Gail Parker

Gail Parker, the Freshman Football Coach, had graduated from Old Dominion University. He had served as the assistant football coach at John Yeates High School, Suffolk, Virginia, and as its head coach before coming to Marshall University. He had flown with the team for the East Carolina game. After the game, however, he traded places with Coach “Deke” Brackett, who had driven down with Red Dawson on a recruiting trip. Brackett was on the plane when it crashed. Parker and Dawson heard about the crash on the radio while driving to Ferrum, Virginia.

He was not on the airplane. He had flown down with the team, but Coach “Deke” Brackett, who driven down with Coach “Red” Dawson on a recruiting trip, asked him to switch places. Parker and Dawson were on their way to Ferrum, Va., when they heard the news.

DETAILED INFORMATION

Coaches (left to right in photograph)

• Al Carelli, Jr. (Offensive Line)
• Jim "Shorty" Moss (Offensive Coordinator)
• Carl Kokor (Defensive Line)[not on plane]
• Rick Tolley(Head Coach)
• Red Dawson (Defensive Coordinator) [not on plane]

• Gail Parker (Freshman Coach) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Mickey Jackson (Offensive Backs [not on plane]
• Deke Brackett (Kicking Coach)
• Frank Loria (Defensive Backs)

Players

• Adams, Jim (51)
• Andrews, Mark (61) [not in photo]
• Barile, Tony (42) [not on plane]
• Blake, Michael (67)
• Blevins, Dennis (80)
• Bluford, Willie (31)
• Brautigan, Richard (32) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Brown, Larry (68)
• Brown, Thomas (65)
• Calvin, Jon (73) [not on plane]
• Carter, Dickie (30) [not on plane]
• Carter, Ed (77) [not on plane]
• Childers, Roger[not in photo]
• Cottrell, Stuart (43)
• Crabtree, Jack (63) [not in photo, nor plane]
• Cyrus, Dave (35) [not on plane]
• Dardinger, Rick(50)
• DeBord, David (76)
• Deeds, Ed (70) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Finn, Greg (64) [not on plane]
• Foley, Dennis (55) [not on plane]
• Gaudet, Fred (72) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Gilmore, Kevin (24)
• Griffith, David (81)
• Harris, Arthur "Art" (22)
• Harris, Robert "Bob" (12)
• Hickman, Wes (53) [not on plane]
• Hill, Bobby (41)
• Hood, Joe (33)

• Howard, Tom (60)
• James, Frank (58) [not on plane]
• Jordan, Felix (21) [not on plane]
• Lajterman, Marcelo (23)
• Lech, Richard "Rick"(20)
• Morgan, Gary (45) [not on plane]
• Naputano, Pete (84) [not on plane]
• Nash, Barry (35)
• Norrell, Pat (66)
• Oden, Paul (74) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Patterson, Bob (71)
• Reese, Scotty (83)
• Repasy, Jack (82)
• Ruffin, Nat (25) [not on plane]
• Sanders, Larry (40)
• Saylor, Al (88)
• Shannon, Art (34)
• Shoebridge, Ted (14)
• Skeens, Allen (59)
• Sly, Jim (54) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• Stainback, Jerry (56)
• Swartley, Mike (52) [not on plane]
• Taglang, Richard (44) [not in photo, nor on plane]
• VanHorn, Robert (75)
• Vanover, Roger (85)
• Wilson, Fred (87)
• Withers, David (79) [not on plane]
• Young, John (86)
• Zborill, Tom (62)

Other Athletic & Football Staff

• Charles E. Kautz (Director of Athletics)
• Ed Starling (Assistant Director of Athletics) [not on plane]
• Jim Hodges (Business Manager) [not on plane]
• Gene Morehouse (Sports Information)
• Jim Schroer (Head Athletic Trainer)
• Donald Tackett (Assistant Athletic Trainer)
• Mark J. Smaha (Assistant Athletic Trainer)  [not on plane]
• Louis A. Peake  (Assistant Athletic Trainer)  [not on plane]
• James H. Wilson (Assistant Athletic Trainer)  [not on plane]

• John Hagan (Equipment Manager) [not on plane]
• Mervin G. Black (Assistant Equipment Manager) [not on plane]
• Eugene Jones (Assistant Football Manager) [not on plane]
• Gerald Sieber (Assistant Football Manager) [not on plane]
• David W. Byrd (Student Equipment Manager) [not on plane]
• Gary George (Student Assistant Statistician)
• Joseph Wortham (Student Assistant Statistician) [not on plane]