Legends Series: The Bombers traveled annually in the 80’s to the Little Rock Tournament disguised as the S.L.U.T.S. (St. Louis Ultimate Touring Side). Here’s the inaugural SLUTS team. Name the legends in this tournament winning team which includes seven Hall of Famers.
This year’s award banquet will be held July 22nd at Andre’s Banquet hall. Awards will be presented to those who were key players, newcomers, individual who puts in 110% both on and off the field and new inductees to the Bomber Hall of fame. Price is $25 per person and doors open at 6:30pm with dinner and ceremony starting at 7:30pm.
Since spring season has started back up the Bombers have been full steam ahead.
Over the weekend the Bombers had two home league matches for this year’s Alumni Day. The Bombers had setup a large tent with picnic tables, BBQ and ice cold beer provided by our sponsors.
Prior to both matches a moment of silence was observed in honor of two fallen ruggers from earlier in the week. Austen Lamb, 19, played for the Bombers Academy team under John Watson and was attending South East Missouri State. Austen was involved in an auto accident and died of his injuries later in the week. Charles Labry was attending Lindenwood University and part of the LU rugby team when he was killed in a separate auto accident. It’s hard to see two young athletes taken away so early and both will be greatly missed.
The DIII side took on the Scorpions in the first match of the day. The Scorpions were first to get onto the board with a drive from a lineout and take a 5-0 lead. The Bombers were quick to respond with a try and playing fast-hard defense and offense. The Bombers would only give up that first try in the game and go onto beating Kohlfeld 69-5. Man of the match for the forward went to Colin Fitzhenry and Paul Deutch for the backs.
The Bombers DII coming off a big win last weekend against KCRFC was looking to repeat against the Ramblers in the second match. The Bombers were strong in the scrums and controlled the lineouts. The backs were able to cut through the Rambler’s defense and the Bomber’s forwards slowed the Rambler’s offense. The DII side would beat the Rambler with the final score 67-17. Taylor Driller received Man of the Match for the forwards with his strong defensive plays and Mark Menne for the backs.
Following the second match the Lindenwood Woman’s rugby team took the pitch to take on ISU. The LU Lions had a field conflict and were unable to play at Lindenwood University and so the Bombers offered their field for use. The LU Lions would beat ISU 74-0 in a very fun match to watch.
It was a good day for the Bombers as both sides not only won their games, but also acquired bonus points. The Alums also had a great time with their player raffle on who would get man of the match. The winners were given gift cards to Colombo’s Bar & Tavern from Ryan Colombo himself.
Next week is the last home game for the fall season on both sides. The DIII side will face the Hornets at 1pm and the DII will take on the Omaha GOATS at 3pm. Saturday night will be “Own the Bar Night” at Colombo’s Bar & Tavern from 5pm – midnight and the Bombers will receive half of the register during that time. There will also be auction items and drink specials throughout the night.
On Sunday, August 24, one of the University of Missouri’s all-time football greats, John “The Jet” Henley, (Wide Receiver – 1969-72) and former Bomber (Winger, 1972) passed away at his home in San Bernardino, California. He had been battling liver cancer for 2 years. Jet had a stellar gridiron career at Mizzou including the school record for most receptions, All-Big 8 and All American Honors. . He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1972, but did not sign, opting for a successful law career.
Little did the MU Athletic Department know, that during his playing career at Mizzou, Jet was burning up the rugby pitch (under an alias of “David Mojack” ) as a winger for the Missouri Tiger Rugby Team during the off-season. Football players were forbidden to play rugby. It was there that Henley was recruited along with Jim “LC” Dierker (Bombers 1971-80) by Sterling Hayden, Mizzou Rugby Player/Coach, to play for the St. Louis Bombers.
Both Henley and Dierker were “guest” players on the famous or infamous Bomber tour to Charlottesville, Virginia to play in the classic Commonwealth Cup Tournament. This elite tourney featured the top teams in the U.S., United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. With 9.3 hundred yard sprinter speed and able to hit like a line-backer, Henley complemented the Bomber Black team of incredible size and toughness, who welcomed both of the Mizzou recruits. The Bombers did not win the tournament, but left a huge impression on the Eastern Rugby Union on and off the field.
It was on that wild East Coast tour, that tall tales were spun about “stair diving, chandelier eating, keg stealing, and the “Flight for Life”. One such story was about Henley and Dierker “dining and dashing” from a McDonald’s with 100 hamburgers and fries for a “free” team dinner. Or when the tour bus was pulled over in Indiana, where a Bomber (Jet/Dierker suspects to this day), was accused of throwing a full beer can out the window, and hitting a “Hoosier” in a pickup. The Highway Patrol ended up arresting the bus driver, leaving the team and bus stranded on the roadside.
Jet Henley, to his dying day, was always proud of his St. Louis Bomber pedigree, whether wearing his black game jersey or T-shirt, or traveling to San Diego in 2006 to see the Bomber Super League Game against OMBAC.
In one of his last conversations with Dierker, just a few weeks before his death, Jet, recalled the Bombers saying, “ Hey, how are Kyle and the Bombers doing? Next time I get back to St. Louis, let’s swing by Thurmer’s for a cold 9-0-5. I love those guys.” God bless John “The Jet” Henley. They don’t make them like that any more. A Bomber for life and beyond!
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