Clarksburg History Museum unveils exhibit on local legend Loria who was lost in Marshall plane crash
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (BVM) — Nov. 14 marked the 50-year anniversary of one of the sporting world’s most significant tragedies. On that date in 1970, a plane carrying 75 members of the Marshall University football team and significant supporters crashed into a hill just short of its destination, the Tri-State Airport, in Huntington, W.Va. where the school is located. All 75 passengers of the plane were killed in the accident.
Among the passengers was Frank Loria, the team’s defensive backs coach and a former standout for the Virginia Tech football program. A Clarksburg, W.Va. native, Loria was only 23 years old on the day of the accident and left behind a wife and three children. Well known throughout the state for his athletic accomplishments at Notre Dame High School in Clarksburg and later at Virginia Tech, Loria’s story has gripped many in his hometown.
Loria was a three-sport athlete during his time at Notre Dame High School and graduated in 1964. Loria was recruited to play football with Virginia Tech and would go on to have one of the best careers in Hokies history. Loria would start every game for the Hokies at safety from 1965-1967 and during his junior year helped the Hokies to the Liberty Bowl and earned first-team All-America honors from The Associated Press and the Football Writers Association. As a senior in 1967, Loria became Tech’s first consensus All-American, making seven first-team All-America squads while also being named a first-team Academic All-American.
Loria finished his Tech career with seven interceptions and still holds Tech records for most touchdowns on punt returns for a season with three and a career with four. His 95-yard punt return for a touchdown against Miami in 1967 is still the longest in school history. He was inducted into the school’s hall of fame as a part of the hall’s inaugural class in 1982 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 1969, Loria began the next part of his life when he joined the Marshall University coaching staff as an assistant coach. Sadly, his coaching career would only last until that fateful Nov. 14.
On Nov. 12, the city took time to honor Loria’s legacy. In October, the Clarksburg History Museum announced its plan to unveil a new exhibit surrounding Frank Loria and his impact on the community.
“Most people locally when they hear of Frank Loria, they think of the baseball field in town named after him,” President of the Clarksburg History Museum Michael Spatafore said. “He was always kind of like this legend that you heard about, but didn’t really know anything about him. … One of our goals of the museum is to teach the history of our city, county and state. … We just thought this would be good because of [the 50th anniversary].”
The exhibit would open on Nov. 12, a couple days prior to the 50th anniversary of the accident, and would begin with a ceremony with many of Frank’s family members in attendance to share their stories and feelings on the coach. The night would be an emotional one for many as they reflected on a life that was cut tragically short.
“To have a space featuring Frank’s life is such an honor it truly humbles our family,” Loria’s widow Phyllis Riccelli said during the event. “The highlight of his life was coming home to coach at Marshall University. He looked forward to each day he could teach young athletes how to excel at a sport he perfected and we all know he would’ve probably lived his life doing this one job and what a magnificent coaching job he would’ve done.”
During the ceremony, the Loria family was honored by the City of Clarksburg with a key to the city and the display was shown to the public for the first time. Among some of the exhibit pieces included a No. 10 jersey that Loria wore during his time at Virginia Tech, his college football Hall of Fame plaque, his All-American awards, his West Virginia Hall of Fame plaque among other pieces.
“It will be a permanent exhibit at the museum,” Spatafore said.
Another member of the family, Frank’s cousin David Romano, also discussed his relationship with the coach. Romano was recruited to Marshall to play football for the program and was a freshman on the team when the incident occured, avoiding the accident as freshmen weren’t eligible to play varsity football at the time. For Romano, a fellow Clarksburg native, Frank achieved what he had always hoped for on the football field.
“He was an idol for any young kid who wanted to play football and he was for me,” Romano said. “There were three people from Clarksburg associated with the team. … All of us were within five years of each other and grew up together. … You wouldn’t realize how close everybody was on that team and what a tragedy it was for everybody so that’s why we remember because it’s something we should.”
When discussing his accomplishments on the football field, Romano summarized it in terms of the significance for the city and the state as a whole.
“We want to keep Frank’s memory alive because he was one of the greatest college football players West Virginia ever put into those ranks,” Romano said. “Being a two-time All-American, being admitted into the college football hall of fame, I mean that’s a lot of accolades for a young man that died at 23 years of age. I think it is the fact that he was so young that makes it so palpable for us and we want to keep him alive.”
For Secret, the biggest accomplishment that Loria ever achieved wasn’t on the football field.
“I was interviewed a few times about some of his greatest accomplishments,” Event emcee Pete Secret said. “I didn’t really have an answer. But tonight I’ve got the answer. It’s his two lovely daughters and his great son and all his grandchildren. That’s his greatest legacy. That’s his greatest accomplishment.”
For those who knew him, Frank Loria was more than a football player or football coach. He was a loving husband, father, community member, leader and encapsulated so many things in his short life.
“He was such a good person besides being a good athlete,” Romano said. “He was a smart young man. He was a gentle soul even though he wasn’t on the football field. He had a wonderful family and was a wonderful family man. He had great things coming to him in the future like all those people who died on that plane.”
For Spatafore, the night was an emotional and memorable one.
“It was very overwhelming,” Spatafore said. “I could tell this was something very real for [Phyllis] even now and raising the three children and going through that event. … I could tell the emotion was still raw for her. She got very emotional just talking about him. … You could tell it was almost like it just happened.”
Now that the 50th anniversary has come and gone, with another victory for the current undefeated Thundering Herd, this year has felt different for all those impacted by the tragedy. While it may just be a day for some people, for others it’s been a lifetime of pain and memories. But, with the new exhibit at the Clarksburg History Museum, generations will not forget the life of Frank Loria and all he did during his short 23 years. Loria will live on forever in the halls of the museum and in the stories of the citizens of Clarksburg.
