1970 wichita state football roster 1970 wichita state football roster

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. [2] [3] They played their home games at Cessna Stadium and were members of the Missouri Valley Conference until the program was discontinued. 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. [15], In 1997, the cost was cited at $11 million to restart the football program and three other women's sports. The first game following the air tragedy was Saturday, October The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the crash. [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). Wichita State has helped me put marketing strategy in a real-world perspective. John Hoheisel, linebacker and team captain. Description: . medical attention for their injuries. Radio voice Gus Grebe was supposed to ride on the Gold plane, but was late arriving and flew on the Black plane. Of the 31 people killed, 14 were Wichita State football players. Members of the 1970 Wichita State and Arkansas teams will have a reunion at War Memorial Stadium this weekend for the Alcorn State game. It crashed around 1 p.m. about 40 miles west of Denver on Mount Trelease. Of the 40 people on board, 29 died at the scene and two died later. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. 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. He died two days later. 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. The Black airplane carried the reserve players and assistant coaches. 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. And when I heard that airplane, I knew there was something different. 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. For information, please contact us at: Wichita State University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0068 (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS. 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. "[39] Assistant coach Bob Seaman took over as the team's head coach after the crash. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. 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. Could have been on Rusty Featherstone's list. A: Other factors budget woes,losing records, low attendance and loss of conference affiliation caused the demise of football. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Six years later, the Shockers dropped their football program and have not played since. (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. Many of us are familiar with the Marshall University story from the 2006 movie We Are Marshall.. The pilots of the Gold plane changed their flight plan, deciding to give their passengers a scenic view of the Rocky Mountains. The highlight of the game for Wichita was a 105-yard kickoff return by tailback Don Gilley in the first quarter. Understanding the 1970 Wichita State football plane crash. 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. The Shockers were a common opponent for the Razorbacks in those days; they played five times between 1964 and 1980. 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. It wasnt a great team to begin with. 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. Find out the latest on your favorite NCAAB players on . 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. But they could not pull the overweight plane, a Martin 404, out of a box canyon. Wichita State wore black jerseys, normally reserved for home games, for all six remaining games. [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. Conrad Downing, Sports Information Director, Dale Mullen, Wichita Beacon sports writer, Bob Seaman, Coaching Staff - Offensive Coordinator. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. A plane carrying the Wichita State University football team had crashed. 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 . (AP Photo/Randy Snyder)AP. [17], In 2006, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans proposed to use public funds to restart the football program at Wichita State. 31 people were killed. Its almost like another memorial to them, with all of that still up there, teammate Ed Plopa said. 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). Wichita State's game against Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 24, 1970 was one of those times. The brief ceremony honors WSU football players, administrators The experiment was considered a failure. 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. The future of the 1970 football season was in doubt, with the decision lying in the The only time I ever have is in the (NFL). Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. And thats only because I had to. Randy Jackson, You get used to sounds in the valley. 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. Matthew McConaughey stars as new head football coach Jack Lengyel who was brought in to rebuild the team. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses. [37], After the crash, the team's scheduled games against Utah State and Southern Illinois were cancelled. [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]. at Cessna Stadium. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. players, athletic staff members and team boosters crashed at approximately 3 p.m. The NTSB said rain and poor visibility contributed to the . [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. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 6:41AM. However, the Cardinals came back to win the game by a 3424 score.[12]. According to Orville Henry's story in the following day's Arkansas Gazette, a crowd of 40,000 at War Memorial Stadium gave Wichita State's team - a 46-man roster with 19 freshmen and 20 sophomores - a minute-long standing ovation. 9 Arkansas on Oct. 24. Caden Henderson NCAA Stats Splits: Stat Type: Pace Adjusted Season View The 1970 team had a 3-6. . All rights reserved. Do you have a sports website? 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. It landed in Logan. Player Randy Kiesau flew from Wichita to Denver on the Black plane, then changed to the Gold plane. Fairmount defeated Wichita High School, now known as Wichita East, by a score of 124 in the only game played that year. Utah. Once there, the senior parked his car and . [9], On November 14, Wichita lost to Memphis State by a 516 score. The football players decided to continue the season, which was later designated as [1] The team played its home games at Cessna Stadium in . had no objection of using freshman in the remaining games; neither did the Missouri The unfortunate loss of 31 fine individuals deserves to be remembered.. Sports Reference Baseball; Football; Basketball; Hockey; Calcio; Blog; Stathead . We present them here for purely educational purposes. of the survivors to Denver. Ahlberg traveled to Colorado with the families to visit survivors and identify the dead. This article uses material from the Wikipedia article 1970 Wichita State Shockers football team, and is written by contributors. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Two planes carrying Wichita State University football players, coaches, administrators and fans refueled on Oct. 2, 1970, in Denver. 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. 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.. College Football at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [41], On October 31, the Shockers lost by at 355 score to Cincinnati before a homecoming crowd of 27,210. 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. Wichita State University 1970 Football Team Airplane Crash Tragedy. Those that died they wouldnt have wanted us to quit. Q: What is the significance of the Gold and Black designations for the planes? 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) Rev. The 1970 Wichita State University plane crash. The NTSB estimated the plane exceeded its takeoff weight limitation by around 5,165 pounds. Twenty-nine died at the scene. All 75 on board were killed. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. . Without football, the Shockers' basketball program has become a powerhouse. The NCAA allowed WSU to play freshmen, who were ineligible at the time by NCAA rule. 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 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. [35], The following month, Southern Airways Flight 932 carrying the Marshall University football team crashed, killing 37 members of that team. 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. Lettermen from the 1970 FSU Football Handbook, page 41. . Some school's results have been altered by retroactive NCAA penalties. In addition to the 14 players killed, eight other players survived the crash with varying degrees of injury: On the scheduled game day, the team held a memorial service at Romney Stadium in Logan and placed a wreath on the 50-yard line. Reeves, inducted in 1986 to the Shocker Sports Hall of Fame, is said to have helped several injured people after the crash. [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. All 75 people aboard were killed. It is also available at watch.kpts.org. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. They met Wichita coming the other way. Q: Did the crash contribute to Wichita State dropping football after the 1986 season? The 1970 matchup was the most lopsided of a lopsided series, as Arkansas cruised to a 62-0 win. 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. It was bigger than most planes we get down here and flying a lot lower. We need your support. In his history of the sport of football, David M. Nelson concluded that "the first forward passes were thrown at the end of the 1905 season in a game between Fairmount and Washburn colleges in Kansas. Q: How is the Wichita State crash connected to Marshall University in West Virginia? [13] On May 16, 2009 the Wichita State University alumni association held an all football players reunion at Cessna Stadium. 24 with the University of Arkansas Razorbacks in Little Rock at the War Memorial Stadium. [21], Wichita State won fourteen conference titles.[22]. '70 at 9 a.m. each October 2. Learn more. The event was organized by former Wichita State player John Potts and former Arkansas player Chuck Dicus, according to The Wichita Eagle. We acknowledge you as a real and important part of both. 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. A longtime P.E. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Taylor died Oct. 28 in a San Antonio hospital. The Gold aircraft carried the starting players, head coach and athletic director. on a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado while en route to Logan, Utah for a game Only nine people - including eight players - survived. 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 The crash claimed the lives of 31 members of the Wichita State University football team. The show depicts the Shockers winning a national championship at the NCAA Division II level under the titular character.[23]. 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. 10/04/1970: Wichita, KS: Southeast: 6'5" 240: 99: Alonzo Spellman: DE: 9/27/1971: Mt. Head coach Ben Wilson, 14 players, and 16 others died on October 2 in the Wichita State University football team plane crash. I would be somewhere and someone would ask me where I went to school. With permission from the NCAA, the Shockers played seven freshmen in their starting lineup. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. The site is accessible after a short hike and friends and family members still visit. 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. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Preview pages of the 1970 yearbook from West High School from Wichita, Kansas online. You really do. Mike Bruce, I hate like hell to fly. In an annual ceremony of remembrance, a wreath is placed at Wichita State's Memorial Trainer Tom Reeves and player John Taylor died later after receiving [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. A plane was made available by Governor Docking to take university officials and family See our list of forfeits and vacated games for more details. The Shockers went 6-5 in 1972 and didnt post another winning season until going 8-3 in 1983. However, the score took a backseat in this game. 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. The visiting Shockers fumbled the football an incredible 17 times, with the Seminoles recovering 10 times. 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 Shockers voted 76-1 to continue the season against Arkansas in Little Rock. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. 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? The National Transportation Safety Board issued this executive summary, The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the intentional operation of the aircraft over a mountain valley route at an altitude from which the aircraft could neither climb over the obstructing terrain ahead, nor execute a successful course reversal. Cheers in this stadium have turned to tears and back again to cheers and all are a part of life.. Keywords: Wichita, education, people. List of Wichita . We know you hear with us the thrill and excitement of the game. I think about them all the time. Bruce Gerleman, I have just felt bad about those other kids dying and me living. Were still all so close, and we do so much of that in their memory. A: The Black plane followed the original flight plan, north toward Laramie, Wyo., to gain altitude before crossing the Rockies. Thirty-one people died as a result of the crash: 14 players, 14 WSU staff and boosters, and three crew members. Do you have a sports website? . 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. [11], In the final game of the season, the Shockers took a 170 lead over Lee Corso's bowl-bound Louisville Cardinals. 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. As a matter of policy, Sports Reference only reports the results of games as played on the field. The main thing is that people take a few minutes to remember. 1986 Football Roster; Search for: 1990 Roster. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Trainer Tom Reeves and athlete John Taylor died later in hospitals after suffering burns. Facing an Arkansas team ranked No. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Bob Seaman took over as head coach after the crash. 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. This story was originally published October 1, 2015, 12:36 PM. 1970-71 Men, 1958-59 Men, 2008-09 Women, 1975-76 Men, 1995-96 . 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. with Utah State University. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986. The Wichita State Shockers football team was the college football program of Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. 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. Please consider supporting our work. Looking back on it, we probably expected the coaches to do way too much, Rhatigan said. . A: On Nov. 14, 1970, a plane carrying Marshalls football team back crashed near the airport in Huntington, W.V., killing 75 people. 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. Fewer people are familiar with another football tragedy that happened the month before the crash of an airplane carrying Wichita State University football players. 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. There was talk over the summer about reviving the football program. If you have this information and would like to share However, the surviving members of the team voted 76-to-1 to complete the 1970 schedule. KMUW, 89.1-FM, will broadcast The Pieces that Remain: Remembering the WSU Plane Crash, at 5 p.m. Friday. (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 . [14], In 1992, a study was done on Cessna Stadium to comply with I-A football standards. Out of that great loss came a strength that was given to each survivor, to each member of the athletic administration, she said. No plans have been made for the construction of a new multi-purpose athletic facility to replace the decrepit stadium. I feel badly that it happened, of course. This week, we take a look back at Arkansas' game against Wichita State in 1970. The Shockers fielded a team from 1897 to 1986.