FAYETTEVILLE — Members of the 1970 Arkansas and Wichita State football teams will reunite in Little Rock later this month to commemorate the Shockers' first game following a plane crash that killed 31 people, according to the Wichita Eagle.
The former players will meet in Little Rock on Sept. 30 and then attend the Oct. 1 game between the Razorbacks and Alcorn State at War Memorial Stadium, according to the Eagle. The weekend will mark the 46-year anniversary of the crash.
A plane carrying Wichita State players and staff crashed on Oct. 2, 1970, in Colorado. The crash killed 31 people, including 14 players.
The team was traveling to Logan, Utah, for a game at Utah State. A second plane carrying more players landed safely in Utah, only to learn the news about the other plane.
Wichita State didn't play again until Oct. 24 - against Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium. The No. 9 Razorbacks won 62-0, but players of both teams recall the outpouring of support the community showed Wichita State's team.
An Arkansas Gazette report on Oct. 25, 1970, stated that players met for five minutes following the game, exchanging hugs and handshakes.
The Wichita State plane crash was one of two in college football that year. A November 1970 crash killed 75 people associated with Marshall, including 36 players.
Wichita State ended its football program in 1986 because of a lack of funding.