November 14th is a day that Marshall fans will remember forever. November 14th is now a day that most sports fans in America will remember forever. They may not remember the actual date of 11/14/1970, but they know all about the event. Over the past 50 years Marshall University has done an excellent job in dealing with a date that has caused so much hurt, for so many. Like with most tragedies, the community first dealt with the grief, then moved on the coping, and finally over the past 15 years, those lives and that event have been celebrated.
Celebrated in regards to honoring those who passed, and those who provided the ultimate sacrifice to the foundation of what we all know and love today. That is why being a fan of this program is so much different. That is why we can tell that being an athlete in this program, and at this school, is so much different. Grant Wells tweeted out yesterday a simple five words that says it all, "It means more this week.." From watching the movie when they are freshman, to the run to Spring Hill Cemetery, the turning on of the Memorial Fountain in the spring, to the shutting off of the Memorial Fountain this coming Saturday, our players, staff, and students know it is different.
November 14th, 1895.
Marshall College played its first football game on what would be an infamous date for the Marshall program. November 14th, 1895 was not even a Saturday. It was a Thursday. Who could possibly know the meaning of this date, some 75 years later and beyond. Marshall began their season, and their program with a home game against Ashland High School. Marshall would lose the game 36 to 0.
The generation at that time was tabbed, the Lost Generation, Grover Cleveland was the President, and the Ottoman Empire just burned 4,000 people alive. Frederick Douglass died earlier in the year. Douglass High School, in Huntington, would bear his name years later. Professional football began in 1895, the car was just granted a patent earlier in the year, and the Biltmore Estates would open on Christmas Eve in Asheville, another city with ties to Marshall athletic history. In other words, it was a long time ago.
Games Prior to November 14th, 1970
Prior to the game in 1970, Marshall had played nine total games on November 14th over the years with mixed results.
Marshall finished off that period of history by playing 9 games on November 14th. Marshall won two games, lost four games and had three ties.
November 14th, 1970
The events of this day in history are things that I will leave for those far more qualified than me to write about. Marshall travelled to Greenville, North Carolina to take on ECU. Marshall would lose the game 17 to 14. The program and community would lose 75 Sons and Daughters of Marshall on the return trip. The program, and the city of Huntington would be changed forever.
Games Played on November 14th after 1970
Marshall has only played on November 14th six times since that fateful day. Following the events of 1970, Marshall did not play on November 14th for the rest of the decade. The next game on 11/14 would not be until Marshall played a home game in 1981 against Western Carolina. Six years later Marshall would play on November 14th, and the 75 were there to make sure Marshall got what they needed that day.
Marshall headed into the final game of the season sitting at 6 wins and 4 losses. Marshall was coming off a tough road loss to Appalachian State 17 to 10. The Herd needed a win to have a chance to get an invite into the NCAA Division 1-AA playoffs. Marshall played Western Carolina again, at Fairfield Stadium. Marshall raced to a 47 to 16 victory. The win would get the Herd into the playoffs where they would run off wins over James Madison, Weber State, and Appalachian State before losing in the national championship game.
Current Head Coach Doc Holliday has played two times on November 14th, winning both games, one at home, and one on the road. Interesting note, former Coach Bob Pruett never coached on November 14th, and Mark Snyder only coached once. November 14th was a Saturday in 1998, but it was an off week before Marshall edged Wofford at home on a blocked field goal by Dani Derricott.
Marshall has won four of the six games on November 14th played since 1970.
Marshall has been playing football since 1895. Marshall has played 16 games on November 14th. The Herd is 6 - 7 - 3 all time. Marshall looks to even their record on November 14th as the Herd takes on Middle Tennessee this Saturday on the 50th anniversary of the tragic events of 1970, and the 125th anniversary of the first recorded game in school history.
In Memory Of:
In addition to the 75 who lost their lives fifty years ago. I wanted to dedicate this little piece to one of my all time favorite human beings. A man that gave me the confidence to use my voice in public. I was, and at times still am, a bit backwards in public settings. In the early 90's I was a student at Marshall. I would slip into a classroom, sit in the back, and not talk. Then I had PE 118, the History of Sports. My professor was Robert "Bob" Barnett. We had a quiz to open the class on the first day, a pop quiz on sports history. I missed one question. That was the only question I missed all year in that class. The question was, "what was the name of the segregated high school in Huntington?" I missed it. The answer was Douglass High School, named after, Frederick Douglass. The same Frederick Douglass mentioned earlier in this article as being born in 1895, the first year of Marshall football.
In Dr. Barnett's class we had trivia contests during the class, but you had to raise your hand in order to get credit. That was the first class that I ever raised my hand in to answer a question. I learned confidence in that class, and learned to speak. He acted as my advisor until I finally graduated, even though he was never my assigned advisor. We did assignments where we would go to the library and write throw back articles based on that day of the week. We would write about that particular day 50 years ago, 10 years ago, and the previous year. That was a sort of basis for this article, and what I will use going forward for other events.
Dr. Barnett passed away on October 25th, 2020. He was inducted into the Marshall Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Thank you to the 75 who passed fifty years ago, and thank you Dr. Barnett for being such an important person in my life. You will be missed, you are all missed.
We Are Marshall, and We WILL NEVER FORGET....
Because as Grant Wells said so simply, yet pefectly,
"It Means More This Week..."
Celebrated in regards to honoring those who passed, and those who provided the ultimate sacrifice to the foundation of what we all know and love today. That is why being a fan of this program is so much different. That is why we can tell that being an athlete in this program, and at this school, is so much different. Grant Wells tweeted out yesterday a simple five words that says it all, "It means more this week.." From watching the movie when they are freshman, to the run to Spring Hill Cemetery, the turning on of the Memorial Fountain in the spring, to the shutting off of the Memorial Fountain this coming Saturday, our players, staff, and students know it is different.
November 14th, 1895.
Marshall College played its first football game on what would be an infamous date for the Marshall program. November 14th, 1895 was not even a Saturday. It was a Thursday. Who could possibly know the meaning of this date, some 75 years later and beyond. Marshall began their season, and their program with a home game against Ashland High School. Marshall would lose the game 36 to 0.
The generation at that time was tabbed, the Lost Generation, Grover Cleveland was the President, and the Ottoman Empire just burned 4,000 people alive. Frederick Douglass died earlier in the year. Douglass High School, in Huntington, would bear his name years later. Professional football began in 1895, the car was just granted a patent earlier in the year, and the Biltmore Estates would open on Christmas Eve in Asheville, another city with ties to Marshall athletic history. In other words, it was a long time ago.
Games Prior to November 14th, 1970
Prior to the game in 1970, Marshall had played nine total games on November 14th over the years with mixed results.
| 1895 | Ashland High School | Away | 0 - 36 | Loss |
| 1902 | Charleston High School | Home | 0 - 0 | Tie |
| 1903 | Huntington Semi Pro | Home | 11 - 0 | Win |
| 1909 | Glenville | Home | 0 - 0 | Tie |
| 1914 | Marietta | Away | 7 - 20 | Loss |
| 1925 | Morris Harvey | Home | 58 - 2 | Win |
| 1931 | Wittenburg | Away | 13 - 27 | Loss |
| 1936 | Miami of Ohio | Home | 7 - 14 | Loss |
| 1953 | Wofford | Home | 26 - 26 | Tie |
Marshall finished off that period of history by playing 9 games on November 14th. Marshall won two games, lost four games and had three ties.
November 14th, 1970
The events of this day in history are things that I will leave for those far more qualified than me to write about. Marshall travelled to Greenville, North Carolina to take on ECU. Marshall would lose the game 17 to 14. The program and community would lose 75 Sons and Daughters of Marshall on the return trip. The program, and the city of Huntington would be changed forever.
| 1970 | East Carolina | Away | 14 - 17 | Loss |
Games Played on November 14th after 1970
Marshall has only played on November 14th six times since that fateful day. Following the events of 1970, Marshall did not play on November 14th for the rest of the decade. The next game on 11/14 would not be until Marshall played a home game in 1981 against Western Carolina. Six years later Marshall would play on November 14th, and the 75 were there to make sure Marshall got what they needed that day.
Marshall headed into the final game of the season sitting at 6 wins and 4 losses. Marshall was coming off a tough road loss to Appalachian State 17 to 10. The Herd needed a win to have a chance to get an invite into the NCAA Division 1-AA playoffs. Marshall played Western Carolina again, at Fairfield Stadium. Marshall raced to a 47 to 16 victory. The win would get the Herd into the playoffs where they would run off wins over James Madison, Weber State, and Appalachian State before losing in the national championship game.
Current Head Coach Doc Holliday has played two times on November 14th, winning both games, one at home, and one on the road. Interesting note, former Coach Bob Pruett never coached on November 14th, and Mark Snyder only coached once. November 14th was a Saturday in 1998, but it was an off week before Marshall edged Wofford at home on a blocked field goal by Dani Derricott.
| 1981 | Western Carolina | Home | 28 - 38 | Loss |
| 1987 | Western Carolina | Home | 47 - 16 | Win |
| 1992 | Tennessee Tech | Home | 52 - 14 | Win |
| 2009 | Southern Miss | Home | 20 - 27 | Loss |
| 2013 | Tulsa | Road | 45 - 34 | Win |
| 2018 | Florida International | Home | 52 - 0 | Win |
Marshall has won four of the six games on November 14th played since 1970.
Marshall has been playing football since 1895. Marshall has played 16 games on November 14th. The Herd is 6 - 7 - 3 all time. Marshall looks to even their record on November 14th as the Herd takes on Middle Tennessee this Saturday on the 50th anniversary of the tragic events of 1970, and the 125th anniversary of the first recorded game in school history.
In Memory Of:
In addition to the 75 who lost their lives fifty years ago. I wanted to dedicate this little piece to one of my all time favorite human beings. A man that gave me the confidence to use my voice in public. I was, and at times still am, a bit backwards in public settings. In the early 90's I was a student at Marshall. I would slip into a classroom, sit in the back, and not talk. Then I had PE 118, the History of Sports. My professor was Robert "Bob" Barnett. We had a quiz to open the class on the first day, a pop quiz on sports history. I missed one question. That was the only question I missed all year in that class. The question was, "what was the name of the segregated high school in Huntington?" I missed it. The answer was Douglass High School, named after, Frederick Douglass. The same Frederick Douglass mentioned earlier in this article as being born in 1895, the first year of Marshall football.
In Dr. Barnett's class we had trivia contests during the class, but you had to raise your hand in order to get credit. That was the first class that I ever raised my hand in to answer a question. I learned confidence in that class, and learned to speak. He acted as my advisor until I finally graduated, even though he was never my assigned advisor. We did assignments where we would go to the library and write throw back articles based on that day of the week. We would write about that particular day 50 years ago, 10 years ago, and the previous year. That was a sort of basis for this article, and what I will use going forward for other events.
Dr. Barnett passed away on October 25th, 2020. He was inducted into the Marshall Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Thank you to the 75 who passed fifty years ago, and thank you Dr. Barnett for being such an important person in my life. You will be missed, you are all missed.
We Are Marshall, and We WILL NEVER FORGET....
Because as Grant Wells said so simply, yet pefectly,
"It Means More This Week..."
Last edited:
