Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-15
Cipp, Notre Dame
Foot Ball Star,
Dies This Morning
One Of Most Sensational Grid
iron Players of Middle West
Succumbs After Brave
Battle for Life.

South Bend, Ind. Dec. a.
George Gipp, Notre Dame foot ball
player, died at 1928 o'clock this
morning from streptococcic throat
disease. ..
Gipp, whose splendid playing won
him countrywide recognition and
made him choice for position on
an All-American eleven. had been III
since the Notre Dame-N Northwestern
game on November 20.
Pneumonia helped weaken the ath-
lete. Specialists called from Chicago
succeeded in ridding his system o.
pneumonia, however, but Gipp did
not have the. stamina lett to ward
off the poison resulting from the
throat infection. He rallied several
times, but he quickly weakened
again and died when he relapsed the
fourth time.
Showed Great Grit.
During the final hours of his fight
for life, Gipp was rational and was
said to have shown remarkable grit,
refusing to give in to the inevitable.
His mother, brother and sister were
at the bedside when he died.
Gipp first jumped into the spot
light as star foot ball player when
Notre Dame clashed with the Army
in 1919, when his kicking, forward
passing, field running and general
ship won him the plaudits Of the
eastern foot ball critics.
Offered Cub Contract.
One ray of happiness was brough.
into the athletes few remaining
hours when he was informed that
he had been selected as a player on
a mythical All-American eleven.
During his illness he also was in
formed that he had been offered
contract by the Chicago National
league base ball club. Gipp's ability
as base ball player was on a par
with that in foot ball.
Gipp was "a years old. His home
was in Laurium, Mich. He was
senior at Notre Dame, being a law
student.
Was Individual Star.
George Gipp not only was the in
dividual star Of the Notre Dame uni
versity foot ball eleven, but was gen.
orally conceded to be the most bril-
liant halfback of the season.
This was his second season on the
team and both in 1919 and 1920 he
was chosen by many writers for
mythical AllsAmerican elevens.
In the opinion OF foot ball experts
Gipp combined all the qualities
necessary in IN all-around star. A
brilliant runner and all almost per-
feet forward passer, he possessed an
ability to sidestep, dodge and keep
his feet, which frequently carried
him many yards after he had
apparently been brought to the
ground. AS kicker he was one of
the best in the country, being adept
both at punting and at booting field
goals. While freshman at Notre
Dame he is credited with a 62-yard
goal kick in practice scrimmage.
Drafted to Play.
On the defense he seldom missed
his man. In the game against the
Army, Gipp went back despite an in-
jured shoulder and won the contest
tor Notre Dame. In that game Gipp
scored all his teams II points.
When Gipp' first entered Notre
Dame he had had little foot ball ex-
eperience. He did not even go out
for the team, desiring only to make
the base ball nine. One day, how
ever, sothe story goes, he was
watching the team practice when
ball rolled over toward him. Gipp
picktd it up and drop-kicked it be-
tween the goal posts from distance
of SO yeards. He Immediately was
drafted" for the foot ball team and
since then has been star.