In 1970: Returning from a game against East Carolina, 37 members of the Marshall football team, coaches and boosters were killed in a plane crash two miles outside of the Tri-State Airport in Huntington, WV. 75 people died in the Southern Airlines crash, of which the cause was never officially determined. The team was reformed for the 1971 season, and over the last decade has been re-born as a powerhouse in college football. A movie about the crash and the aftermath called “We Are Marshall” is set to be released on December 22. Check out bsd’s story on a touching tribute by East Carolina University.
In 1993: Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula became the winningest coach in NFL history with his 325th career victory, a 19-14 win in Philadelphia. Shula coached 33 seasons with the Baltimore Colts and Dolphins and compiled a 347-173-6 record (including playoffs) with two Super Bowl titles (including a perfect 17-0 season in 1972). He retired after the 1995 season (in which a Shula-coached team made the playoffs for the 20th time) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
