[1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in . They met Wichita coming the other way. 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. Description: . This story was originally published October 1, 2015, 12:36 PM. Wichita State University 1970 Football Team Airplane Crash Tragedy. That meant the Arkansas game was the beginning of what the Shockers were calling their "Second Season," in which they obtained special permission from the NCAA and Missouri Valley Conference to play freshmen, who were ineligible for varsity play back then. Wichita State University 2023. (AP Photo/Henry Griffin)AP. 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 SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Wichita State did not play Arkansas again until 1980, when the Razorbacks won 27-7 in Fayetteville. "[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]. [16], In 1998, an advisory committee at Wichita State recommended reinstating the football program at Wichita State after a 15-month study for $70,000. Once there, the senior parked his car and . I would be somewhere and someone would ask me where I went to school. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. All 75 people aboard were killed. But it was a team that hung together. John Yeros, The friendships and bonds forged have been a very important of all our lives. 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. 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. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. [10], On November 21, the Shockers lost to North Texas State by a 4124 score. Its just something you live with all the time. The stadium is still used by the schools track and field, soccer, and lacrosse programs. The pilots of the Gold plane changed their flight plan, deciding to give their passengers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains. 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team - Wikipedia @ WordDisk "[9] According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two. 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. The game with Utah State was cancelled. "I look up there and think of them." Lewis could have been on the list. A longtime P.E. [40], On October 24, 1970, the team played the first game after the crash. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. This week, we take a look back at Arkansas' game against Wichita State in 1970. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. The Shockers took 46 players to the game, 39 of them freshmen and sophomores. I feel badly that it happened, of course. The first year of Wichita State Shockers football was in 1895. 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. [3] They followed with losses to Arkansas State on September 19 and West Texas State on September 26. Wichita State Shockers football - American Football Database Tragedy struck the Aggies before the 1970 season as all-SWC defensive end Mike DeNiro died in a car crash. Remembering the 31 - Wichita State Athletics 50 years later, Wichita State football team's crash site on a Colorado 1969 Roster - By Number From the 1969 FSU Football Handbook, page 42. . "[39] Assistant coach Bob Seaman took over as the team's head coach after the crash. Each year, the university holds a ceremony on campus at the Memorial 70 monument. Do you have a blog? Taylor,. By the half, the freshmen were veterans. Mike Kennedy remembers when the paper bearing the Associated Press bulletin came over the wire in the KMUW radio newsroom on that October day in 1970. 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. 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 Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. However, the Cardinals came back to win the game by a 3424 score.[12]. Hey, theyre cheering for us, commented a Wichita footballer as the red wave of Razorback fans cheered the Wheatshockers onto the field. If you have this information and would like to share Caden Henderson NCAA Stats, Lurleen B. Wallace CC - RealGM We will take a step back in time and look back at something that happened in Razorbacks history. [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. 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.[2]. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). (AP Photo/Chris Schneider) Marshall lost, 17-14. The event was organized by former Wichita State player John Potts and former Arkansas player Chuck Dicus, according to The Wichita Eagle. 9 Arkansas on Oct. 24. Members of the 1970 Wichita State and Arkansas teams will have a reunion at War Memorial Stadium this weekend for the Alcorn State game. . 1970-71 Men, 1958-59 Men, 2008-09 Women, 1975-76 Men, 1995-96 . Only nine people - including eight players - survived. 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. Q: What is the significance of the Gold and Black designations for the planes? Join our linker program. Quality local journalism has never been more important. ABC televised the event with Monty Hall as host. It was - and still is - the largest shutout victory for Arkansas since 1947. In one of the worst tragedies of college sports history, a plane carrying WSU football players, athletic staff members and team boosters crashed at approximately 3 p.m. on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado while en route to Logan, Utah for a game with Utah State University. Conrad Downing, Sports Information Director, Dale Mullen, Wichita Beacon sports writer, Bob Seaman, Coaching Staff - Offensive Coordinator. The highlight of the game for Wichita was a 105-yard kickoff return by tailback Don Gilley in the first quarter. The Shockers voted 76-1 to continue the season against Arkansas in Little Rock. You really do. Mike Bruce, I hate like hell to fly. I However, the surviving members of the team voted 76-to-1 to complete the 1970 schedule. (AP Photo/File)AP. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses. The team was known as Fairmount from its first season in 1897 to 1925 and Wichita from 1926 through 1963. Two planes carrying Wichita State University football players, coaches, administrators and fans refueled on Oct. 2, 1970, in Denver. [17], In 2006, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans proposed to use public funds to restart the football program at Wichita State. And it was dedicated to all those guys who didnt make it.. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. A plane was made available by Governor Docking to take university officials and family 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. Make sure you're in the loop --- take five seconds to Sign up for our FREE Razorbacks newsletter now!). The show depicts the Shockers winning a national championship at the NCAA Division II level under the titular character.[23]. [38] The remaining portion of the schedule was designated the "second season. Utah. The NCAA Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. | Opinion, Rare critter eluded Kansas biologists for years. Information and quotes from this compilation gathered from stories published by The Wichita Eagle. The visiting Shockers fumbled the football an incredible 17 times, with the Seminoles recovering 10 times. As a former starter, he asked to move to sit with his friends. Date Original: Circa 1970. 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. (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 . [2] [3] They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference until the program was discontinued. The two planes traveled to Denver, Colo., to refuel. See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. 24 with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock at the War Memorial Stadium. All rights reserved (About Us). A: The Wichita Eagle archives many stories and pictures from its coverage at www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/. 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. [5] Fairmount won the game 240.[6]. and supporters who died in a plane crash Friday, October 2, 1970. Wichita's freshman quarterback Rick Baher also threw two touchdown passes, and John Potts kicked a 47-yard field goal. Cheers in this stadium have turned to tears and back again to cheers and all are a part of life.. 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team - Wikiwand [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. The Arkansas players were clearly affected by the events that transpired, evidenced by a story written by James Thompson, another Arkansas Gazette journalist. 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. Do you have a blog? [35], The following month, Southern Airways Flight 932 carrying the Marshall University football team crashed, killing 37 members of that team. Looking back on it, while we were admiring the strength of the character of the players who carried on, we did not see the pain underneath.. 'I don't want it to be forgotten': TC man avoided fatal 1970 Wichita We acknowledge you as a real and important part of both. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Matthew McConaughey stars as new head football coach Jack Lengyel who was brought in to rebuild the team. A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshalls football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. We do not have detailed roster information for this [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. He conducted a memorial service and wrote Homecoming Prayer, which was read at the first home game after the crash. The Shockers have won five Missouri Valley Conference football championships. Gallery: Marshall University 1970 football team action 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. [21], Wichita State won fourteen conference titles.[22]. 1970 Football Roster - NDSU 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. However, the aviation company did not own a DC-6 so it made arrangements to use one. A: The Gold plane carried the starters, coach Ben Wilson and athletic director Bert Katzenmeyer. As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. Texas A&M Sports Information. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. A marker on I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel is close to the crash site in Colorado. Or write about sports? It wasnt a great team to begin with. The plane crashed while trying to land at Tri-State Airport in Kenova, W.Va. Bulldozers plow through wreckage of the DC9 chartered jet that crashed in Kenova, W.V., Nov. 15, 1970. Utah State placed a memorial wreath at the 50-yard line at its football stadium. All rights reserved. He earned All-MVC honors as a senior and played three seasons in the NFL. Do you have a sports website? The Shockers played in three bowl games and had an 03 record. (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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Some of the wreckage remains on the side of Mount Trelease and memorial on I-70 marks the area. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. game was to be played Saturday and placed a black and yellow wreath on the 50-yard The future of the 1970 football season was in doubt, with the decision lying in the The football players decided to continue the season, which was later designated as 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. 2022-23 Men's Basketball Roster - Wichita State Athletics Skip To Main Content Pause All Rotators Skip To Main Content Wichita State Athletics Main Navigation Menu Menu Sports Baseball Basketball (M) Basketball (W) Cross Country Golf (M) Golf (W) Softball Tennis (M) Tennis (W) Track & Field Volleyball Tickets SHOCKER TICKET OFFICE The unfortunate loss of 31 fine individuals deserves to be remembered.. The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the crash. Trainer Tom Reeves and athlete John Taylor died later in hospitals after suffering burns. Aboard the plane were the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and boosters. Wichita State University Football Team Airplane Crash Collection 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) 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. Arkansas' fans refrained from calling the Hogs as they supported the Shockers. View Previous Seasons LSFN All-Time Record 466-287-31 President Clark Ahlberg and dean of students Jim Rhatigan The universitys leaders dealt with the crush of notifications, funerals and memorial services. The MVC dropped football to NCAA Division I-AA status in 1985, leaving WSU an independent in its final season. it with us, please let us know. '70 at 9 a.m. each October 2. [14], In 1992, a study was done on Cessna Stadium to comply with I-A football standards. It gave us a real release and a real outlet and a real focus, safety Bruce Gerleman said. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In 1986, president Warren Armstrong said the football program lost $839,000. Tramel: How 1970 Wichita State football plane crash survivors are 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. Maybe they should leave it just the way it is.. Three generations later, the secrets of Wichita State's devastating They reached the Final Four in 2013 and finished the 2013-14 regular season with a perfect 31-0 record. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. High quality and affordable tuition make Wichita State a great value. The good news for the Wildcats is the increasing likelihood their entire offensive line will return, including junior left guard Cooper Beebe. Two airplane crashes in 1970 devastated two college football teams Find out more. The two schools shared in the proceeds from the A Night of Stars benefit at Levitt Arena. The university had a contract with Golden Eagle Aviation to provide a Douglas DC-6B to transport the team to away games. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Flag hangs at half staff on Marshall University campus by bust of John Marshall, for whom school named, in tribute to the 75 people, including most of football squad, who were killed in a plane crash on Saturday, Nov. 16, 1970 in Huntington. This article uses material from the Wikipedia article 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team, and is written by contributors. Of the 31 people killed, 14 were Wichita State football players. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. Senior center Hayden Gillum became the first to make the leap, announcing Friday on social media that he will be back for the . Florida State and Wichita State wallowed around in the slop looking for the football. Wichita State has won fourteen conference titles. Wichita State has helped me put marketing strategy in a real-world perspective. The NCAA allowed WSU to play freshmen, who were ineligible at the time by NCAA rule. 1970-71 Wichita State Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports [18][19], In 2012, an attempt was made to begin a club-level football team at Wichita State with hopes of eventually reviving the football program, though no official endorsement was given by the university.[20]. The starters played only 18 snaps, long enough to build a 20-0 lead. [37], After the crash, the team's scheduled games against Utah State and Southern Illinois were cancelled. We were even joking about being so close to the ground, saying things like, Look, you can see the rabbits down there. Wichita State player Glenn Kostal, When we climbed out of the plane, I could tell with one quick look that I was in about the best condition. Bill Cosby, Kate Smith, Lou Rawls and Marilyn Maye performed and Ohio State coach Woody Hayes read a statement from president Richard Nixon. [2], 1970 NCAA University Division football season, 1970 Missouri Valley Conference football standings, Wichita State University football team plane crash. The Wichita State Shockers football team was the college football program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. List of Wichita . The elevation of the site is 10,750 feet. And thats only because I had to. Randy Jackson, You get used to sounds in the valley. [13] On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium.