Carter hardly knew anyone on the team who carried on. That's why, when a vet recommended Mary Jane stay home that weekend of Nov. 14 because a tumor had developed in Sturmisch's toe, there was no hesitation. "[7] The airliner left Stallings Field at Kinston, North Carolina, and the flight proceeded to Huntington without incident. [4][9], The effects of the crash on Huntington went far beyond the Marshall campus. The airliner's crew was Captain Frank Abbot (47), First Officer Jerry Smith (28), plus two flight attendants. Plymales mother attended a funeral in North Carolina, and her family became close friends with the victims family. I never wanted to miss a chance to see Art play.. history". Two weeks before the release of the movie, Call was diagnosed with colon cancer. 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. Just like winter leads to spring, these bad memories now lead us to, I think, a day of celebration, Woelfel said. The aircraft began its normal descent after passing the outer marker, but did not arrest its descent and hold altitude at 1,240ft (380m), as required by the assigned instrument approach procedure. 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." ". Digitized University Archives Collections. [12] Lengyel led the Thundering Herd to a 933 record during his tenure, which ended after the 1974 season. "He wasn't a real big guy, but I don't know how many ballcarriers he hit and knocked them back in the direction they came from," Beamer said. Hill died in the 1970 plane crash. "He definitely had pro potential, no question," formerPassaiccoach John Federici, told The Record in 2001. _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); "We got her when she was 6 weeks old. The tragedy was depicted in the movie We Are Marshall (2006) and the documentary film Marshall University: Ashes to Glory (2000). Aircraft and crew. Its an inspiring tribute to those fallen lives and the devoted men who led Marshall back to glory. They arrived shortly before sunrise. Of course, she misses her husband. "We stayed friends forever," Dawson said proudly. Eventually, Rick won over their hearts and minds. All three were killed in the plane crash. In the teams first home game since the plane crash, Marshall put together one of the most inspiring performances in sports history. Among those who were not on the Marshall plane were Red Dawson, an assistant coach who was driving on a recruiting trip and was heading home when he learned about the crash. Pure chance, some cases. It is the center of activity of the campus. They couldn't see. There's no evidence any of those left behind were ever formally diagnosed with survivor's guilt, but you can hear it directly or indirectly when the incident is spoken about. 50 years, McConaughey said Saturday on Twitter. He never did try to preach to me. From that moment, we became one family.. "I kept thinking he [Arthur Sr.] would drive up in the car," said Maja Harris, Art Jr.s mother and Art Sr.s wife. About 10 years ago at a reunion, Mary Jane glanced across the room. Sturmisch lived to be 13. On Nov. 14, 1970, the chartered jet crashed in fog and rain into a hillside upon approach to an airport near Huntington as the team was returning from a game at East Carolina, killing all 75 on board. [22], 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 a hillside nearby.The victims included 36 Marshall University football players, 9 coaches and administrators, 25 fans and air crew of 5.No one survived this horrific disaster.[1]. It forever changed my life, Smith said. Dawson's brother had been recruited by Bryant, so there was a relationship. He recalled talking at length with some of his counterparts at Wichita State, and how they leaned on each other for support. Artwork by Eugene Payne, Staff Artist, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, N.C.". You see, out of the tragedy has come not a celebration but an annual realization that some good has been made out of the worst thing imaginable. Holliday wants to make a date to come out and hunt turkeys on Dawson's 400 acres outside of town. > [24], Marshall was scheduled to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the air disaster in their football season opener on August 29, 2020. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing. "I didn't do anything except for fishing, hunting and construction work," he said. I'll be right over.' [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. "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. On November 14, 1970, the team was flying back from a game against East Carolina. Shannon died in the plane crash. Marshall decided to continue the football program. It slipped out from underneath him, according to Dawson, and Oliver hit his head. He was taken away way too soon.". Back then, Bowden was the wide receivers coach. Photos: 48th Annual Memorial Fountain Service 2018. And then, after the game, if Slezak had been there, would that have deterred Art Sr. from getting on the plane? "It wasn't losing faith," she said. Captain Frank H. Abbott, Jr. , aged 47, was employed by Southern Airways, Inc.. Marshall University Football Team Players: James Michael Adams, of Mansfield, Ohio - Guard, Mark Raeburn Andrews, of Cincinnati, Ohio - Offensive Guard, Mike Francis Blake, of Huntington, West Virginia - Linebacker, Dennis Michael Blevins, of Bluefield, West Virginia - Wide Receiver, Willie Bluford Jr., of Greenwood, South Carolina - Wide receiver, Larry Brown, of Atlanta, Georgia - Defensive Guard, Thomas Wayne Brown, of Richmond, Virginia - Defensive Guard, Roger Keith Childers, of St. Albana, West Virginia, Stuart Spence Cottrell, of Eustis, Florida - Defensive Back, Richard Lee Dardinger, of Mount Vernon, Ohio - Center, David Grant DeBord, of Quincy, Florida - Offensive Tackle, Kevin Francis Gilmore, of Harrison, New Jersey - Halfback, David Dearing Griffith, Jr, of Clarksville, Virginia - Defensive End, Arthur W. Harris, of Passaic, New Jersey - Halfback, Robert Anthony Harris, of Cincinnati, Ohio - Quarterback, Bob Wayne Hill, of Dallas, Texas - Defensive Back, Joe Lee Hood, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Halfback, James Thomas Howard Jr., of Milton, West Virginia - Offensive Guard, Marcelo