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. 'I don't want it to be forgotten': TC man avoided fatal 1970 Wichita It was shown that $24 million in improvements were needed. A memorial to Wichita State University football player John Taylor lies among the remains of the tragic plane clash Oct. 2, 1970, near the Loveland Ski Area that killed 31 people. List of Wichita . [40], On October 24, 1970, the team played the first game after the crash. 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. The "Gold" plane, a Martin 404, carried 36 passengers and a crew of four. Sure enough, Arkansas led 14-0 just three minutes in and head coach Frank Broyles quickly got his reserves into the game. The following players from the 1970 team were not on the plane that crashed: 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team, 1970 NCAA University Division football season, 1970 Missouri Valley Conference football standings, Wichita State University football team plane crash, "1970 Wichita State Shockers Schedule and Results", "Arkansas State too much for Wichita State, 53-14", "Shockers' 1970 Grid Future Still in Doubt", "McCoy, Shelly Unite for 6 TDs as Memphis State Routs Wichita", "Long run for the Shockers But Wichita falls, 41-24", "U of L Battles Back From 17-0 Deficit To Whip Inspired Wichita State 34-24", "Coach Claims Wichita A Possible Shocker", "Garden Plain Gridder Wichita State Captain", "Wichita Grid Plane Crashes, Kills 29 En Route to Logan", "Remembering the 1970 Wichita State football plane carsh", "Former M.A.F.C. Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. An Ohio State football fan who wants to better document the history of the program. Wichita State has helped me put marketing strategy in a real-world perspective. 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. Lex James took over at quarterback and the team got off to a quick start with a blowout win over Wichita State, putting up a school-record 534 yards of total offense. The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the . of the survivors to Denver. All-Conference Center Is Among Dead in Football Plane Crash", "Former Buster Gene Robinson: Fund Established For Crash Victim", ESPN Classic Wichita State suffers tragic plane crash, "Remembering the 1970 Wichita State football plane crash", "Plane Crash Survivor Calls It 'A Miracle', "Survivor recalls horror of crash that killed team", "Fresh Start at Wichita: Rarely Mention 'Crash', "Surviving Oct 2nd: Remembering the Fallen with Rick Stephens", "Wichita, Marshall Aircraft Disasters Not Similar", "Wichita State Will Open 'Second Season' Saturday", "Competition Best Therapy For Saddened Shockers", "61 Hogs Play: Arkansas Fans Cheer Wichita", "Black & Gold: Remembering The WSU Plane Carsh", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1970_Wichita_State_Shockers_football_team&oldid=1134674669, Marvin Brown, sophomore, running back, Solomon, Kansas - age 18, John Dunren, sophomore, quarterback, Oklahoma City - age 19, Ron Johnson, senior, defensive back, Kansas City, Missouri - age 21, Randy Kieusau, junior, running back, Clinton, Oklahoma - age 20, Carl Krueger, sophomore, tackle, Chicago - age 19, Steve Moore, senior, linebacker, Derby, Kansas - age 21, Tom Shedden, junior, tackle, Oklahoma City - age 20, Rick Stines, guard, Kansas City, Kansas - age 19, John Taylor, back, Sherman, Texas - died later in the month from injuries sustained in the crash, Jack Vetter Jr., senior, lineman, McPherson, Kansas - age 22, Mike Bruce, tight end/offensive tackle, Sherman, Texas - He later recalled: "When we climbed out of the plane, I could tell I was in about the best condition. The event was organized by former Wichita State player John Potts and former Arkansas player Chuck Dicus, according to The Wichita Eagle. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Once there, the senior parked his car and . medical attention for their injuries. 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 know you hear with us the thrill and excitement of the game. Skipper. 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. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Three generations later, the secrets of Wichita State's devastating On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. The chartered Southern Airways DC-9 was returning from a game the team played earlier in the day against East Carolina University in North Carolina. [17], In 2006, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans proposed to use public funds to restart the football program at Wichita State. 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. 50 years later, Wichita State football team's crash site on a Colorado Facing an Arkansas team ranked No. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators The Shockers voted 76-1 to continue the season against Arkansas in Little Rock. Sports Reference Baseball; Football; Basketball; Hockey; Calcio; Blog; Stathead . Aboard the plane were the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and boosters. 1960s College Football Game Programs // Rare Books & Special Survivor Rick Stephens, a tackle on the 1970 team, has ridden his bicyle from Wichita to Colorado to raise money for the scholarship fund. I just knew he was going to be in trouble. Mary Lou Rutherford, witness, We just assumed thats the way it was when you fly in the mountains. and supporters who died in a plane crash Friday, October 2, 1970. The 1970 matchup was the most lopsided of a lopsided series, as Arkansas cruised to a 62-0 win. 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? Conrad Downing, Sports Information Director, Dale Mullen, Wichita Beacon sports writer, Bob Seaman, Coaching Staff - Offensive Coordinator. Kansas State football's veteran offensive line likely to return intact "I honor their memory every day," Lewis said. (AP file photo) This Oct. 2, 1970, file photo shows wreckage of a plane that carried members of the Wichita State University football team, in Silver Plume, Colo. Rusted and ragged pieces of . Wichita Falls Coyotes State Champions: 1941 1949 1950 1958 1961 1969 1961 Schedule Record: 10-0-0 Head Coach: Joe Golding Vs Common Opponents (See All) Click on teams to see side-by-side scores. It is also available at watch.kpts.org. Dorothy Harmon She served as interim athletic director after the crash. I Wichita State Shockers football - American Football Database 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Buy 1 Month, Get 2 additional Months FREE. The Shockers have won five Missouri Valley Conference football championships. By the numbers. 