Busby Babes facts for kids
The Busby Babes was a special nickname for a group of young, talented football players. They played for Manchester United in the 1950s. These players were found by the club's main scout, Joe Armstrong, and assistant manager, Jimmy Murphy. They were then trained and brought into the main team by the famous manager, Matt Busby. The name "Busby Babes" was often used for players who joined Manchester United's youth academy in the 1940s and 1950s.
Contents
The Story of the Busby Babes
How the Name Started
The name "Busby Babes" was first used in 1951. A journalist named Tom Jackson, who worked for the Manchester Evening News, created the nickname. It quickly became popular. The name helped people recognize these exciting young players.
Winning Championships
The Busby Babes were very successful. They won the top English football league title two years in a row. They were champions in the 1955–56 season. They also won the title again in the 1956–57 season. This showed how good these young players were.
A Sad Day: The Munich Air Disaster
In 1958, a very sad event happened. It was called the Munich air disaster. The team was flying back from a game in Europe. Their plane crashed. Eight of the Busby Babes lost their lives in this accident. They were:
- Roger Byrne (28 years old)
- Eddie Colman (21 years old)
- Mark Jones (24 years old)
- Duncan Edwards (21 years old)
- Billy Whelan (22 years old)
- Tommy Taylor (26 years old)
- David Pegg (22 years old)
- Geoff Bent (25 years old)
Two other players were badly hurt and could not play football again. They were Jackie Blanchflower and Johnny Berry. This was a huge loss for Manchester United and for football.
The Last of the Babes
Manager Matt Busby continued to build new teams after the disaster. The very last player he signed who was considered a "Busby Babe" was Sammy McIlroy. This happened in 1969. Sammy McIlroy was known as "The last of the Busby Babes."
Images for kids
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Manchester United's "Busby Babes", pictured in 1958, before their last match.
See also
In Spanish: Busby Babes para niños
