Marshall University campus in Huntington, West Virginia. Although the airport runway has since been lengthened past its original threshold, making historical measurements more difficult, the NTSB official report provides, "the accident occurred during hours of darkness at 38 22' 27" N. latitude and 82 34' 42" W. On a rainy hill side in Wayne County, West Virginia, the lives of 75 people were lost in the worst single air tragedy in NCAA sports history. He said, 'What the hell is going on with Virginia Tech?' The airport was not properly equipped. Slezak, who lived in Passaic, New Jersey,at the time,could have been on the plane that, on Nov. 14, 1970, crashed and took the lives of 75 passengers including 44 Marshall University football players and coaches, 26 fans and a crew of five. The solemn ceremony was held around a fountain dedicated to the crash victims on Marshalls Huntington campus. Carter will be thinking about "thanking the Lord for his grace and mercy, watching over me and sparing my life." The opponent was scheduled to be East Carolinathe same team that defeated Marshall before the disaster took place. 37 of them were members of the football team. > The town died. The Hokies were in town to play the Herd. On Saturday, 75 candles surrounded the fountain. It was the worst single air tragedy in NCAA sports history. [12] Lengyel led the Thundering Herd to a 933 record during his tenure, which ended after the 1974 season. "[7]:36 At least one source says that water that had seeped into the plane's altimeter could have thrown off its height readings, leading the pilots to believe the plane was higher than was actually the case. After an 0-9-1 season and investigation that ended with Marshall being kicked out of the MAC, Moss was gone. "Nobody did anything. Among the losses were nearly the entire Marshall University football team, coaches, flight crew, numerous fans, and supporters. Just before 8 pm, the plane crashed into a hill two miles from the Tri-State Airport in Kenova, W.V., where everyone on aboard were killed on impact. Rosanna Blake Library of Confederate History, Jim "Shorty" Moss (Offensive Coordinator), Ed Starling (Assistant Director of Athletics), Mark J. Smaha (Assistant Athletic Trainer), Louis A. Peake (Assistant Athletic Trainer), James H. Wilson (Assistant Athletic Trainer), Mervin G. Black (Assistant Equipment Manager), Eugene Jones (Assistant Football Manager), Gerald Sieber (Assistant Football Manager), David W. Byrd (Student Equipment Manager), Special Collections, Morrow Library, Slezak has realized how fickle life can be. We Are Marshall was the rallying cry for the Thundering Herds football program in 1970. NFL player and Marshall alum Joseph "Lee" Smith, told buffalobills.com that at one point, there would "never be another football team" at Marshall following the devastation the town faced. "I can remember the hurt in my stomach like it was yesterday," Beamer said. "He definitely had pro potential, no question," formerPassaiccoach John Federici, told The Record in 2001. Every one of the 75 people on board died in the crash. 75 members, coaches, and fans were killed in November 1970 plane crash. We each lost one or more family members, said Call, the ceremonys keynote speaker. During that ceremony, Gilbert spoke eloquently about the 75 souls again. "He had a great future in front of him. Those were diplomas they never had a chance to receive. Carter can't recall how a Marshall assistant found his film in the late 1960s. He said, No, you keep your commitment, that is what you do, there will be other games, Slezak said. Jack Lengyel was hired as the new coach in 1971. Nepal's army and volunteers carry the body of a victim who died in a Yeti Airlines plane crash in Pokhara on January 17, 2023. Officials sift through wreckage at the Marshall plane crash site, 1970. "In my case, it became clear four years later. 75 members, coaches, and fans were killed in November 1970 plane crash. Parker flew to the game, but did not fly back, having switched places with Deke Brackett, another coach. I just hung up the phone. College Football Player, Plane Crash Victim. "Al" Saylor, #88,1970 MU Football team, Charles Kautz, MU A/D and coaches, 1970 MU football team, Dave Griffith, #81, 1970 MU Football team. Among them were Dr. Ray Hagley, who was a Marshall team physician, and his wife. When he passed, Loria's wife was pregnant with Frank Loria Jr. Beamer guided the buses to the memorial. Memorial Fountain on the Marshall University campus, dedicated in 1972. [20], On December 11, 2006, a memorial plaque was dedicated at the plane crash site. Four of the crash victims were students in her class, and Marshall faculty were sent to attend the funerals. He never did try to preach to me. From there, he could see them talk, cry, even reminisce about the largest air disaster in United States sports history. If he had gone with Art Sr., would they have made the same mistake or would they have flown to the correct city? His jersey hangs in Passaic High School. God's providence? Six weeks before the Marshall tragedy, a plane carrying members of the Wichita State football team crashed in Colorado, killing 31 people. He hid because they met once a year at the Spring Hill Cemetery memorial that honors the 75 souls who perished in the crash of the Marshall University football team plane 50 years ago this Saturday. The team and residents of the town still gather together every year in memorial of the fallen fellows. Scott would call up and say, 'Any time you want to call, you call me night or day. Charles Kautz is third from right, with tie. The Lord watched over me so that he could save me and put me in the ministry to serve him.". ", "This was a city, the largest in the state, that literally went into a four-day state of shock," Brunner said. I had 75 angels there.". They turned around, headed back home and immediately got lost. He was well-liked by his teammates not a rah-rah kid, but one who led by example.". This time, they decided if all couldn't go, none of them could go. We'll look at what happened to the Marshall University football program as a . Barry W. Nash, #35,1970 MU Football team, b&w. The crew established radio contact with air traffic controllers at 7:23 pm with instructions to descend to 5,000ft (1,500m). 1970 Marshall Thundering Herd football team, 1970 NCAA University Division independents football records, 1970 NCAA University Division football season, "Memories of Marshall; ex-player says shock of crash never ends", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1970_Marshall_Thundering_Herd_football_team&oldid=1109112752, 1970 NCAA University Division independents football season, Marshall Thundering Herd football seasons, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using CFB schedule with named parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 September 2022, at 01:19. Plymales mother attended a funeral in North Carolina, and her family became close friends with the victims family. HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) Marshall University commemorated the 50th anniversary of one of the worst sports disasters in U.S. history Saturday, a plane crash that killed most of the football team. On November 12, 1972, the Memorial Fountain was dedicated at the entrance of the Memorial Student Center. Marshall Plane Crash Site Marker. Harris, I have bad news.' "He was a tremendous athlete who could do it all. After the crash, Carter took a bus back to West Virginia. Rick, he ran them off. At age 69, the former Marshall defender calls himself a "traveling preacher." At the time of the crash, Harris Jr. led Marshall in rushing and kick returns. (JACK BURNETT/AP), "We carry on the legacy for them, but even after all those who were personally connected are gone, those guys still deserve to be remembered because it's just a travesty, what happened. history.[6]. Because of the intensity of the crash, officials were unable to identify six of the players remains. [15], Marshall University President John G. Barker and Vice President Dedmon appointed a memorial committee soon after the crash. We Are Marshall starred Matthew McConaughey as Jack Lengyel, the head coach who took over the program in 1971. "It was not a premonition. The report also noted that the craft approached the Catlettsburg Refinery in the final 30 seconds before impact, which "could haveaffecteda visual illusion produced by the difference in the elevation of the refinery and the airport," which was nearly 300ft (91m) higher than the refinery, with hills in between. He met with former Marshall coach Red Dawson, who gave away his seat on the plane that night. While Wichita State ended its football program in 1986, Marshall carried on. Hill died in the 1970 plane crash. While in the air, the plane struck a tree on a tall hill and crashed to the ground. "As I listened to the scriptures," Carter said, "the Lord has purpose for each one of our lives.". He had to rent a car to get to the game,then asked if there were seats on the plane to get back to Marshall. Couldn't keep my voice straight. He said,'Mrs. Wayne County Democratic Sen. Robert Plymale was 15 at the time and was with friends in Kenova, near the airport. [10], The crash of Flight 932 so devastated the local community that it almost led to the discontinuation of Marshall's football program. In the report, the NTSB concluded, "[] the probable cause of this accident was the descent below Minimum Descent Altitude during a nonprecision approach under adverse operating conditions, without visual contact with the runway environment". That included 37 Marshall football players, 25 team boosters, multiple coaches and team doctors, and Marshalls athletic director. That was the era before the color barrier had been broken in the SEC. They told the police they want to go to Spring Hill Cemetery. William Alfred "Red" Dawson was one of the best players Bobby Bowden ever saw. By JOHN RABY February 15, 2023. (Bettmann/Bettmann Archive), "'We Are Marshall' just stuck," Smith said. Roy Slezak refuses to call it an anniversary. Things were going swimmingly two weeks before the East Carolina game. Allen Gene Skeens, #59, 1970 MU Football team, b&w. It was donated to the university by Marshall fans and is attached to Joan C. Edwards Stadium on the west faade. The report additionally notes, "Most of the fuselage was melted or reduced to a powder-like substance; however, several large pieces were scattered throughout the burned area. Ferrum won the national junior college championship his first year there in 1965. In the teams first home game since the plane crash, Marshall put together one of the most inspiring performances in sports history. Sketch is matted and framed. Some who were left off the flight, did not make the trip or lost loved ones spent the next five decades with crippling questions that had no answers. The Harris family detailed thatevening in a 1995 article in The Record. [12] Lengyel was named to take Tolley's place on March 12, 1971, after Dick Bestwick, the first choice for the job, backed out after just one week and returned to Georgia Tech. Not surprisingly, Call will be the keynote speaker at Saturday's memorial. The crash took the lives of everyone on board -- the pilot, the first officer, two flight attendants, the charter coordinator, 24 Marshall University football fans, nine coaches and 37 players. Rick Tolley is behind him. Marshall coach Rick Tolley demonstrating a move to team captain Dave Griffith, Mike Blake and Dave DeBord (left to right) in 1970. Harris' father, Art Sr., was one of the fans on the plane. The 6500 lb, 13 ft-high (2900 kg, 4 m-high) sculpture was completed within a year and a half. "I didn't want anybody to see me crying. The decision had been made long before the East Carolina game that Dawson would be out recruiting after the game. It still stands as the most fatal sports-related accident in history. To this day, she isn't satisfied. 75 members, coaches, and fans were killed in November 1970 plane crash. Bobby Joe Hill, #41,1970 MU Football team, b&w. MU plane crash historical marker, Wayne County, W.Va. Southern Airways DC-9, similiar to plane that crashed with MU football team, Dedication of Memorial Fountain to MU plane crash victims, Nov. 12, 1972, William Alfred "Red" Dawson, Asst. Dedication of Memorial Fountain to MU plane crash victims, Nov. 12, 1972. Seventy children had at least one parent die in the crash, with 18 of them left orphaned. "[7] The airliner left Stallings Field at Kinston, North Carolina, and the flight proceeded to Huntington without incident. In its second season under head coach Rick Tolley, the team compiled a 36 record and was outscored by a total of 202 to 138. Tragedy struck Marshall University more than a half-century ago, when most of the school's football program was involved in a plane crash . The bill establishes that Nov. 14 will become a special memorial day in remembrance of the crash. Without any particular reason, Carter stayed. The team originally planned to cancel the flight, but changed plans and chartered the Southern Airways DC-9. The corresponding flight recorder shows that the craft descended another 220ft (67m) in elevation within these 12 seconds, and the co-pilot calls out "four hundred" and agrees with the pilot they are on the correct "approach." A travesty.". "It was just a little school in the hills," Mary Jane said. Rick played football at nearby Virginia Tech. It was the second college football team plane crash in a little over a month, after the October 2 crash that killed 31 (head coach, 14 Wichita State players, and 16 others). The five Southern Airlines employees also died in the crash. That was an overwhelming responsibility.". He was taken away way too soon.". When Lengyel was hired as Tolley's replacement, Dawson stayed but only for a while. Banners will be raised across the Marshall campus bearing their images. The crash was the worst in American sports history. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "I was wondering when somebody is going to come up and say, 'You can't do that,' " Dawson said. 75 members, coaches, and fans were killed in November 1970 plane crash. "You have to realize he had to tell several, several players' families, all the ones that he recruited. Dawson came out of the shadows long ago to embrace Nov. 14. Marshall decided to continue the football program. Memorial at Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia to the victims of the 1970 plane crash. It signified the teams unity as not just a football team, but one family. Copyright. MU plane crash historical marker, Wayne County, W.Va., col. (low-res digital image only). It really sort of shapes the fiber in you, of what you are.. Accessibility Statement, Privacy Mary Jane was persistent. 