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On This Day: Win one for the Gipper
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George Gipp of University of Notre Dame
November 10, 1928: Notre Dame plays at Yankee Stadium, meeting the undefeated Army football team. Knute Rockne learned to play football on the streets of Chicago and played with a local group and then again in high school. He saved enough money to continue his education in South Bend, Indiana where he ran track and played football. After graduation, he was a lab assistant working with polymer chemist JA Nieuwland. Rather than continue his scientific career, he opted to become the football coach for Notre Dame University. He became one of the greatest coaches in history. His career spanned 1918-1930 with 105 victories, 12 losses, and 5 ties. His team won six national championships.
George Gipp has been listed as one of the best college ball players. The Notre Dame football star played various positions, mostly halfback. Only two weeks after being chosen Notre Dame's first All-American player, he was ill and dying in the hospital. Without antibiotics, a virulent case of strep throat was lethal. His coach came to see the Gipper and was told, "I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy." In one of the greatest locker room speeches ever given, Coach Rockne used this to fire up his team against the undefeated opponents. Final score: Notre Dame 12; Army 6.
Rockne introduced the "shift" where the backfield was lined up in a T formation, but the players shifted to a box formation as the ball was snapped. He did not invent the forward pass but did popularize it. Rockne himself admitted the play was introduced at St. Louis University by coach Eddie Cochens who had Bradbury Robinson throw the first pass in 1906. Rockne died in a plane crash at the age of 43.
The Gipper's own career at Notre Dame was stellar. He led the team in both rushing and passing for the 1918, 1919, and 1920 seasons. He rushed for 2,341 yards, a record that held for more than half a century. Gipp threw for 1,789 yards. He did not allow a pass completion in his territory. He scored 83 touchdowns. He played both offensive and defensive positions. It is rumored he was late for curfew and contracted pneumonia and strep throat while sleeping outside but it is far more likely he became ill while giving punting lessons after his last game. He died at age 25.
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"Let's win one for the Gipper."
"One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty preaching it."
"Win or lose, do it fairly."
"Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points."
"I've found that prayers work best when you have big players." – all from Knute Rockne
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