Today is the 56th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, and as such Manchester City paid a touching tribute to their local rivals via the team’s official Twitter account.
Man City put aside rivalry, and reminded us that football win or lose, not life or death. They showed solidarity with Manchester United today.
Today Manchester City remembers all those who so tragically and sadly lost their lives in the Munich Air Disaster. pic.twitter.com/rSDAaGVluo
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) February 6, 2014
Again, true class from Manchester City.
For those that need a refresher, the Munich Air Disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the “Busby Babes,” along with supporters and journalists.
Twenty of the 44 on the aircraft died. The injured, some unconscious, were taken to the Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich where three more died, resulting in 23 fatalities with 21 survivors. United was returning from a European Cup match in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), against Red Star Belgrade.
Matt Busby was seriously injured and had to stay in hospital for more than two months after the crash, and was read his Last Rites twice. After being discharged from hospital, he went to Switzerland to recuperate in Interlaken. He developed a serious case of “Survivor Guilt” or “Survivor Syndrome.” At times, he felt like giving up football entirely, until he was told by his wife, Jean, “You know Matt, the lads would have wanted you to carry on.”
That statement lifted Busby from his depression, and he returned by land to Manchester, before watching his team play in the 1958 FA Cup Final. Today there are memorials to the Munich Air Disaster in Belgrade and Munich; as well as Old Trafford.
Paul M. Banks owns The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An MBA and Fulbright scholar, he’s also a frequent analyst on news talk radio; with regular segments on ESPN, NBC, CBS and Fox. A former NBC Chicago and Washington Times writer, he’s also been featured on the History Channel. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)