77 memorials. That's the unseen damage left a half century later after a Southern Airways DC- 9 carrying the Thundering Herd back from a game at East Carolina crashed into a hill a mile short of the Tri-State Airport in Huntington, West Virginia. "I could hear the speeches and see what was going on [from behind the tree]," he said. There is already a plot there for one more. She has all of them, including an image of offensive guard John "Jimo" Adams, whose daughter Patricia was born the day her father was buried. His close friend and neighbor, Art Harris Jr., was one of the Marshall players who died. The rebuilding was the subject of the 2006 movie We are Marshall starring Matthew McConaughey as Lengyel. "You sissy," Dawson said. He went to work one day and didn't come home.". They all had said great things about him. "The Young Herd" that carried on in 1971 had a new coach, Jack Lengyel. "For a long time, he couldn't handle it," Call said. One of Dawson's greatest contributions may have been the recruiting of four African-American athletes out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I'll be right over.' Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. history". Home Shannon died in the plane crash. There was no reason to be around. And then, after the game, if Slezak had been there, would that have deterred Art Sr. from getting on the plane? Rescue teams search for victims at the site of the Yeti Airlines plane crash, in Pokhara on January 17, 2023. Carter read his own obituary the next day in the local newspaper. With 37 players gone due to the horrific tragedy, the NCAA allowed Marshalls freshmen players to suit up the next season. On November 14, 1970 a DC-9 airliner carrying the Marshall University football team, coaches, and supporters crashed on final approach to Tri-State Airport n. "Happy" Heath, of Huntington, West Virginia, Elaine Lois Heath, of Huntington, West Virginia, James Jarrell, of Huntington, West Virginia, Cynthia Scott Leslie Jarrell, of Huntington, West Virginia, Kenneth Jones, of Huntington, West Virginia - WHTN-TV sports director, Charles E. Kautz - Athletic director of Marshall University, Eugene J. Morehouse - sports information director, Jeffrey P. Nathan, of Parksburg, West Virginia - sports editor of MU's student newspaper, Dr. Brian R. O'Connor, of Huntington, West Virginia - admissions director of Marshall University, Michael R. Prestera, delegate-elect to the West Virginia Legislature, Dr. Glenn Preston, of Huntington, West Virginia - Local dentist, Phyllis Jean Charles Preston, of Huntington, West Virginia, Dr. Herbert D. Proctor, of Huntington, West Virginia, Courtney Phillips Proctor, of Huntington, West Virginia, Murrill Ralsten, of Huntington, West Virginia - City councilman, Helen Ralsten, of Huntington, West Virginia, Parker Ward, of Huntington, West Virginia, Danny Deese, of Atlanta, Georgia - Charter coordinator, Copyright 2002 Check SixThis page last updated Saturday, August 25, 2018. with questions or comments about this web site. It's called survivor's guilt, the feeling of unfairly surviving an incident when others did not. Plymale said his mother was a professor at Marshall. "My mom got on the phone, and then she just passed out, said Carolyn Harris, the youngest daughter. [7]:37, On November 15, 1970, a memorial service was held at the indoor, 8,500-seat Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse with moments of silence, remembrances, and prayers. But as a freshman in 1970, Oliver didn't travel. It was a rainy night. Tottenham Hotspur players observe a minutes silence for the victims of the plane crash involving the Brazilian club Chapecoense prior to the Premier. Southern Airways Flight 932. He has followed Marshall football all his lifeand makes a video tribute for his friend every year. Her recollections of the crash's aftermath are split. "All these guys, about 50 of them, came out for football. On Nov 14, 1970, 75 people died in the worst sports related air tragedy in U.S. history, when a Southern Airways DC-9 crashed into the hillside nearby. Yes, we hurt, Marshall athletic director Mike Hamrick said. " Carter said. [4] By the time the plane came to a stop, it was 4,219ft (1,286m) short of the runway and 275ft (84m) south of the middle marker. briefly mourned after the 17-14 defeat, but what happened after the game shook the school and the town to its core. > "I'm still wondering why.". The actual damage was incalculable. He recalled talking at length with some of his counterparts at Wichita State, and how they leaned on each other for support. The two played in the same defensive backfield for Virginia Tech in the late 1960s. Slezak believes Harris Sr. flew to the wrong city Greenville, South Carolina, instead of Greenville, North Carolina, where East Carolina is located. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing. He was 37. The NCAA made an exception for the Thundering Herd. Authorities continually brought "old charred things" to her hoping to gain the identity of victims. "Couldn't keep the tears out of my eyes. From that moment, we became one family.. Among the 75 who perished were 36 players. After an uneventful flight, the crew contacted Huntington Airport tower at 7:23 p.m. and were cleared for a localizer approach on runway 11. "I took the phone, but Mrs. Shoebridge was crying hysterically. (aka "The Marshall University Football Team Crash") November 14th, 1970. Fifty-two years ago, Huntington, West Virginia, was home to what has been called the worst disaster in United States sports history. Classes at Marshall, along with numerous events and shows by the Marshall Artists Series (and the football team's game against the Ohio Bobcats), were cancelled and government offices were closed. Memorial newspaper page from The Herald-Advertiser. As part of an annual rite, the fountain was turned off at the end of the service and will be turned back on in the spring. Nash died in the 1970 plane crash. But that begs the very human question of why God spared him and not those on the plane? That game did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marshall fans and residents of Huntington, W.V. 00:00 / 00:00. The bronze 1723 ft (57 m) statue was created by artist Burl Jones of Sissonville, West Virginia, and cost $150,000. "Where nobody could see me," Dawson said of his hiding spot. He was 37. | Back in 1970, he had already attended a pair of Marshall games with Harris Sr. (Huntington, W.Va. is about a nine-hour drive from Passaic) and was approached to go down to see the Thundering Herd play East Carolina. During the 1970 college football season, Marshall suffered a devastating loss to East Carolina in week 9 to drop the Thundering Herd to 3-6 on the year. "The Lord has been good to me," he concluded. So I think this is another step along in that healing process., FILE - A memorial plaque is displayed at the site of a 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people, including 36 Marshall football players, on Oct. 24, 2020, near Huntington, W.Va. A bill has won final legislative approval Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in West Virginia, that would establish an annual day of recognition for the worst sports disaster in U.S. history. At 7:36pm on November 14, 1970, the aircraft crashed into a hill just short of the Tri-State Airport, killing all 75 people on board in what has been recognized as "the worst sports-related air tragedy in U.S. It was raining hard, and he remembered seeing ambulances speeding past the group. No one prepared her for what was next. [21] The ceremony featured guest speakers Dawson and Hardin. Coach, 1971 Young Thundering Herd, Al Carelli, Jr., Assistant coach, 1970 MU Football team, Allen Gene Skeens, #59,1970 MU Football team, Barry W. Nash, #35, 1970 MU Football team, Bobby Joe Hill, #41, 1970 MU Football team, Center Dennis Foley (#55) centers ball to Bob Harris (#12),1970 MU Football team, Charles A. Trademarked and copyrighted images and insignia are the exclusive property of Marshall University. She spoke of her husband's early days as an assistant at Ferrum Junior College in Virginia. All 75 passengers on the team plane were killed in the crash, including 37 members of the Marshall University football team, eight football coaches, including head coach Rick Tolley, athletic director Charlie Kautz, 25 boosters and five flight crew members. On a rainy hill side in Wayne County, West Virginia, the lives of 75 people were lost in the worst single air tragedy in NCAA sports history. So why would anyone living with all that baggage intentionally go up in the air? The Unexpected Death of University of Connecticut Football Player Jasper Howard. Cabell County Democratic Sen. Mike Woelfel said he was 17 years old driving in his car in Huntington when news of the crash came on the radio. Frank Loria was one of Beamer's best friends. About It was an impression he put in her heart. At 7:34pm, the airliner's crew reported passing Tri-State Airport's outer marker. "All of them were fighting and arguing over each other about whose fault it was. Dawson played tight end for Bill Peterson in the early 1960s at Florida State. Prior to the state Senates unanimous vote Wednesday, the chamber held a moment of silence for the crash victims at the request of Upshur County Republican Sen. Bill Hamilton. Marshall fans and residents of Huntington, W.V. [23] The tribute was repeated for the rest of the season, including when Marshall met Rice in the 2013 Conference USA Football Championship game. An Equal Opportunity University. As a memorial to the 75 victims, the Marshall players wore the number 75 on their helmets. Before the noon ET game, a crowd will gather at Spring Hill Cemetery once again to observe the past but also celebrate what they and the university have become.