South Boston memorial: what's the story?

May 22, 2006 9:54 AM

In South Boston, at the intersection of Babe Ruth Rd and Columbia Rd near Carson Beach, there's a stone memorial. There are four names inscribed in it, along with ages (all between 16 and 20) and date of death (all June 19, 1982). There's no explanation, besides a mournful poem. What's the story?

Memorial content:

In memory of
John J. Baldwin
† June 19, 1982
Age 17 years

Robert J. McCormick
† June 19, 1982
Age 19 years

Keith S. Miller
† June 19, 1982
Age 16 years

William P. Welch
† June 19, 1982
Age 20 years

Your Sons, Our Friends
You left us without a last good-bye
We ask ourselves "Why God Why?"
You had so much love to give
Your hopes and dreams are all that live
We still hear your laughter
And you smiles so bright
And the visions of you are still in sight

posted by Plutor to grab bag (5 comments total)

This search of the Boston Globe archives reveals a nasty car crash. I'm not gonna pay for the articles, but you can get an idea from the few sentences.
posted by dness2 at 10:11 AM on May 22, 2006

My guess is that it's this, but the database I'm searching doesn't have full text. Anyone else?

The New York Times, June 20, 1982 v131 s1 p18(N) p22(L) col 2 (1 col in)
Four dead in Boston crash. (wrong-way auto slams bus)
posted by jessamyn at 10:13 AM on May 22, 2006

It's a UPI picture caption from the June 20 Times:


FOUR DEAD IN BOSTON CRASH: Firemen examine the wreckage of a car that slammed into the bus at rear, killing four persons. Twelve persons were injured. The police said the automobile was traveling on the wrong side of the road at a high rate of speed when it hit the bus. Those killed and two of the injured were in the car.
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:22 AM on May 22, 2006

Here's the full UPI story:

June 19, 1982, Saturday, AM cycle

A speeding car slammed head-on into a public transit bus Saturday, shearing off one side of the car, killing four people and injuring 12 others, police said.
'There was some evidence of beer and vodka in the vehicle,' police Superintendent Anthony Leone said.
One of the dead was identified as William Welch, 20. Welch and the other three dead people were riding in the car. No other names were available. Two surviving occupants of the car were in serious condition at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Also injured were the driver of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus and nine of the 25 passengers. One injured passenger refused treatment. The others were taken to Boston-area hospitals.
Police said the car was moving down the wrong lane of a street in Boston's Dorchester section when the crash occurred around 6:30 a.m.
Police said the cause of the crash was under investigation.
A 'goodly portion' of the left side of the car was sheared off and two of the occupants were lying on the street when police arrived, Leone said. He said the car was traveling at 'an excessive rate of speed.'
No charges were immediately filed.
Leone said it was not known who was driving the car and police might have to wait several days before the surviving occupants are well enough to be interviewed.
'We're getting bombarded with calls,' Leone said. 'It's an awful tragedy and everybody wants to know about it.'
posted by CunningLinguist at 10:24 AM on May 22, 2006

Thanks everyone. Tragic. (I'm surprised I didn't think to search the Globe's website.)
posted by Plutor at 10:36 AM on May 22, 2006