Boston College’s uniforms pay respect to Sept. 11 hero with special ‘Red Bandanna’ numbers
By Keith Farner
Published:
Boston College held its annual “Red Bandanna” game on Saturday as the Eagles played host to Notre Dame. The Eagles wore special uniforms that honored Welles Crowther with numbers that were filled with a bandanna pattern.
Crowther became known as the “Man in the Red Bandanna” after he saved over a dozen lives in the south tower of the World Trade Center during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Associated Press reported. He wore a red bandanna, which he carried and wore during his lacrosse playing days at BC, to protect him from smoke and dust.
“The guy made the ultimate sacrifice. He gave up his life for other people that he doesn’t even know,” BC first-year coach Jeff Hafley said. “It’s an honor for me to be part of something that’s so special.”
According to BC Athletics, “The story caught legs with the Boston College community after a push by UCF’s student body to wear bandannas during the Golden Knights’ win over the Eagles, and it eventually made its way back to the gridiron in 2014 when BC upset No. 9 Southern California on national television. The team wore red bandanna-accented helmets, gloves and cleats, and the national audience witnessed the way the Eagles honored one of their own. The game ball went to Crowther’s parents, both of whom were in attendance that night.”
The reason we wear these jerseys…
A thread telling Welles’ story pic.twitter.com/tvd2bcrV43
— BC Football (@BCFootball) November 11, 2020
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
