December 13, 1977

[both-teams-played-hard]

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the plane crash that killed the entire University of Evansville basketball team and coaches.
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2007/12/12/top/22554816.txt
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4898/7778evansvillevc5.jpg

[rose14]

Both Teams, That December day back in 1977 was a very dark day for me even though I was young. I grew up in the same town as Mike Duff and Kevin Kingston. I idolized Mike Duff as my mother made me a Eldorado Eagles jersey with Mikes #40 and name on the back that I would wear to everyone of his games. He was a supernice and sincere kid and was loved all over town. I remember the funeral like it was yesterday as the whole town shut down as most everyone in the town filled the highschool gym where they held the services for Mike and Kevin.

The spooky thing about this tragic event and this team is that their were two players that were injured and were not on the plane that night. Those two players were killed in separate auto accidents within a month of the plane crash. Everyone associated with that team either died in the plane crash or was killed in another accident within a month of each other.

[cards-bats]

I graduated from UE. It's very hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the crash. My first year on campus marked the 12th anniversary.

I'm not sure how many people know that Jerry Sloan took over for Arad MCCutchan when he retired in '76 and soon stepped down without coaching a game. Bobby Watson from Oral Roberts took over and only coached a handful of games before the crash.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Fellas, thanks for sharing your first hand experiences. Marshall, Wichita State and Oklahoma State all suffered losses of student-athletes in plane crashes, throughout the years. However, I remind everyone that it is much safer to travel by airplane than automobile. PLEASE DRIVE SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!

[MSpecht]

Don't forget the Cal Poly crash in 1960. Here is the short version:

"Another horrific team crash happened in 1960 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and is one reason that NFL broadcaster John Madden refuses to fly, instead bussing himself to each week's broadcast. Madden, who played at Cal Poly in 1957 and '58 and was a graduate assistant in 1960, stayed behind to coach a junior varsity game at Allan Hancock College when the plane carrying many of his former teammates went down near Toledo, Ohio, killing 22 of the 48 passengers. Sixteen of those who died were football players."

Mike Jackitout7@aol.com (Jackitout7@aol.com)