H. Lajterman, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey - Kicking Specialist, Richard Adam Lech, of Columbus, Ohio - Defensive Back, Barry Winston Nash, of Accoville, West Virginia - Tight End, Patrick Jay Norrell, of Hartsdale, New York - Offensive Guard, James Robert Patterson, of Louisburg, North Carolina - Offensive Tackle, Scottie Lee Reese, of Waco, Texas - Defensive End, John Anton Repasy Jr., of Cincinnati, Ohio - Wide Reciever, Larry Sanders, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Defensive Back, Charles Alan "Al" Saylor, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio - Defensive End, Arthur Kirk Shannon, of Greensboro, North Carolina - Linebacker, Lionel Ted Shoebridge, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey - Quarterback, Allen Gene Skeens, of Ravenswood, West Virginia - Center, Jerry Dodson Stainback, of Newport News, Virginia - Linebacker, Donald Tackett, Jr., of Paden City, West Virginia, Robert James Van Horn, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Tackle, Roger Arnie Vanover, of Russell, Kentucky - Defensive End, Freddie Clay Wilson, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Tackle, John Patton Young, of Buckhannon, West Virginia - Tight End, Thomas Jonathan Zborill, of Richmond, Virginia - Defensive End, Charles Arnold, of Huntington, West Virginia, Rachel Lynette Arnold, of Huntington, West Virginia, Dr. Joseph Chambers, of Huntington, West Virginia - Local physician, Margaret Chambers, of Huntington, West Virginia, Dr. Ray Hagley, of Huntington, West Virginia - Local physician, Shirley Ann Hagley, of Huntington, West Virginia, Arthur L. Harris, of Passaic, New Jersey - Father of player Art Harris, E.O. Dawson played tight end for Bill Peterson in the early 1960s at Florida State. Most of his teammates were gone, forever. - The Yeti Airlines flight with 68. 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. After the plane crash, she became the only thing that I had.". After suffering the loss to East Carolina on Nov. 14, 1970, a majority of the Marshall team boarded Southern Airlines Flight 932. That game did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marshall's defensive coordinator did not return home with the team. Carter will be thinking about "thanking the Lord for his grace and mercy, watching over me and sparing my life." All were on the travel squad list before the plane crash. Tri-State airport installed a glide slope using federal funds in 1972. "It made you wretch," Brunner said, "and I did several times.". 1. Huntington, West Virginia: The four remaining starters from the 1970 first string team of Marshall University take time out to pause at flower arrangement placed at Marshall Field following the devastating plane crash that killed all 75 aboard. Mary Jane eventually moved to Richmond, Virginia. Nobody went anywhere.". Middle guard Ed Carter was back in Wichita Falls, Texas, that terrible day to bury his father. I had 75 angels there.". The five Southern Airlines employees also died in the crash. A plaque was placed on the base on August 10, 1973, reading: They shall live on in the hearts of their families and friends forever and this memorial records their loss to the university and the community. [3] The team was returning home after a 1714 loss to the East Carolina Pirates at Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, North Carolina. There was no playbook, and nobody had been in that position before.". Dennis Foley was not on the plane, Bob Harris was killed in the plane crash. Frank got the whole team out and they went up and placed that Hokie Stone on the memorial. "My mom got on the phone, and then she just passed out, said Carolyn Harris, the youngest daughter. Patient as an elementary school teacher but also unrelenting. "Al" Saylor, #88,1970 MU Football team, b&w. "People still talk about that," Hamrick said. Accessibility Statement, Privacy 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. At the time of the crash, Harris Jr. led Marshall in rushing and kick returns. Sketch titled "America Weeps, Saturday Nov. 14, 1970." Druid High School football players sign grants-in-aid with Marshall in the spring of 1969. Charlie Kautz was Marshall's athletic director in 1970. The NCAA made an exception for the Thundering Herd. William Alfred "Red" Dawson, Acting Head Coach, 1971 Young Thundering Herd MU Football team, 1st spring practice, April 1971, b&w. Among the losses were nearly the entire Marshall University football team, coaches, flight crew, numerous fans, and supporters. Normally in that situation, the cheerleaders would draw straws to see who went. [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. 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. An Equal Opportunity University. 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 University's football team. "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. Home There is still a hint of that strapping tight end's body. Mary Jane was the perfect coach's wife. God's providence? The flight shouldve been nothing more than a formality, but the team would never reach their destination back in Huntington. They couldn't take the tough routine. ". Sort By. We Are Marshall.. DAntoni is now Marshalls basketball coach. He became acting head coach in 1971, and formed the "Young Thundering Herd". On Nov. 14, 1970, the chartered jet crashed in fog and rain into a hillside upon approach to an airport near Huntington as the team was returning from a game at East Carolina, killing all 75 on board. [5] The accident is the deadliest tragedy to have affected any sports team in U.S. MU_PLANE_CRASH. It has taken her more than a year. > Digital Collections Frank Loria was one of Beamer's best friends. "I always loved to fly," she said. Not only that, she happened to be on a flight during 9/11. He was the offensive tackle. Marshall captured Division I-AA national championships in 1992 and 1996 and amassed the most wins of any team in the nation in the 1990s, many of them during a step up to Division I-A, now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision. Rick Tolley is behind him. 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.
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