Author’s Note: Thought
I’d share this message I received from a Marshall alumnus. It never ceases to
amaze me how the story of the Marshall University football plane crash and its aftermath continues to resonate with
people of all ages, races and cultures.
Hello Craig,
This past Christmas, my wife bought me a copy of your book November Ever After. I cannot tell
you how much I loved your book! I have read probably a dozen or so books
on the subject of the 1970 plane crash, but your book included information
I had never heard about.
I thought I knew all there was to know about this tragedy
until I read your book. I had NO IDEA your freshman team at Marshall
was undefeated while the varsity played so poorly in 1968.
Just think of what kind of team you could have fielded in
1969 had there been no recruiting scandal! I also had no clue about the
racial tension on campus at the time. I assumed there was, as that was
happening on college campuses all over the U.S.
But stories such as the intramural football game involving the Kappa Alpha
fraternity and the fight in the Twin Towers
dining hall were simply fascinating. Reading
about the atmosphere on campus immediately following news of the crash
from somebody living on campus was incredibly interesting as well.
My father (Peter Barr) came to Marshall
in the fall of 1968. My mother (Carol Topping) started her freshman
year at WVU in 1968, but came to Marshall
in 1969. Her parents owned the Stationers Office Supply chain. One
of the stores was located on 5th Avenue
in Huntington, not too far from
where your practice field was.
My mother was a member of Alpha Xi Delta, and was
living in the sorority house when news of the crash broke. She too
remembered screams from her sisters as they discovered that their
boyfriends were gone. Since both her family and my father’s family were
born and bred in Huntington, both of their families lost a lot of friends
that night was well.
In 2000, I performed at the 30th Anniversary Memorial on
campus (I was a Music major at MU). Both you and my parents graduated
from Marshall years before I did,
and although I have never met you, it kind of feels like we are
all related and bound together by this school and a tragedy that no one
else from any other school can relate to.
Unfortunately, you experienced it face to face.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences through your incredible
book, so that those of us who were not there, can continue to honor a respect the
memories of those who were.
Go Herd!
Jason P. Barr
Visiting Assistant Professor of Music
Glenville State
College
Glenville, West
Virginia
(MU Class of 2003)
