On Nov. 28, 1970, Levitt Arena hosted A Night of Stars benefit for the victims of the Wichita State and Marshall University plane crashes. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. 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. 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. with Utah State University. To read last week's Throwback Thursday on the previous nine times Arkansas and Texas A&M played when both were ranked, click here. The only time I ever have is in the (NFL). It landed in Logan. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. All 75 on board were killed. the "Second Season." The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the . 9-ranked football team the Arkansas Razorbacks. Twenty-nine died at the scene. The pilots of the doomed aircraft were blamed for the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. It crashed around 1 p.m. about 40 miles west of Denver on Mount Trelease. If you have this information and would like to share YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. A: The Wichita Eagle archives many stories and pictures from its coverage at www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He earned All-MVC honors as a senior and played three seasons in the NFL. 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Those that died they wouldnt have wanted us to quit. Quality local journalism has never been more important. Keywords: Wichita, education, people. [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]. Fewer people are familiar with another football tragedy that happened the month before the crash of an airplane carrying Wichita State University football players. I would be somewhere and someone would ask me where I went to school. 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? Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. Rev. at Cessna Stadium. This is a weekly feature at Hawgs247. Caden Henderson NCAA Stats Splits: Stat Type: Pace Adjusted Season View The "Gold" plane carrying the first-team players and staff crashed in Colorado's Loveland Pass. We know you hear with us the thrill and excitement of the game. Q: What is the significance of the Gold and Black designations for the planes? As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. . [13] Hoheisel, who was described by coach Wilson in the preseason as "the heart and soul of our defense",[13] was selected as the team captain. 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 The plane crashed on Mount Trelease, west of Denver in the Arapaho National Forest. "[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]. In 2008, Howard Johnson, father of victim Ron Johnson, dedicated a stage musical called Waltzing in Heaven to the 1970 team in memory of his son. Wichita State football players arrive at their Little Rock, Ark., hotel on Oct. 23, 1970, exactly three weeks after the plane crash that killed 14 teammates and 17 others. 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. 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 plunging the university and community into grief. But, the DC-6 was damaged so the aviation company opted to use two Martin 4-0-4 aircraft. Florida State and Wichita State wallowed around in the slop looking for the football. Do you have a sports website? Two planes carrying Wichita State University football players, coaches, administrators and fans refueled on Oct. 2, 1970, in Denver. Information and quotes from this compilation gathered from stories published by The Wichita Eagle. In the afterglow of Kansas State's remarkable 2022 football season, some pieces are starting to fall into place for next year. Classes were cancelled Monday, October 5, and a memorial game was to be played Saturday and placed a black and yellow wreath on the 50-yard Find . The NCAA allowed WSU to play freshmen, who were ineligible at the time by NCAA rule. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Dubbed the "Second Season," Wichita State took 46 players 39 of them freshmen and sophomores to Little Rock to face No. The Shockers have won five Missouri Valley Conference football championships. The Shockers played in three bowl games and had an 03 record. In 1986, president Warren Armstrong said the football program lost $839,000. 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. [9], On November 14, Wichita lost to Memphis State by a 516 score. The main thing is that people take a few minutes to remember. All rights reserved. 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. I feel badly that we were even flying the team that day. "[9] According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two. For information, please contact us at: Wichita State University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0068 [2] [3] They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference until the program was discontinued. teacher and coach at Robinson Middle School, he died in 2010 from pancreatic cancer. (AP Photo/Randy Snyder)AP. The 1970 team had a 3-6. Full Wichita State Shockers roster for the 2022-23 season including position, height, weight, birthdate, years of experience, and college. Make sure you're in the loop --- take five seconds to Sign up for our FREE Razorbacks newsletter now!). The football players decided to continue the season, which was later designated as The experiment was considered a failure. Trainer Tom Reeves and athlete John Taylor died later in hospitals after suffering burns. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. 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. The highlight of the game for Wichita was a 105-yard kickoff return by tailback Don Gilley in the first quarter. A list of the 31 people killed in the Wichita State football plane crash on Oct. 2, 1970. Register for free to see them all, or buy a printed copy of yearbooks from West High School from Wichita, Kansas today. Some of the wreckage remains on the side of Mount Trelease and memorial on I-70 marks the area. The MVC dropped football to NCAA Division I-AA status in 1985, leaving WSU an independent in its final season. There was talk over the summer about reviving the football program. (AP Photo/File)AP. John Hoheisel, linebacker and team captain. The Arkansas players were clearly affected by the events that transpired, evidenced by a story written by James Thompson, another Arkansas Gazette journalist. [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. Of the 40 people on board, 29 died at the scene and two died later. The Shockers voted 76-1 to continue the season against Arkansas in Little Rock. Tolley was Marshall's head football coach when the team's plane crashed in 1970 killing all 75 people aboard. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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. Senior center Hayden Gillum became the first to make the leap, announcing Friday on social media that he will be back for the . Judy Dunn, 39, Oklahoma City, flight attendant, Judy Lane, 28, Oklahoma City, flight attendant, Oct. 31: Cincinnati 35, WSU 5 (moved from Oct. 17), Leading passer: Rick Baehr, 43 of 121, 514 yards, Leading receiver: Bill Moore, 12 for 175 yards, Honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Conference: C Kelly Cook, RB Don Gilley, DT Don Pankratz, LB George Whitfield, LB Bruce Gerleman. A marker on I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel is close to the crash site in Colorado. . 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. 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. He died two days later. Wichita State was playing its first game since head coach Ben Wilson, athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer, 14 players and 15 other people died in a plane crash on Oct. 2, 1970 en route to a game at Utah State. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators 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 Wichita State Shockers football team was the college football program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. 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. 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? The unfortunate loss of 31 fine individuals deserves to be remembered.. 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. Out of that great loss came a strength that was given to each survivor, to each member of the athletic administration, she said. The team was known as Fairmount from its first season in 1897 to 1925 and Wichita from 1926 through 1963. [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. A longtime P.E. Randy Jackson, fullback, Atlanta, Texas - escaped through a hole in the fuselage; hospitalized in serious condition after the crash with deep lacerations on his face and multiple bruises; Glenn Kostal, linebacker, Chicago - dug his way out from under a pile of debris, dirt and tree limbs and crawled through a rip in the fuselage; sustained a broken leg, Dave Lewis, lineman, Duncan, Oklahoma - listed in satisfactory condition after the crash, Rick Baehr, led the team with 513 passing yards, Don Gilley, led the team with 290 rushing yards and 12 points scored, Bill Moore, led the team with 12 receptions and 175 receiving yards, This page was last edited on 19 January 2023, at 23:20. Holly, NJ: Rancocas Valley Regional: . A: Other factors budget woes,losing records, low attendance and loss of conference affiliation caused the demise of football. A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshalls football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. 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. hands of the football players, university officials and eligibility rules. Wichita's freshman quarterback Rick Baher also threw two touchdown passes, and John Potts kicked a 47-yard field goal. I The elevation of the site is 10,750 feet. Join our linker program. All rights reserved. Utah. 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. [8], On November 7, the Shockers showed marked improvement in a 2112 loss to Tulsa. When the clock ticked off the final second, the Razorbacks exploded to midfield, Thompson wrote. They met Wichita coming the other way. Date Original: Circa 1970. It was the first night football game played west of the Mississippi River. Wichita State University football players. On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules.