Friday Flashbacks: Thurman Munson Plane Crash, Mary Lou Retton Wins Gold, and Barry Sanders Retires
On August 2, 1979, 
Yankees Captain Thurman Munson, back in Ohio with his family on an off day, dies in plane crash . . . The MLB Strike ends (1981) . . . Hideki Irabu optioned to the minors after three rough starts (1997) . . . College All-Stars upset two-time champion Green Bay Packers (1963) . . . Arkansas accepts invite to join SEC (1990) . . . A proposal to allow unlimited substitution in baseball (1958) . . . Woody Hayes turned in Michigan State for recruiting violations (1976) . . . The I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis collapses (2007) . . .
Mary Lou Retton becomes America’s Sweetheart (1984) . . . Rickey Henderson steals his 100th base in game #105 (1982) . . . Summer Sanders wins fourth medal (1992) . . . England-West Germany World Cup Finals draws an estimated 400 million viewers (1966) . . . John McEnroe and Tatum O’Neal get married (1986) . . . African-American athletes will not boycott the Olympics, could protest (1968) . . . Namath and other sports millionaires (1975) . . . Barney versus the San Diego Chicken (1998) . . .
Barry Sanders retires on the eve of training camp (1999) . . . Reggie Jackson charged with assault on 13-year old boy (1977) . . . Roberto Baggio shockingly hates penalty kick shootouts, thinks games should be replayed (1994) . . . Female reporter sues Yale University, Giants, and Jets after she is not allowed in press box (1969) . . . Champion Bull Rider Lane Frost killed by bull (1989) . . . Norm Van Lier arrested for leading an assault on police station (1972) . . . Baylor basketball player Patrick Dennehy found dead (2003).
[photo via Getty]
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69 Responses to “Friday Flashbacks: Thurman Munson Plane Crash, Mary Lou Retton Wins Gold, and Barry Sanders Retires”
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July 29th, 2011 at 3:12 PM
I live in Minneapolis and I was at a Red Robin with my kids…we walked in and saw a TV report about a bridge collapsing then realized that was the bridge in town…4 years already? Wow, time flies.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:13 PM
Pretty amazing stat…
July 29th, 2011 at 3:14 PM
The Munson family are some of the classiest people you will ever meet.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:16 PM
No shit. That’s insane.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:18 PM
it really is. to put it in context, this year as a team the Cardinals have 37 stolen bases in 105 games. I heard something the other day where they hadn’t had one in over 30 games.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:18 PM
wow..the Baylor kid getting murdered was 8 years ago? damn.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:18 PM
If only the internet had been around to humanize her.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:19 PM
If the going gets tough, quit on your team right before the season’s about to start
July 29th, 2011 at 3:20 PM
The Cards, of all teams, not stealing bases still seems weird to me.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:22 PM
I used to live across the street from the bar that the Baylor kid parked his car at. Every time they showed the bar on tv we would all run outside to see if there were camera crews around so we could yell Babba Booey at them
July 29th, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Unlimited substitution in baseball is an idea whose time I hope never comes
July 29th, 2011 at 3:23 PM
It’s all Tony’s fault
July 29th, 2011 at 3:23 PM
Rickey Henderson was probably my favorite baseball player of the 80s, after Mattingly, but ahead of Eric Davis and Will Clark
July 29th, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Just played hooky during lunch and wound up watching Cowboys and Aliens. It’s everything as advertised.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Guy says Jesus told him to kill 6 year old girl
This is in the city down the road from me. What a fucking psychopath.
/Jesus wouldn’t use a douche like him for his bidding
July 29th, 2011 at 3:26 PM
Hideki Irabu optioned to the minors after three rough starts
he’ll bounce back. He’s mentally tough.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:27 PM
dirt never fails to bring the painfully funny
July 29th, 2011 at 3:30 PM
Nice work.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:32 PM
Carson Palmer’d?
July 29th, 2011 at 3:32 PM
The day I lost my sport fan innocence.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:33 PM
hang in there kid
July 29th, 2011 at 3:34 PM
quitter
July 29th, 2011 at 3:34 PM
If I don’t go homer, and truthfully, for favorite baseball player of the 80s and say Ryne Sandberg… I think I’m taking Carlton Fisk.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:34 PM
Should have read “killed by Champion Bull” since he was who emerged victorious that day
July 29th, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Not really since Palmer’s been threatening this for months…Barry quitting was a shocker
Wasn’t a bad Lions team that year either, think they still went 8-8 and made the playoffs without him
July 29th, 2011 at 3:36 PM
Congrats Miz. Titans signed Karl Klug. Next Bruce Smith right there.
/plays Iowa fight song
July 29th, 2011 at 3:37 PM
Bud Adams double middle finger for everyone!
July 29th, 2011 at 3:39 PM
Strawberry.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Little surprised Cleet. Thought it would be Mookie Wilson. I mean, who doesn’t look a good Mookie?
July 29th, 2011 at 3:43 PM
Cannonball Titcomb
July 29th, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Now Mary Lou Retton is falling out of pinatas.
/Dairy Queen commercial
//only in America
July 29th, 2011 at 3:44 PM
love*
July 29th, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Love Mookie, but for some reason Straw was always my favorite. Traded away all my good cards for his. I can never not look at the Dead End Kids SI Cover of him and Dwight without wincing.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:45 PM
Frauds.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:48 PM
same here. Always love Mookie, because him and Hubie Brooks were like a light at the end of the tunnel on those scrub Mets squads of the early 80′s.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:50 PM
favorite baseball player of the 80s? Clemens.
/cries in pillow
July 29th, 2011 at 3:51 PM
Seriously? You choked, fucking deal.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:51 PM
He marches to the beat of his own drum.
/wanking motion
//still the GOAT
July 29th, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Barry Sanders retires on the eve of training camp
Greatest team-destroying quitter of all time?
July 29th, 2011 at 3:54 PM
He is #1 on the list of most negative rushes in NFL history, yes
July 29th, 2011 at 3:55 PM
Out of protest for Wayne Fontes’ firing.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:58 PM
Can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.
Favorite 80s baseball players… Kirby, Juan Berenger, Gary Gaetti, Benito Santiago (totally bought the hype, and all his rookie cards)
Coming in last place, Tommy Herr.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:58 PM
There are times to be clever but let’s be serious, Sanders was incredible. Even Pack fans can admit this.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:59 PM
didnt the packers hold him to -3 yards in a playoff game
July 29th, 2011 at 3:59 PM
Least favorite baseball player of the 80s? STEVE FUCKING GARVEY.
July 29th, 2011 at 3:59 PM
There’s a difference between being incredible and being called the best ever when he wasn’t even the best back in the league for most of his career
/Team Emmitt
July 29th, 2011 at 4:00 PM
Having been born late in 1986, I have little appreciation for baseball in the 1980s outside of what I’ve read and seen on video. I know who won the World Series all of those years but I don’t know much about the characters, such as why you would hate Steve Garvey or love Strawberry.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:01 PM
Most fertile baseball player of the 80s? STEVE FUCKING GARVEY.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:02 PM
He hates rippling, manly forearms.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:03 PM
Emitt smif a-preach-a-plates your support.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:05 PM
Ah hell no. Barry Sanders >>>>> Emmitt Smith. One had an incredible offensive line and other offensive weapons on his side while the other WAS the offense for his entire career with the team.
Cowboys’ QBs during Smith’s career: Aikman, Garrett
Lions’ QBs during Sanders’ career: Gagliano, Peete, Kramer, Krieg, Mitchell, Batch
Yeah, I’d say one had every institutional advantage possible for succeeding as a RB while the other had to operate in a patchwork offense.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:06 PM
Not that Smith wasn’t great. I just don’t think he was as great as Sanders.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:07 PM
Not that Smith wasn’t great. I just don’t think he was as great as Sanders.
Clearly his narrative wasn’t as great
July 29th, 2011 at 4:08 PM
Had to read the first to understand the second.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:09 PM
fuck yes, Berenguer Boogie, the Rat!!!!
July 29th, 2011 at 4:10 PM
More to playing football than having a great highlight reel…and the Cowboy offensive line wasn’t this collection of supermen like the revisionist history makes it out to be, notice how when Emmitt was out no other Cowboy backs wrecked shop like with the Broncos last decade? Those guys even admit as such that Emmitt made them look better
July 29th, 2011 at 4:11 PM
Because Emmitt & Barry played the majority of their careers in the 80′s.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:15 PM
Because Emmitt & Barry played the majority of their careers in the 80′s.
Also because somebody who was 12 or 13 when Barry retired probably wasn’t picking up a lot of nuance like “all these linemen sucked before Emmitt was there but now they’re Pro Bowlers” or “Hey, Emmitt just blew up that blitz to give Aikman time to make a good throw” or even, “That 3 yards run on first down sure helped the team a lot more than dancing around behind the line and losing 4 yards would have helped the team”
July 29th, 2011 at 4:15 PM
Running Backs only benefit from having strong offensive lines now? The fact that Troy Aikman was under center so defenses couldn’t always put 8 in the box didn’t help Emmitt at all?
July 29th, 2011 at 4:18 PM
Jose, you know the Lions ran a run n’ shoot and that nobody was putting 8 in the box consistently against them because they had 4 WRs running around on every play, right?
July 29th, 2011 at 4:19 PM
Okay, Emmitt had better teammates…he was still a better complete running back, the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive
July 29th, 2011 at 4:20 PM
Seriously, if you were relying on Erik Kramer and Scott Mitchell to scare defenses, your team couldn’t be that good unless your running back happened to be particularly special.
Only semi-related but UVA alum Herman Moore was a stud.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:22 PM
thurman thomas!
/that’s my fake tourettes talking
July 29th, 2011 at 4:23 PM
Erik Kramer and Scott Mitchell weren’t that great but it’s not like they were Spergeon Wynn-level bad. They kept defenses honest.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:23 PM
This argument will be proven totally moot once four-time Super Bowl MVP Adrian Peterson breaks all Emmitt’s records.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:24 PM
Only semi-related but UVA alum Herman Moore was a stud.
It’s actually related. If you’re claim is that Barry Sanders had nobody else good on his offense this contradicts your chosen narrative. It doesn’t matter if the QB scared teams or not, the schemes are about as opposite from each other as possible in the NFL. The Lions ran an offense designed to throw constantly and they were schemed against as such. Shockingly, their RB (who is a better athlete and was more entertaining to watch for the most part) had a high avg yards per carry. Let me show you something. See that team YPC? There wasn’t a single pro bowl caliber (mayber even starting caliber) back on the team but they still had a 4.3yds/rush average because teams defended the pass 1st through 3rd down.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:32 PM
Stark, point taken. Still, Sanders even managed to average six yards a carry the year he went over 2,000 yards, which is pretty damn spectacular.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Lorenzo White would like a word with you. Not only did he actually make the Pro Bowl in ’92, but he was reallyfucking awesome in Tecmo Super Bowl. Direct snap from the shot gun ftw!
July 29th, 2011 at 4:58 PM
Also, Drew Hill died in March? That sucks.