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.". The stadium is still used by the schools track and field, soccer, and lacrosse programs. [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]. It wasnt a great team to begin with. A little more than a month after Wichita State's tragedy, a plane carrying the Marshall football team crashed and killed all 75 people on board, including 37 players and nine members of the coaching staff. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. That event is the subject of the 2006 movie "We Are Marshall," starring Matthew McConaughey. 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? But it was a team that hung together. John Yeros, The friendships and bonds forged have been a very important of all our lives. Trailing 216 in the fourth quarter, Wichita's freshman quarterback Tom Owen threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to wingback Tim Thissen to narrow the score to 2112. Thirty-one people died as a result of the crash: 14 players, 14 WSU staff and boosters, and three crew members. Wichita State wore black jerseys, normally reserved for home games, for all six remaining games. He died two days later. However, at that point on the flight path, the crew would have been unable to see that the valley ended at Loveland Pass, and thus they proceeded into an area from which an escape was not possible. NTSB report, I feel I did everything that I could have done in the situation. 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. Survivor Rick Stephens, a tackle on the 1970 team, has ridden his bicyle from Wichita to Colorado to raise money for the scholarship fund. The visiting Shockers fumbled the football an incredible 17 times, with the Seminoles recovering 10 times. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The two planes traveled to Denver, Colo., to refuel. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators 10/04/1970: Wichita, KS: Southeast: 6'5" 240: 99: Alonzo Spellman: DE: 9/27/1971: Mt. The NCAA allowed WSU to play freshmen, who were ineligible at the time by NCAA rule. We present them here for purely educational purposes. And when I heard that airplane, I knew there was something different. In the afterglow of Kansas State's remarkable 2022 football season, some pieces are starting to fall into place for next year. The Shockers took 46 players to the game, 39 of them freshmen and sophomores. Utah State placed a memorial wreath at the 50-yard line at its football stadium. 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 2006 movie, We Are Marshall, depicted the aftermath of the crash. really had to, essentially, trust myself. 1 Houston, How Wichita State basketball coach Billy Kennedy hasnt let Parkinsons slow him down, While others shy away, Wichita States Craig Porter sees opportunity in the mid-range, Who I do it for: WSUs Jaron Pierre puts on a show for family in New Orleans homecoming. Wichita State cancelled its games against Utah State (Oct. 3) and Southern Illinois (Oct. 10) and moved its game against Cincinnati from Oct. 17 to Oct. 31. (AP Photo/File)AP. 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. The official 1970 Football Roster for the North Dakota State Bison It landed in Logan. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Self Proclaimed or Named by Newspaper Champions: 1937: Pittsburg (10-1) / Bishop Ward (7-0-1) / Great Bend (9-0) 1936: Pittsburg (11-1) 1935: Chanute (8-0) 1934: Wichita North (8-0) 1933: Wyandotte (9-0) / Pittsburg (11-0) 1932: Wyandotte (8-0-1) 1931: 1930: Topeka 1929: El Dorado (8-0) / Topeka (7-0) / Independence (9-0) 1928: Lawrence (7-0) / El Dorado (9-0) A fictional version of the program is shown in the Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso. The university had a contract with Golden Eagle Aviation to provide a Douglas DC-6B to transport the team to away games. A fireman looks over the wreckage of a DC-9 jet that was carrying the Marshall University football team in Kenova, W.Va., on Nov. 15, 1970. game was to be played Saturday and placed a black and yellow wreath on the 50-yard With permission from the NCAA, the Shockers played seven freshmen in their starting lineup. The NTSB also cited the overloaded condition of the plane and a virtual absence of planning by the flight crew. school at this time. Richard Taylor Minister at University United Methodist Church, he knew many of the players, coaches and administrators on the plane. 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. Six years later, the Shockers dropped their football program and have not played since. Q: How can I learn more about the plane crash? Wichita State has won fourteen conference titles. But I dont feel badly about anything I did. co-pilot Ronald Skipper. Steam floated off their sweat-drenched heads, and a holler could be heard for the water boy. Find out more. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. WSU players spent the night in Logan The main thing is that people take a few minutes to remember. 9-ranked football team the Arkansas Razorbacks. [41], On October 31, the Shockers lost by at 355 score to Cincinnati before a homecoming crowd of 27,210. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS, Virginia Tech head football coach Frank Beamer places a memorial stone in honor of former Va Tech players Frank Loria and Rick Tolley at the Marshall memorial site at Springhill Cemetery in Huntington, W.Va. on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011. 9 Arkansas had the plane carrying their starters not crashed three weeks before, but it was even more pronounced with the young players they were forced to use. The pilots of the Gold plane changed their flight plan, deciding to give their passengers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains. Facing an Arkansas team ranked No. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. [9], On November 14, Wichita lost to Memphis State by a 516 score. ABC televised the event with Monty Hall as host. Can you list the top facts and stats about 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team? 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. According to several newspaper accounts, the. It is also available at watch.kpts.org. 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.. Two planes carrying Wichita State University football players, coaches, administrators and fans refueled on Oct. 2, 1970, in Denver. Some of the wreckage remains on the side of Mount Trelease and memorial on I-70 marks the area. 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. 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. 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? with Utah State University. The NTSB estimated the plane exceeded its takeoff weight limitation by around 5,165 pounds. Do you have a sports website? All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. 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. All 75 on board were killed. FILE - In this Oct. 3, 1970, file photo, a charred Wichita State University football helmet is shown amid the wreckage of a plane that crashed in Silver Plume, Colo. Six weeks later, on Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying members of the Marshall football team crashed. They met Wichita coming the other way. 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 Wichita State University 2023. In one of the worst tragedies of college sports history, a plane carrying WSU football The crash site is about a 575-mile drive from Wichita and is above I-70 on the north side of the highway, sitting on public land in the Arapaho National Forest. And it was dedicated to all those guys who didnt make it.. Lettermen from the 1970 FSU Football Handbook, page 41. . 84 defensive end Pete Naputano was a junior from Altoona who was on the injured list and not on the plane. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. at Cessna Stadium. Maybe they should leave it just the way it is.. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider) [2] [3] They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference until the program was discontinued. A plane was made available by Governor Docking to take university officials and family . Randy Jackson One of the eight surviving players, Jackson led the Shockers in rushing in 1971 with 820 yards, then the second-highest total in program history, and eight touchdowns. However, the Cardinals came back to win the game by a 3424 score.[12]. Player Randy Kiesau flew from Wichita to Denver on the Black plane, then changed to the Gold plane. Radio voice Gus Grebe was supposed to ride on the Gold plane, but was late arriving and flew on the Black plane. 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. A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshalls football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. Former T. C. Williams High School football coach Herman Boone, who was portrayed by Denzel Washington in the film Remember the Titans, compared Jeffriess hiring to that of Jackie Robinson signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Arkansas' fans refrained from calling the Hogs as they supported the Shockers. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Utah State football team held a brief memorial service at the stadium where the Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. 1970-71 Wichita State Roster and Stats Previous Season Next Season Record: 10-16 (0-0, in MVC ) Coach: Gary Thompson PS/G: 80.0 (82nd of 206) PA/G: 80.0 (136th of 206) SRS: 1.65 (81st of 203) SOS: 1.61 (80th of 203) Wichita State School History Roster & Stats Polls, Schedule & Results On this page: Roster Per Game Team and Opponent Stats Per Game This is an opportunity to put the events in the publics mind, Stephens said in 2014. We acknowledge you as a real and important part of both. It was bigger than most planes we get down here and flying a lot lower. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. But, the DC-6 was damaged so the aviation company opted to use two Martin 4-0-4 aircraft. By the numbers. Wichita State's 2017 move to the American Athletic Conference leaves it as the only full member of the conference which does not play football. it with us, please let us know. Q: Why did Wichita State resume its season? Only nine people - including eight players - survived. 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 SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. | Opinion, Rare critter eluded Kansas biologists for years. Twenty-nine persons died Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? The Shockers have won five Missouri Valley Conference football championships. [37], After the crash, the team's scheduled games against Utah State and Southern Illinois were cancelled. Tolle made it look like 1993 all over again at Eck Stadium on Saturday, doing his best Darren Dreifort impression. A longtime P.E. [36] At the end of the season, a nationally televised fundraising program hosted by Monty Hall was aired to raise money for the victims of the two crashes. 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. Valley Conference. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. Hugh McElroy, who that week became the . 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. Those that died they wouldnt have wanted us to quit. teacher and coach at Robinson Middle School, he died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer.