The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-02
THOUSANDS AT
ROCKNE' s BIER
STAND SILENT
South Bend Joins GrieVing
Notre Dame in Tribute
at CaSket.
RITES ARE INDEFINITE
Famed Stars of Gridiron
Gather for Homage to
Great Leader.
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY

silent homage was paid to the great
knute Rockne today as his BODY
lay in state in a bronze casket in
cased in a gray-Silver vault.
There were no cheers. no bands.
no noise-just CHASTITY silence every
where. Rocknes death was beyond
comprehension.
A scant four months ago these
same loyal townspeople and stu
dents were standing in the same
places, crowding. yelling, milling
about in thunderous tribute to
Rockne and his players, after Notre
Dame had completed its second sue
cesSful undefeated season by hum
bling Southern CALIFORNIA; mighty
Trojans.
For twenty years-aS a student,
assistant coach and finally head
coach-Rockne'S life was entwined
with Notre Dame and his tragic end
IN an airplane crash in Kansas has
staggered the historic school to its
very foundation.
Stand in Saddened Silence
Eight thousand persons standing
in sorrowing silence-that was a
never to be forgotten picture ds
Rocknes body arrived Wednesday
night over the New York Central
from Chicago, whence it had come
from Kansas.
The Rev Charles L. O'DonnelI,
- 4 Il,
was at the station to meet the
Rockne cortege, as an official repre-
sentative of the university. He
gazed in silence as the casket, banked
in lilies and roses, was lowered to a
conveyance.
Then the casket was escorted to a
funeral chapel in the neart of South
Bend, four miles from the campus
where Rockne's genius fashioned the
greatest football tagns in gridirou
history.
All funeral arrangements havs
been held in allegiance until Mrs.
Bonnie Rockne, widow of the coach,
and her two youngest children.
Mary Jean and Jackie, arrive late
today from Florida
Monday Is Tentative Date
The funeral has been arranged
tentatively for Monday at Sacred
Heart church, which has a seating
capacity of less than 1000 There
is a probability that it may be held
Saturday if a special dispensation
can be obtained from Bishop Noll
Of FIT. Wayne diocese.
Another tentative plan suggested
is to hold the funeral in the Notre
Dame stadium to accommodate the
thousands who wish to attend
This is unlikely, as Mrs. Rockne
has discouraged all suggestions of
public display in her communica-
tlonS with Father O'Donnell
Burial will be either in the Cedar
Grove cemetery, adjoining the
Notre Dame campus, and across
the roadway from the Notre Dame
stadium, or in a Chicago crypt. Mrs.
Rockne's decision will determine
which
Oldest Sons on Campus
Rocknes two oldest sons. Billy.
IA, and Knute, Jr., 1.-THE one
who wants to be a football coach
like his dad-spent the night on
the campus, in the care of Coach H.
II. Francis of Pembroke academy.
Kansas City, where they attended
school.
They accompanied the body
Of their father here with the fu-
neral party. DR.. Michael MICRO OF
Kansas City, to whom Mrs. Rockne
Entrusted the responsibility CT
bringing her husbands body to
South Bend, was with the two boys
constantly during the trip here.
Knute Jr. put his arm around DR..
Nlgro en- route from Chicago to
South Bend Wednesday night and
twisted his face into awkward ap-
pearances.
What are you making those faces
Tor, Junior?" Dr. MICRO asked him.
MY Dad Did That Way
Cause that's the way my dad
did sometimes" answered The
watery-eyed little chap, who HIS
inherited many Of his fathers
characteristics.
Many Of the football players who
rose to fame under Rockne's tute-
lage arrived today to pay their last
respects to him.
Adam Walsh, Yale line coach. and
captain of the great 1924 -Four
Horsemen) team, and his brother.
Charles Chilly Walsh, end on the
1927 team, were among the early
arrivals. Jack Elder, whose ninety
f1ve-yard dash won the Army game
III 1929, was another. All of the
-Four Horsemen" were expected. as
well as hundreds Of other players.
Shoes Too Big to Be Filled
There Will be no honorary pail
bearers, because the list would have
to be endless. The six pallbearers
probably will be chosen from among
his former players. with representa-
ton for the thirteen football teana
he coached.
Any speculation over Notra
Danes next coach is far-fetched
No one here mentions such a thing
Many months may pass before anv
official thought viii be given to the
task OF choosing, not Rockne's
successor, but another coach.
Rockne never viii have a successor.
His shoes were too big to be filed.