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. And it was dedicated to all those guys who didnt make it.. Q: Why did Wichita State resume its season? Many of us are familiar with the Marshall University story from the 2006 movie We Are Marshall.. 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. hands of the football players, university officials and eligibility rules. Withers, according to the story, hooked up with junior defensive end Pete Naputano, who also stayed behind while nursing a biceps injury. Outland commented, "It seems to me that the distance required in three downs would almost eliminate touchdowns, except through fakes or flukes. Dubbed the "Second Season," Wichita State took 46 players 39 of them freshmen and sophomores to Little Rock to face No. line. View Previous Seasons LSFN All-Time Record 466-287-31 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. This is a weekly feature at Hawgs247. [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. 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 AP. The two planes traveled to Denver, Colo., to refuel. All rights reserved. It landed in Logan. 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 Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. I He died two days later. Sports Reference Baseball; Football; Basketball; Hockey; Calcio; Blog; Stathead . Survivor Rick Stephens, a tackle on the 1970 team, has ridden his bicyle from Wichita to Colorado to raise money for the scholarship fund. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Few times has a home crowd openly cheered for the visitors. 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. The Thomas A. Reeves Memorial Scholarship honors the Wichita State trainer who died in the crash. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:03AM. I feel badly that we were even flying the team that day. The Shockers would have likely still been over-matched against No. Find out more. With permission from the NCAA, the Shockers played seven freshmen in their starting lineup. 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. The pilots of the doomed aircraft were blamed for the accident by the National Transportation Safety Board. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. Valley Conference. 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. Join our linker program. As a former starter, he asked to move to sit with his friends. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Pennsylvania had a connection to the Marshall tragedy No. Twenty-nine persons died Wichita State University football players. . The Gold plane was taking a more scenic route, but the pilot encountered difficulty and was unable to pull the overweight aircraft out of a canyon. Twenty-nine died at the scene. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. . The NCAA allowed WSU to play freshmen, who were ineligible at the time by NCAA rule. The "Gold" plane, a Martin 404, carried 36 passengers and a crew of four. 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. (AP Photo/File)AP. Bill Cosby, Kate Smith, Lou Rawls and Marilyn Maye performed and Ohio State coach Woody Hayes read a statement from president Richard Nixon. Do you have a sports website? Keywords: Wichita, education, people. Senior center Hayden Gillum became the first to make the leap, announcing Friday on social media that he will be back for the . Or write about sports? Rev. 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. A marker on I-70 near the Eisenhower Tunnel is close to the crash site in Colorado. Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. 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.. The show depicts the Shockers winning a national championship at the NCAA Division II level under the titular character.[23]. Arkansas' fans refrained from calling the Hogs as they supported the Shockers. The team was headed to Logan, Utah, for a game the next day against Utah State. Lettermen from the 1970 FSU Football Handbook, page 41. . [11], In the final game of the season, the Shockers took a 170 lead over Lee Corso's bowl-bound Louisville Cardinals. On Nov. 28, 1970, Levitt Arena hosted A Night of Stars benefit for the victims of the Wichita State and Marshall University plane crashes. Football players and coaches on the "Black" plane were told of the crash by Bob Seaman, assistant coach, shortly after arrival in Logan, But I dont feel badly about anything I did. co-pilot Ronald Skipper. 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. 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. [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in Wichita, Kansas. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider) Only nine people - including eight players - survived. Wichita State has won fourteen conference titles. Q: What is the significance of the Gold and Black designations for the planes? The visiting Shockers fumbled the football an incredible 17 times, with the Seminoles recovering 10 times. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Description: . "[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]. The Shockers played in three bowl games and had an 03 record. Once there, the senior parked his car and . Or write about sports? The team compiled a 0-9 record , finished last out of five teams in the MVC, and was outscored by a total of 381 to 99. Bert Katzenmeyer, 52, Wichita, athletic director, Marian Katzenmeyer, 52, Wichita, wife of athletic director, Marty Harrison, 19, Argonia, team manager, Carl Fahrbach, 50, Wichita, dean of admissions, Floyd Farmer, 35, Wichita, ticket manager, Ray Coleman, 45, Wichita, chairman of Shocker Club, Maxine Coleman, 43, Wichita, wife of chairman, John Grooms, 42, Wichita, won membership drive, Etta Mae Grooms, 38, Wichita, won membership drive, Yvonne King, 41, Hesston, wife of state representative. 9 Arkansas on Oct. 24. Q: How did the Black plane reach Utah safely? 