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| Marshall's Joe Hood started attracting attention from NFL scouts in 1970 as a multi-talented running back in his first varsity season as a sophomore. (Herald-Dispatch photo archives) |
Wow, here we are. Fifty years -- to the day -- after the fact.
A half-a-century has passed since November 14, 1970. It was a gut-wrenching night when Marshall University lost most of its football team in a fiery plane crash.
Time did not stand still in the wake of the tragedy. Yet, there are still those occasions when I'm frozen in time as I think about my life as a 20-year old ex-college jock at MU.
Two years before the tragedy, I was part of a new wave of football at Marshall. I was on that 1968 freshman team that went undefeated and had all of Huntington, West Virginia in constant buzz mode.
There was excitement galore about what Thundering Herd football would be like in the immediate future.
The high hopes of the team's followers, however, took a big hit in the summer of 1969. Marshall was axed from the Mid-American Conference for recruiting violations. The NCAA came down hard with sanctions which severely limited the program's ability to woo enough top-flight athletes who could make a difference right away.
The Herd, though, still had ample talent on board for 1970. As things turned out, roster depth became an issue when injuries sidelined key personnel.
Even so, Marshall proved to be a pesky opponent. Even in defeat, there was a calm confidence that better days were coming soon.
Unforgettable night
But then came the crash. There were no survivors among the 75 passengers. All but a handful of players on the 1970 varsity team died when Marshall's charter jet slammed into the side of a hill as it attempted to make a landing at Tri-State Airport.
In spite of the substantial losses, Marshall made the decision to keep football alive. But the process to achieve stardom was woefully slow and often painful. It would take more than a decade after the crash before the Herd produced a winning season.
Quite a journey
Personally, it's been a thrilling experience. I played two years as a safety for the Herd. When I stepped away from the game, I became an intrigued observer. As a result, I've been an eye-witness to arguably the most inspired comeback story in the annals of sports at any level.
That gives me plenty of reasons to never forget
It's appropriate to acknowledge and pay homage to those who perished on that chilly, rainy and foggy night from so long ago. And for me, it will never get old.
The memories from my time at Marshall are as vivid as ever. And I'm so glad about it. Here's my tip of the hat to the 75.
-Craig T. Greenlee
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