The Enduring Legacy of Welles Crowther and the Red Bandanna at Boston College
The story of Welles Crowther, a Boston College alumnus who demonstrated extraordinary heroism during the September 11th attacks, has resonated deeply within the BC community and beyond for over two decades. His selfless actions on that tragic day continue to inspire and are commemorated annually through the Red Bandanna Game, one of college football's most meaningful traditions.
Who was Welles Crowther?
Welles Crowther, a Boston College lacrosse player until 1999 before becoming a stock broker. On September 11, 2001, Crowther was at the World Trade Center South Tower when a hijacked plane struck.
Since he was a boy, Crowther always carried a red handkerchief, a habit that would become a symbol of his bravery.
Heroism in the Face of Tragedy
After the plane hit the South Tower, Crowther, shielding his face with his red bandana, began guiding people on the 78th floor to safety. Survivors and rescue personnel reported that he made repeated trips between the sky lobby and the 61st floor, leading people down the stairs until the building collapsed.
Known at the time only as "the man in the red bandana," Crowther is credited with saving at least a dozen lives, with some accounts suggesting he saved as many as 18. His identity remained unknown until his parents recognized his red bandana in news reports.
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The Red Bandanna Game: A Tradition of Remembrance
The Red Bandanna Game at Boston College is more than just a football game; it is a powerful tribute to Crowther's life and legacy. The annual tradition began in 2014 and serves as a poignant reminder of his courage and selflessness.
Each year, Boston College holds Red Bandanna Day, wearing all-white jerseys and pants with red numbers patterned after Crowther's bandana. Early-arriving fans are often given a red bandanna as they enter the stadium.
Memorable Red Bandanna Games
- Sept. 14, 2014: In the inaugural Red Bandanna Game, BC earned a program-defining victory on par with the Miracle in Miami. The Eagles took down No. 9 Southern California 37-31, marking BC’s most recent win over an AP Top 25 opponent as well as the Eagles’ first ranked win since beating No. 20 Florida State in 2008. BC quarterback Tyler Murphy rushed for 191 yards, including the game-winning score on a 66-yard run with 3:30 to play.
- Sept. 18, 2015: The Eagles couldn’t repeat the successes of their predecessors in the Red Bandanna Game, and BC lost 14-0 to No. 9 Florida State. BC posted just 195 total yards, compared to Florida State’s 217, and only one of the Seminoles’ touchdowns came on offense.
- Oct. 7, 2016: No. 3 Clemson throttled BC, and Michael Sullivan, Heights sports editor at the time, wrote, “[BC’s] dreams never came. Neither did the roar of the crowd. Two-time Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson and the Clemson offense totaled 499 yards, and BC lost 56-10, the most points BC had allowed to that point in the Addazio era.
- Oct. 27, 2017: BC bounced back in a big way, beating FSU for the first time in eight years with a 35-3 rout. The win marked the largest margin of victory for BC over FSU in program history.
- Oct. 26, 2018: The Eagles earned a second straight Red Bandanna win, taking down Miami 27-14 thanks to some aggressive play calling.
- Nov. 9, 2019: BC dropped its second game in two years to Florida State in the 2019 iteration of the Red Bandanna Game.
- Nov. 14, 2020: With no fans in the stadium, BC still donned its Red Bandanna uniforms to take on No. 2 Notre Dame.
More Than Just a Game
The Red Bandanna Game is a week-long event that involves the entire Boston College community. The BC football team also holds a special Red Bandanna workout session during the offseason. The ABC broadcast explained that after a grueling workout, players sprint up and down the stairwell to reflect the stairs Crowther climbed that day.
Coach Bill O’Brien shared what he believes his duty as a coach in this contest is and emphasized making sure players remember what this day stands for. “This game will be played forever because of what it means to Boston College, to the Crowther family, and so for me in my time here, it’ll be exactly what you said, making sure that our players understand the meaning of the game, making sure that our team’s prepared to go out there and play well in honor of Welles’ memory. I think that’s a big deal and so yeah, I see myself in that role as making sure that everybody understands what this game is all about.”
Wide receiver Jaedn Skeete, who is a product of Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Mass., stated that in his opinion, this game is the most substantial on the calendar. “It means a lot,” said Skeete. “This is Boston College. Welles Crowther came here and what he did was spontaneous and outstanding so we’re playing in regards to him and I feel like this is a very special game, probably the most important game of the season.”
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Linebacker Joe Marinaro talked about how important it is to be with the community to honor Crowther and his valiant deed. “Yeah, so this will be my fifth Red Bandanna game. Red Bandanna games are always awesome,” said Marinaro. “Obviously, it just means more because of Welles, he sacrificed so much for his country, for people he didn’t even know, for his coworkers, and to be able to get all the fans there and everybody understands that sacrifice and understands what it stands for. I think it’s a special moment for the BC community as a whole and the fact that we get to go out there and we get to play a game that honors him, it makes it even more special for us, especially with the entirety of the BC community at our backs.”
