Mark Bingham

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Mark Bingham bigraphy, stories - American rugby union player

Mark Bingham : biography

May 22, 1970 – September 11, 2001

Mark Kendall Bingham (May 22, 1970 – September 11, 2001) was an American public relations executive who founded his own company, the Bingham Group. During the September 11 attacks in 2001 he was a passenger on board United Airlines Flight 93. Bingham is believed to have been one of the passengers who, along with Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, formed the plan to overtake the plane from the hijackers, and led the effort that resulted in the crash of the plane into a field near Shanksville, and all of the passengers’ deaths.. Yahoo! News. September 2, 2011.

Both for his heroic actions on United 93, as well as his athletic physique and masculine lifestyle, Bingham has been widely honored posthumously for having "smashed the gay stereotype mold and really opened the door to many others that came after him."Thomas, Kevin (June 15, 2011). "Frameline 2011: A Closer Look at the Coming Weekend". San Francisco Examiner.

Early life

San Jose Mercury News

On September 11, 2001

On the morning of September 11, Bingham overslept and nearly missed the flight, on his way to San Francisco to be an usher in his fraternity brother Joseph Salama’s wedding.Cooper, Elise (July 9, 2010). . NewsReal Blog. He arrived at the Terminal A at 7:40am, ran to Gate 17, and was the last passenger to board, taking seat 4D, next to passenger Tom Burnett. During the hijacking, he phoned his mother, reporting that his plane had been hijacked and relaying his love for her.Vulliamy, Ed (December 1, 2001). . The Guardian.. Flight 93 National Memorial. Retrieved September 12, 2012.

Bingham was survived by his parents, stepmother and his boyfriend of six years, Paul Holm, who said that Bingham had risked his life to protect the lives of others before 9/11.Barrett, Jon. "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham". The Advocate. January 22, 2002, Nos. 854-855, ISSN 0001-8996, page 43-47.Dahir, Mubarak (October 23, 2001). . The Advocate. ISSN 0001-8996, page 42-45. He had twice successfully protected Holm from attempted muggings, one at gunpoint. Holm described Bingham as a brave, competitive man, saying, "He hated to lose — at anything."He was known to proudly display a scar he received after being gored at the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

In the media

  • ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2 (2004), starring Jade Esteban Estrada
  • United 93 (2006), portrayed by Cheyenne Jackson
  • Flight 93 (2006), portrayed by Ty Olsson
  • The Flight That Fought Back (2005), portrayed by Jason LeGrande

Rugby and business career

A large athlete at 6 ft 4 in (190 cm) and , Bingham also played for the gay-inclusive rugby union team San Francisco Fog RFC.Barrett, Jon (January 22, 2002). "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham". The Advocate. Nos. 854-855, ISSN 0001-8996, pp. 41, 42. Bingham played No. 8 in their first two friendly matches. He played in their first tournament, and taught his teammates his favorite rugby songs.Zavos, Spiro (December 23, 2009). . The Roar.

Bingham had recently opened a satellite office of his public relations firm in New York City, and was spending more time on the East Coast, and discussed plans with his friend Scott Glaessgen about forming a New York City rugby team, Gotham Knights.. Gotham Knights Rugby Football Club. Retrieved September 12, 2012.Barret, Jon (January 22, 2002). "Person of the year: This Is Mark Bingham".The Advocate. Nos. 854-855, ISSN 0001-8996, page 45.

Memorials

  • U.S. Senators John McCain and Barbara Boxer honored Bingham on September 17, 2001, in a ceremony for San Francisco Bay Area victims of the attacks, presenting a folded American flag to Paul Holm.Broverman, Neal (August 5, 2011). . The Advocate.
  • The Mark Kendall Bingham Memorial Tournament (referred to as the Bingham Cup), a biennial international rugby union competition predominantly for gay and bisexual men, was established in 2002 in his memory.Atkins, Stephen E. (June 2, 2011). . ABC-CLIO, p. 72. Google Books.
  • Bingham was posthumously awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2002.. Associated Press/ESPN. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
  • The Eureka Valley Recreation Center’s Gymnasium in San Francisco was renamed the Mark Bingham Gymnasium in August 2002.. City and County of San Francisco, Recreation and Parks Department. August 15, 2002
  • Singer Melissa Etheridge dedicated the song "Tuesday Morning" in 2004 to his memory.. melissaetheridge.com. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  • Beginning in 2005, the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement has been awarded by the California Alumni Association of the University of California, Berkeley to a young alumnus or alumna at its annual Charter Gala.Wilcox, Barbara (September 10, 2006). . The Advocate.. California Alumni Association. University of California, Berkeley.. California Alumni Association. University of California, Berkeley.
  • At the National 9/11 Memorial, Bingham and other passengers from Flight 93 are memorialized at the South Pool, on Panel S-67, along with other passengers on Flight 93.. Memorial Guide: National 9/11 Memorial. Retrieved October 28, 2011.
  • At the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, Bingham’s name is located on one of the 40 8-foot-tall panels of polished, 3-inch thick granite that comprise the Memorial’s Wall of Names.. Flight 93 National Memorial. May 4, 2009
  • The 2012 feature-length documentary With You focuses on Bingham and the bond he had with his mother, Alice Hoagland, a former United Airlines flight attendant who, following his death, became a nationally known authority on airline safety and a champion of LGBT rights.. With You. Retrieved February 27, 2013. Directed by Scott Gracheff, the film relies on the vast amount of video footage Bingham himself shot beginning in his teens until weeks before his death. The film’s title is a popular rugby term, and one of Bingham’s favorite expressions.Gebhart, Betsy (June 18, 2011). . CBS DC.