Remembering Busby’s babes

Last week marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster that claimed almost two dozens lives including eight members of the glorious Manchester United soccer team known (after its manager) as Busby’s babes. Among that group was Duncan Edwards, already a superstar at age 21. From what I’ve read Edwards sounds like Wayne Rooney without the bad, youthful temperament. The consensus among his contemporaries is that, had he lived, Edwards might very well have become the greatest English footballer ever.
In this article, several survivors recall the crash. Of particular note is goalkeeper Harry Gregg, who, despite being urged to run from the crash, crawled back into the wreckage and carried out a baby. Gregg then returned to drag two teammates, Dennis Viollet and Bobby Charlton (now Sir Bobby Charlton — star of England’s only World Cup winning side in 1966) clear of the plane. Next Gregg found teammate Jackie Blanchflower, whose arm was bleeding badly. Gregg fashioned a tourniquet out of his tie, thus probably saving Blanchflower’s arm and possibly his life.
In this article, Pat Rice, the former Arsenal defender and longtime Arsenal coach, recalls the last domestic game of that great Man U side, a 5-4 victory over Arsenal, which he witnessed as boy in North London.

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