Like It Is

1970 Hogs welcome courageous Shockers

A charred football helmet, bearing the "W" of Wichita State, was hurled from the wreckage of a twin-engine plane that crashed near the Continental Divide in Silver Plume, Colo., Saturday, Oct. 3, 1970. (AP Photo)
A charred football helmet, bearing the "W" of Wichita State, was hurled from the wreckage of a twin-engine plane that crashed near the Continental Divide in Silver Plume, Colo., Saturday, Oct. 3, 1970. (AP Photo)

Bruce James will never forget that moment as one of the Arkansas Razorbacks captains when he looked up as he approached midfield for the coin toss on Oct. 24, 1970, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Arkansas' opponent that day was Wichita State, which had been involved in a fiery plane crash 22 days earlier that killed 14 starters and left eight other players injured.

It was one of those survivors, too banged up to be out there, who struggled across the field on crutches to participate in the coin toss with James and the other Arkansas captains.

The crash, which occurred in the Rocky Mountains, killed 31 total, including the 14 players. Eight of the nine survivors were players.

A plane with substitutes and assistant coaches decided against the scenic route, choosing to fly around the mountains, and arrived safely in Logan, Utah, where Wichita State had been scheduled to play Utah State.

In the days after the crash the team, staff and administration voted 76-1 to finish the season to honor the dead and to help the survivors heal.

Twenty-two days after the crash, the Shockers came to The Rock to play the ninth-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks, and it's a game neither team apparently will ever forget.

Through some heavy lifting by Chuck Dicus, and with the help of many of his teammates from that season, many of those former players on both sides will have another chance at healing and closure.

This Saturday, at War Memorial Stadium, one day before the 46-year anniversary of the plane crash, several members of the Shockers football team will be back in Little Rock, watching the Hogs take on Alcorn State.

The game will help, but it is the visit that the Shockers are looking forward to, because all those years ago, from kickoff to the final second, they were treated with grace, dignity and respect.

The fans at War Memorial Stadium made Wichita State the home team, cheering every play on offense and defense.

Before the game, the Shockers asked the Razorbacks to play their best and not take it easy on them.

They did, but it wasn't the same Razorbacks who were in the midst of winning nine consecutive games, sandwiched between losses to No. 10 Stanford and No. 1 Texas.

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In those days of smaller planes, not as many players traveled, but that week Arkansas Coach Frank Broyles told members of the scout team that he couldn't put them on the team plane but that if they found a way to Little Rock, they would play and play a lot.

Defensive coordinator Charlie Coffey told his guys they would start, out of respect to Wichita State, but to expect no more than four snaps for that game.

The Hogs were deep and talented and still won 62-0, but the score didn't matter. The Shockers came and they played their hearts out for their school and for the guys who would remain teammates forever.

Arkansas players were allowed by Broyles, for perhaps the only time in his coaching career, to stay on the field after the game and meet the Shockers.

"It was very emotional," said James, who was an All-American that season and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Maybe it was a coincidence that Saturday's event came about; maybe it was fate.

A North Little Rock woman was at a conference in New Orleans and met a guy from Wichita, Kan. When he found out where she was from, he was incredibly enthusiastic and optimistic about Little Rock and Razorbacks fans.

She got Dicus' email for him. Dicus called a team meeting, and those guys knew what they wanted and needed to do.

The university is providing tickets and the former Hogs are acting as hosts for the 15 to 20 Shockers, most of whom will be making their first trip back since that game.

It will be a great weekend for a bunch of guys who still remember what sportsmanship is about.

Sports on 09/28/2016

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