The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-12-14
Notre Danes Greatest Foot
ball Player, One Of Best
in Country, Dies
Today.
HE WAS FINE ATHLETE
College Star Expected to Enter Ma.
jor League Baseball Next Sea.
son as Chicago Cub
Player.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
SOUTH BEND, Ind, Dec. A.
George Gipp, Notre Danes greatest
football player and hailed by coaches
and experts as one Of the best half
backs in the country, lost a game
three weeks fight against losing odds
when he died here early today. Gipp
was twenty-four years old and in ad-
dition to being a star halfback, was
credited with being the cleverest
baseball player in the history Of
Notre Dame. He was sought by
major league managers and was ex-
pected to sign with the. Chicago Cubs
for an outheid position on next years
team.
Gipp's death ended hard battle.
HE won't quit" the doctors said.
You would think he was on the
football field again"
The end came at 1928 a. IN. today.
In addition to his mother, sister and
brother, who came here from
Laurium, Mich, two weeks ago,
Coach Rockne, and members of the
Catholic eleven were at the bedside
when the star died.
Gipp died from pneumonia. The
official cause given was declared to
have been streptococic throat trouble
following an attack Of tonsilitis. Gipp
was first attacked by tonsilitis fol-
lowing the Notre Dame-Northwestern
game at Evanston, Illinois, Novem-
Der 20, after he had gone into the
game during the last quarter against
the doctors orders. He was then
suffering from a broken shoulder re-
ceived in the game with Indiana a
week before.
1t was Gipp's last appearance with
Notre Dame. This was his last year
of college football and it was at his
own request that he was allowed to
play.
Returning to South Bend, he at
tended a banquet given the Notre
Dame team by the University club
and was forced to leave the banquet
hall by sudden attack of throat
trouble He went to the hospital on
the oath
Gipp never played football until he
came to Notre Dame. He had been
baseball player. During football
practice one day Gipp appeared on
the gridiron and when an oval rolled
his way he picked it up and drop
kicked from the sixty yard line for
perfect goal, and then had little
difficulty in making the team.
His ability at the forward pass
was one of the middle vests football
sensations.
Gipp hurled the football almost
with the accuracy and speed with
which he threw a baseball.
Gipp's longest drop kick was in
1916 when he booted the ball sixty
two yards for a score. He was play
ing with the freshman eleven against
Kalamazoo, Michigan. normal This
was next to the longest drop kick on
record, the record being held by
Payne. of Dakota Weleyan, who
kicked sixty-three yards IN 1917.
Arrangements for the funeral
which will probably be held at
Laurium, will be made today
City officials ordered flags on all
public buildings to be flown at half
mast in tribute to Gipp.
AS a result of Gipp's death, it is
believed that the Notre Dame eleven
will not make the trip to San Fran
cisco. where it had been planned to
play against the Pacific fleet eleven.
Greatest Full Back of Year.
NEW YORK, Dec. 14.-George
Gipp's career ended just when his
name and fame began.
Almost simultaneously with the an
nouncement of his death came the an
nouncement of Walter Camp, Ameri-
cas- football authority, that the Notre
Dame star was the greatest full back
of the year.
Football Not Blamed
SOUTH BEND, Ind, Dec. H.
Football will not be blamed for the
death of George Gipp.
According to Coach Rockne and
IContinued on norn