1970 Wichita State Shockers Roster | College Football at Sports But I dont feel badly about anything I did. co-pilot Ronald Skipper. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. Tragedy struck the Aggies before the 1970 season as all-SWC defensive end Mike DeNiro died in a car crash. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team - Wikiwand We will take a step back in time and look back at something that happened in Razorbacks history. Richard Taylor Minister at University United Methodist Church, he knew many of the players, coaches and administrators on the plane. On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium. The crash claimed the lives of 31 members of the Wichita State University football team. 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. I think about them all the time. Bruce Gerleman, I have just felt bad about those other kids dying and me living. A: The Gold plane carried the starters, coach Ben Wilson and athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer. Do you have a sports website? 9-ranked football team the Arkansas Razorbacks. A: The Wichita Eagle archives many stories and pictures from its coverage at www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/. [15] Thirty-one persons were killed in the crash, including the following 14 players:[16][17], The fatalities also included head coach Ben Wilson (and his wife Helen), athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer (and his wife Marian), team manager Marty Harrison (age 19), team trainer Tom Reeves, admissions director Carl Fahrbach, ticket manager Floyd Farmer, Shocker Club chairman Ray Coleman (and his wife Maxine), Kansas state representative Ray King (and his wife Yvonne), the plane's pilot Dan Crocker, and two stewardesses.[17][24]. Tolle made it look like 1993 all over again at Eck Stadium on Saturday, doing his best Darren Dreifort impression. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. 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. 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. 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? All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Forgotten tragedy: Survivors' quest to keep memoires of 1970 Wichita The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the crash. Steam floated off their sweat-drenched heads, and a holler could be heard for the water boy. [11], When Willie Jeffries became Wichita States head coach in 1979, he became the first African-American head coach of a Division I-A football program. How journalists remember 1970 WSU plane crash | Wichita State News To read last week's Throwback Thursday on the previous nine times Arkansas and Texas A&M played when both were ranked, click here. line. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. 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 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? KPTS will show its 2009 documentary Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash at 8 p.m. Friday. 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. Texas A&M Sports Information. Reeves died Oct. 5 in a Wheat Ridge, Colo., hospital. After starting all 14 games for Michigan in 2021 and injuring his knee three games into 2022, Cade McNamara looks at his move to Iowa as a fresh start. This is an opportunity to put the events in the publics mind, Stephens said in 2014. 1970 | Texas A&M Football History | myaggienation.com [7] The Arkansas crowd cheered for the effort demonstrated by Wichita State, and Arkansas coach Frank Broyles benched his first team after seven minutes and used 61 players in the game. 9 Arkansas on Oct. 24. The first official football game played by Wichita State was in 1897, when they were known as Fairmount, under the coaching of T. H. Morrison. The Gold aircraft carried the starting players, head coach and athletic director. The stadium is still used by the schools track and field, soccer, and lacrosse programs. The team was known as Fairmount from its first season in 1897 to 1925 and Wichita from 1926 through 1963. Marvin Brown, 19, Solomon, sophomore tailback, Don Christian, 20, Duncan, Okla., junior defensive back, John Duren, 19, Oklahoma City, sophomore end, Ron Johnson, 21, Kansas City, Mo., senior safety, Randy Kiesau, 20, Clinton, Okla., junior defensive back, Mal Kimmel, 21, St. Genevieve, Mo., senior center, Carl Krueger, 19, Chicago, sophomore tackle, Steve Moore, 21, Derby, senior linebacker, Tom Owen, 20, Temple Terrace, Fla., junior running back, Gene Robinson, 21, Dayton, Ohio, junior end, Tom Shedden, 20, Oklahoma City, junior tackle, Richard Stines, 19, Kansas City, Kan., sophomore guard, John Taylor, 21, Sherman, Texas, senior cornerback, Jack Vetter, 21, McPherson, senior tackle. 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. [14] Prior to the start of the season, second-year head coach Ben Wilson described his squad as a young club with good team speed, room to improve, and "a chance to surprise a lot of people."[13]. Homecomings are exciting times, Father, whether it be a homecoming with you when the game of life is over or whether it be a grand homecoming with this tremendous crowd today at Wichita State University. The Shockers started seven freshmen and 10 sophomores and scored five points on a 37-yard field goal by John Potts and a safety when Cincinnati quarterback Bill Carter was tackled in the end zone. Tolley was Marshall's head football coach when the team's plane crashed in 1970 killing all 75 people aboard. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. 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. All rights reserved. This week, we take a look back at Arkansas' game against Wichita State in 1970. A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshall's football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. The 1970 Wichita Shockers football teamwas an American footballteam that represented Wichita State Universityas a member of the Missouri Valley Conferenceduring the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. We will use old editions of the "Arkansas Recruiting Report" compiled by Otis Kirk during the 1990s, as well as newspaper reports accessed via microfilm, oral stories and other sources. State Champs | Kansas High School Football History Description: . A sardine dinner proved irresistible, Drunken pyros unite! Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. John Hoheisel, linebacker and team captain. And thats only because I had to. Randy Jackson, You get used to sounds in the valley. Maybe they should leave it just the way it is.. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. The Utah State football team held a brief memorial service at the stadium where the He died two days later. 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team - Wikipedia @ WordDisk Find out more. A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team had crashed. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It wasnt a great team to begin with. Valley Conference. www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/, 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, 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, Bob Lutz: Bob Seaman kept Shocker football going in the wake of 1970s tragic plane crash, Payton Tolle delivers one of the best two-way games in Wichita State baseball history, About that bloody fetus picture you found on your car . In the afterglow of Kansas State's remarkable 2022 football season, some pieces are starting to fall into place for next year. A: The Black plane followed the original flight plan, north toward Laramie, Wyo., to gain altitude before crossing the Rockies. [38] The remaining portion of the schedule was designated the "second season. Or write about sports? I feel badly that we were even flying the team that day. The only time I ever have is in the (NFL). [37], After the crash, the team's scheduled games against Utah State and Southern Illinois were cancelled. Q: Did the crash contribute to Wichita State dropping football after the 1986 season? "[7] The Los Angeles Times reported that there was much kicking and that the game was considered much safer than regular play, but that the new rule was not "conducive to the sport."[8]. [3] They followed with losses to Arkansas State on September 19 and West Texas State on September 26. Could have been on Rusty Featherstone's list. Eight players and the co-pilot survived. . Check out the detailed 2000-01 Wichita State Shockers Roster and Stats for College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. [34] Classes at Wichita State were canceled for Monday, October 5, and a memorial service was held that evening at the school's Cessna Stadium. Id say Wichita State and they would say, Thats the school that had the plane crash, wasnt it? Id say, Yeah, it sure was. But nothing else, because I didnt want to talk about it. Dave Lewis, In almost every conversation, when people ask you where you went to school, they remember the crash and ask about it. . The Shockers only points were scored in the first quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tom Owen to Eddie Plopa. However, the Cardinals came back to win the game by a 3424 score.[12]. Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection Six years later, the Shockers dropped their football program and have not played since. The team's statistical leaders included Rick Baehr with 513 passing yards, Don Gilley with 290 rushing yards and 12 points scored, Bill Moore with 175 receiving yards. Remembering the 1970 Wichita State football plane crash I headed down the mountain to get help and a pickup came and took me up to a construction site where we called for help.". Find out the latest on your favorite NCAAB players on . Utah State placed a memorial wreath at the 50-yard line at its football stadium. Marshall lost, 17-14. [12], On December 2, 1986, Wichita State President Warren Armstrong announced that the university would no longer sponsor football due to the financial strain the program placed on the university. Be sure to enjoy VIP access to Hawgs247 with our Buy 1 Month, Get 2 additional Months FREE promotional offer. The show depicts the Shockers winning a national championship at the NCAA Division II level under the titular character.[23]. Its just something you live with all the time. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Few times has a home crowd openly cheered for the visitors. The two planes traveled to Denver, Colo., to refuel. Of the 31 people killed, 14 were Wichita State football players. 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. Two airplane crashes in 1970 devastated two college football teams teacher and coach at Robinson Middle School, he died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer. I feel badly that it happened, of course. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Wichita State Shockers football - Wikipedia Caden Henderson NCAA Stats Splits: Stat Type: Pace Adjusted Season View The team was headed to Logan, Utah, for a game the next day against Utah State. Orville Henry of the Arkansas Gazette wrote that WSU entered the stadium in a single-file line to a minute-long standing ovation from the crowd of 40,000. Remembering the 1970 Wichita State football plane crash With permission from the NCAA, the Shockers played seven freshmen in their starting lineup. Wichita Photos 24 with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock at the War Memorial Stadium. The experiment was considered a failure. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Can you list the top facts and stats about 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team? The first year of Wichita State Shockers football was in 1895. They fielded a football team every year from 1895-1942 and 1944-1986. Remembering the 31 - Wichita State Athletics On Oct. 2, 1970, two airplanes, dubbed Gold and Black for the colors of Wichita State University, were carrying players, boosters, coaches and others to Utah for a football game against Utah State. 1970 Wichita State Shockers Roster | College Football at Sports-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1970 Wichita State Shockers Roster Previous Year Next Year Record: 0-9 (123rd of 123) ( Schedule & Results ) Conference: MVC Conference Record: 0-4 Coach: Ben Wilson (0-9) Points For: 99 Points/G: 11.0 (116th of 123) Points Against: 381 If you have this information and would like to share