Mark Bingham
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| Mark Bingham | |
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| Born | Mark Kendall Bingham May 22, 1970 Phoenix, Arizona |
| Died | September 11, 2001 (aged 31) Shanksville, Pennsylvania |
| Cause of death | Plane Crash |
| Body discovered | 2008 at the Flight 93 crash site |
| Citizenship | American |
| Home town | Los Gatos, California |
Mark Kendall Bingham (May 22, 1970 in Phoenix, Arizona – September 11, 2001 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania) was an American public relations executive who founded his own company, the Bingham Group. He died at age 31 in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on board United Airlines Flight 93.
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[edit] Biography
Bingham attended Los Gatos High School. He was a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also president of his fraternity, Chi Psi. In college, he played for the UC Berkeley rugby union team and helped them win a string of national championships.
A large athlete at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg), he also played for the San Francisco Fog RFC, a rugby union team. In 2001 Most of the Fog were complete novices to the game, but Mark started showing up anyway. He coached, cajoled, and crashed through their practices, and played No. 8 in their first two friendly matches. He also played in their first tournament (where he promptly dislocated his shoulder). He taught his teammates his favorite rugby songs and made them feel like we were part of something bigger than themselves. That was early 2001. [[1]] In May of 2001, as a member of the Fog, he took part in the Washington DC Renegades Invitational Tournament. Although very few in number, most of the gay rugby teams extant at that time took part in the tournament. It was after the tournament that Gotham’s Scott Glaessgen, who had been inspired by the tournament and who had been friends with Mark since 1998, contacted Bingham about forming a gay rugby team in New York City. Mark had recently opened a second office of his successful public relations firm in NYC and was spending more time on the East Coast. Mark was excited about the possibility and over the summer the two men started planning the formation of a New York City team the Gotham Knights RFC. [[2]] Apparently on September 11 2001 he got on board Flight 93 at the last minute, on his way to California to be an usher in his fraternity brother Joseph Salama's wedding.
Bingham is believed to have been among the passengers who attempted to storm the cockpit to try to prevent the hijackers from using the plane to kill hundreds or thousands of additional victims. He made a brief airphone call to his mother, Alice Hoglan, shortly before the plane went down. Hoglan, a former flight attendant with United Airlines, later left a voice mail message on his cell phone, instructing Bingham to reclaim the aircraft after it became apparent that Flight 93 was to be used in a suicide mission.
Bingham was survived by his former boyfriend of six years, Paul Holm, who says this was not the first time Bingham risked his life to protect the lives of others. He had twice successfully protected Holm from attempted muggings, one of which was at gunpoint. Holm describes Bingham as a brave, competitive man, saying, "He hated to lose — at anything." He was even known to proudly display a scar he received after being gored at the running of the bulls in Pamplona.
Quote by Mark Bingham: “We have the chance to be role models for other gay folks who wanted to play sports, but never felt good enough or strong enough.
This is a great opportunity to change a lot of people’s minds, and to reach a group that might never have had to know or hear about gay people. Let’s go make some new friends…and win a few games.” [[3]]
[edit] Memorials
- U.S. Senators John McCain and Barbara Boxer honored him on September 17, 2001 in a ceremony for San Francisco Bay Area 9/11 victims, presenting a folded American flag to Paul Holm.
- The California Alumni Association of the University of California, Berkeley now annually awards the outstanding achievement of a young alumnus or alumna with the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement at its Charter Gala each spring.
- The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament (Bingham Cup), a biannual international rugby union competition predominantly for gay and bisexual men, was established in 2002 in his memory.
- Bingham was posthumously awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2002.
- Singer Melissa Etheridge dedicated the song "Tuesday Morning" in 2004 to his memory.
- Is portrayed in the 2004 solo musical ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2, starring Jade Esteban Estrada.
- Is portrayed in the 2006 movie United 93 by Cheyenne Jackson.
- Is portrayed in the 2006 movie Flight 93 by Ty Olsson.
- Is portrayed in the 2005 movie The Flight That Fought Back by Jason LeGrande.
[edit] References
- Jon Barrett. Hero of Flight 93: Mark Bingham, Advocate Books, 2002. Biography. ISBN 1-55583-780-8.
- UNITED FLIGHT 93: On Doomed Flight, Passengers Vowed to Perish Fighting, New York Times, 13 September 2001.
[edit] External links
- Mark Bingham: a Tribute to a Wonderful Man, a Great Friend, a Loving Brother, and an American Hero.
- SFFOG.ORG Mark's rugby team, the S.F. Fog (Mark's Memorial page).
- Advocate Magazine article on Bingham.
- Daily Cal Article referencing Mark attacking Stanfurd tree.
- Mark Bingham Scholarship Fund.
- Official Website of The Bingham Cup.
- Team Bingham - Mark Bingham Scholarship fundraising Organization.
- Mark Bingham on the Internet Movie Database.
- After September 11: Farewell to a Hero (California Monthly tribute).
