06 February 2009
by Jerrad Peters
Munich remembered
Today marks the 51st anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. In memory of the tragic event, I am re-running an article I wrote last year to mark the occasion.
There is a church in the small, West Midlands city of Dudley. And in the windows of that church, alongside saints and patriarchs, is the captivating image of a footballer. Young and blonde, his likeness seems rather unbefitting of stained glass. Bent on one knee, he bears a scroll with a verse: "Though there be many members, yet is there one body."
"He was incomparable," said Sir Bobby Charlton upon naming Duncan Edwards to his all-time England XI. "I feel terrible trying to explain to people just how good he was." An English football legend in his own right, Charlton continued, "His death was the biggest, single tragedy ever to happen to Manchester United and English football."
Today marks the 51st Anniversary of the tragedy that claimed the lives of eight United players and 15 other passengers. The 21-year-old Edwards was among the dead, and his brief life is immortalized in the windows of St. Francis's Church.
Edwards, who made his Manchester United debut at 16-years of age and appeared in 151 matches over the next five seasons, was the best player of manager Sir Matt Busby's crop of exceptional youngsters. Nicknamed the Busby Babes, they won back-to-back English First Division titles in 1956 and 1957 with squads averaging 21 and 22-years of age, respectively. And when the Football Association finally permitted domestic sides to participate in continental competition ahead of the 1956-1957 season, United became automatic favorites to win the European Cup.
They might have won it several times. Having qualified for a second consecutive semifinal in February, 1958 after dispatching Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia, only AC Milan stood in the way of a berth in the final at Heysel Stadium in Brussels.
Most of the Busby Babes did not face the Rossoneri, however. After stopping in Munich to refuel as they journeyed home from Belgrade, United's AS-57 Ambassador tried twice to take off from the slush-packed runway before careening over a fence, through a house, and catching fire. Seven of the players died instantly. Edwards passed away two weeks later from his injuries.
And as he lay on his deathbed, the young man asked assistant manager Jimmy Murphy, "What time is the kickoff against Wolves, Jimmy? I can't afford to miss this match." Murphy, whose scouting talents uncovered several of the Babes, later reflected upon Edwards' potential and ability. "When I used to hear Muhammad Ali proclaim to the world he was the greatest," he said, "I would smile. You see, the greatest of them all was an English footballer named Duncan Edwards."
jerradpeters@gmail.com
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