Baylor Bears bus crash at Round Rock, Texas
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
On January 22, 1927, the Baylor Bears of Baylor University hit an oncoming train at Round Rock, Texas. Ten of the team members were killed, making this one of the most tragic sports incidents in history. The "Immortal Ten" are still remembered at Baylor University of 80 years later.
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Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
On January 22, 1927, the Baylor Basketball team, called the Baylor Bears, travelled, by bus, to Texas, to play against the University of Texas. Due to the weather, when the bus passed through Round Rock, Texas, across a set of railroad tracks, the bus driver did not realize a train was coming. The bus driver, finally seeing the approaching train, tried to steer away, but it was too late. The train crashed into the bus at 60mph, tearing off the roof and side of the bus.
The scene of the impact was most devastating and heart wrenching. One of the players, James Kelly, hoisted Weir Washam out of the bus window just before the crash, sacrificing his own life for his friend. Kelly and fellow basketball athlete Robert Hailey were found with their arms around each other, stretched across the front of the train with limbs missing. The scene was a gruesome once, but it showed how close and bonded these teammates were.
The rest of the basketball season for Baylor was cancelled. The tragic event led to the first railway overpass in Texas. Buses were also now required to stop and open all doors to listen for trains at railroad crossings. What is now called the "Immortal Ten" story is remembered each year at Baylor University. In 2007, a Bronze statue was erected in memorial of this tragedy. It can be seen at Baylor University between Pat Neff Hall and Bill Daniel Student Center.
The scene of the impact was most devastating and heart wrenching. One of the players, James Kelly, hoisted Weir Washam out of the bus window just before the crash, sacrificing his own life for his friend. Kelly and fellow basketball athlete Robert Hailey were found with their arms around each other, stretched across the front of the train with limbs missing. The scene was a gruesome once, but it showed how close and bonded these teammates were.
The rest of the basketball season for Baylor was cancelled. The tragic event led to the first railway overpass in Texas. Buses were also now required to stop and open all doors to listen for trains at railroad crossings. What is now called the "Immortal Ten" story is remembered each year at Baylor University. In 2007, a Bronze statue was erected in memorial of this tragedy. It can be seen at Baylor University between Pat Neff Hall and Bill Daniel Student Center.