Defensive tackle Cam Horsley spoke on what actions his teammates can incorporate on the football field in Crowther’s memory. “This game means a lot,” said Horsley. “Welles did a heroic thing on 9/11, saving all those peoples lives, climbing all those flights of stairs and stuff like that, so how we can carry this over to the football field is I can just look my teammate in the eye and say ‘I got your back, I love you, blah, blah,’ just to play for one another and really love each other, so we can carry that over to the game. That’s what we’ve been doing in practice all week, everyone just getting to the ball, running to the ball, everyone just playing… and loving each other.”
Tight end Kamari Morales shared what he knew about the game prior to joining the program. “Yeah, it was definitely something that I was aware of before I came here,” said Morales. “I didn’t really know too much about the story or Welles or anything like that with his family. I didn’t really know the story but I knew what it was.
The Holy War: BC vs. Notre Dame
This Saturday at Alumni Stadium will be a special day for all Boston College students, as the annual tradition of honoring Welles Crowther in the Red Bandana Game continues with the Eagles facing off against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the 26th time in series history in this year’s Holy War. The “Holy War” between the Eagles and the Irish began on September 15, 1975, at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts where the Irish clinched the first win for the decades-long rivalry. The series continued in Memphis, Tennessee in 1983 and then in South Bend, Indiana for the next three games in the series. Boston College and Notre Dame didn’t meet at Chestnut Hill until 1994 when Alumni expanded capacity to fit over 40,000 fans. The 1994 matchup also saw the largest margin of victory for BC in the series, 19 points, with a 30-11 win over the Irish. Some of the most notable wins for Boston College throughout the Holy War include matchups in 1993, 2002, and 2008. Before the 1993 Holy War, Notre Dame was ranked No.1 in the country after a victory over Florida State a week prior to playing BC. In the game against BC, the Irish were behind by 21 points in the fourth quarter before making a comeback to allow the team to lead by only one point. With a four-yard touchdown and a 41-yard field goal, Boston College earned their first-ever victory over Notre Dame with a narrow 41-39 win. Notre Dame continued their winning streak for the next four games until 2002, which marked the next time that BC beat Notre Dame since the 1994 victory on the Heights. The Irish dropped an ugly 14-7 game to the Eagles who were 4-3 at the time. The Eagles won the next three games against the Irish and then in 2008, the Eagles recorded their first shutout in the series’ history with a 17-0 victory over the Irish. The win was BC’s sixth straight against Notre Dame and ended up tying the series at nine wins for each team. One of the most recent games in the series, and the last time the Eagles played the Irish at Alumni Stadium, was in 2017 where BC lost the 24th Holy War to Notre Dame 49-20. The game included notable BC alumni such as Harold Landry and Lukas Denis with former head coach Steve Addazio coaching the team. The Eagles and the Irish, the only Catholic institutions in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), play for the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl. The bowl is named after former Boston College coach Frank Leahy who led the Eagles from 1939 to 1940 before leaving the Heights for a job at Notre Dame in 1941. Boston College is 4-6 all-time at home versus Notre Dame and will be searching for a first win at home since the 17-0 victory in 2008. The Irish currently lead the all-time series with a 16-9 advantage as they are currently riding a 7-game winning streak over the Eagles.
The Red Bandanna's Enduring Symbolism
Welles Crowther's red bandana has become a powerful symbol of courage, selflessness, and the enduring spirit of Boston College. It represents the idea of ordinary people performing extraordinary acts of bravery in the face of adversity.
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The Welles Crowther Red Bandanna 5K Run was subsequently set up and in 2014, Boston College wore specially designed uniforms for their nationally-televised game against USC. The game began, and continues to be, an annual event celebrating the life of a fallen alumnus. Boston College wear a special uniform for this annual fixture, the pattern of the red bandana blended into the design. The 12th edition of this famous game kicks off this Saturday at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Boston, as the Eagles host conference rival SMU.
The significance of this occasion is not lost on Eagles coach Bill O’Brien. "Red Bandana week is huge,” said O’Brien. “What Welles Crowther meant to this university and what he did, he’s a great example of what BC is all about."
“We understand very much what the Red Bandana game is all about. Last year was my first experience in a Red Bandana game and it went pretty well. The kids all understand it. We talked about it this morning and we will talk about it again on Thursday. For Welles. That is the motto behind Boston College football takes the field on Saturday night in its 11th annual Red Bandanna Game vs. Michigan State. The game honors the life and legacy of Boston College alumnus and former men’s lacrosse player Welles Crowther (’99) who lost his life in the 9/11 attacks.
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