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 . Make sure you're in the loop --- take five seconds to Sign up for our FREE Razorbacks newsletter now!). Those that died they wouldnt have wanted us to quit. All Rights Reserved. Harmon, the first female member of the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame, worked as executive secretary, fieldhouse director, academic counselor and assistant to the athletic director. 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. Hey, theyre cheering for us, commented a Wichita footballer as the red wave of Razorback fans cheered the Wheatshockers onto the field. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Survivors of the crash were players Mike Bruce, John Hoheisel, Randy Jackson, Glenn Register for free to see them all, or buy a printed copy of yearbooks from West High School from Wichita, Kansas today. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. Find . Bill Husted, an Arkansas Democrat journalist at the game, observed several scenes in his front-page story. On October 2, 1970, airplane carrying Wichita State University football team crashed in Colorado Rocky Mountains killing 31 team members, supporters, coaches and airline personnel. However, the aviation company did not own a DC-6 so it made arrangements to use one. [13] On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium. Wichita State University 1970 Football Team Airplane Crash Tragedy. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. (What's happening with the Arkansas Razorbacks? Dorothy Harmon She served as interim athletic director after the crash. [2], The team included 22 returning lettermen led by junior quarterback Bob Renner, senior fullback Randy Jackson, and middle linebacker John Hoheisel. Aboard the plane were the Marshall University football team, coaching staff and boosters. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses. [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. The "Gold" plane carrying the first-team players and staff crashed in Colorado's Loveland Pass. I would be somewhere and someone would ask me where I went to school. The 1970 Wichita State University plane crash. 1990 Roster # Player Position Birthday Hometown High School Height Weight; 1: . 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. Taylor died Oct. 28 in a San Antonio hospital. But, the DC-6 was damaged so the aviation company opted to use two Martin 4-0-4 aircraft. However, the score took a backseat in this game. President Clark Ahlberg and dean of students Jim Rhatigan The universitys leaders dealt with the crush of notifications, funerals and memorial services. Information and quotes from this compilation gathered from stories published by The Wichita Eagle. Six years later, the Shockers dropped their football program and have not played since. [4], In the 1905 season, the Coleman Company set up temporary gas-powered lighting for a night game against Cooper College (now called the Sterling Warriors). Eight players and the co-pilot survived. Hugh McElroy, who that week became the . In 1986, president Warren Armstrong said the football program lost $839,000. The crash claimed the lives of 31 members of the Wichita State University football team. Trainer Tom Reeves and player John Taylor died later after receiving List of Wichita . "I look up there and think of them." Lewis could have been on the list. Of the 40 people on board, 29 died at the scene and two died later. 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. Could have been on Rusty Featherstone's list. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Fairmount defeated Wichita High School, now known as Wichita East, by a score of 124 in the only game played that year. The 2006 movie, We Are Marshall, depicted the aftermath of the crash. 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). The main thing is that people take a few minutes to remember. really had to, essentially, trust myself. This years is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday. 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. 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. 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. [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. 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. The 1970 matchup was the most lopsided of a lopsided series, as Arkansas cruised to a 62-0 win. A rescue worker probes though the wreckage of a plane crash in Silver Plume, Colo. on Oct. 2, 1970. The Shockers voted 76-1 to continue the season against Arkansas in Little Rock. Date Original: Circa 1970. A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team had crashed. All 75 people aboard were killed. Of the 31 people killed, 14 were Wichita State football players. game was to be played Saturday and placed a black and yellow wreath on the 50-yard 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. [15], In 1997, the cost was cited at $11 million to restart the football program and three other women's sports. In the afterglow of Kansas State's remarkable 2022 football season, some pieces are starting to fall into place for next year. The plane crashed on Mount Trelease, west of Denver in the Arapaho National Forest. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. Thirty-one people died as a result of the crash: 14 players, 14 WSU staff and boosters, and three crew members. 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 Maybe they should leave it just the way it is.. People can donate to the 70 Football Memorial Scholarship Fund at foundation.wichita.edu/give. A fictional version of the program is shown in the Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso. That event is the subject of the 2006 movie "We Are Marshall," starring Matthew McConaughey. This story was originally published October 1, 2015, 12:36 PM. KPTS will show its 2009 documentary Black & Gold: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash at 8 p.m. Friday. 31 people were killed. 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.