The Washington times., 1931-04-09
And there was an observer.
ROckne Observes

Rockne Observes
AS the two lads continued their
game, oblivious to spectators, a
short, Stocky broad faced, smiling
chap came around the corner Of
the building. He took one look
and stopped. The kid kicked, and
kicked again. The spectator leaned
against the side of the building
watching, his face aglow, his eyes
cleaning.
Finally he walked over.
my names ROckne," he
said. q
"Yeh, 1 know"
whats your name?"
The boy answered almost in
differently:
"Gipp," he said. "GeOrge
Gipp. 1 come from Calumet,
Michigan"
"Play high school fOOtball?"
"NOpe. Don't care for foot
ball particularly. BasebalI'S my
dish"
What led you to come to
NOtre Dame?"
Friends of mine are here"
"Put on a football suit to-
morrow and come out with the
freshmen" ROckne invited.
think you'll make a football
player"
30. K, Mr.. ROckne."
The kid went on with his game
Rockne strolled away. How the
ladies of fate and destiny must
have smiled that afternoon
Rockne didn't know it, and Gipp
didn't know it-but that casual
meeting, that almost casual con,
versation, had started both men
on the high road to fame.
The boy, who that afternoon
found amusement in kicking a
football, was later to develop into
one of the greatest figures of all
time-a tradition on the Notre
Dame campus. And the smiling
chap who invited him to play
well, he was only a coach then,
just starting his career as head
coach and uncertain what to do
or how to do it.
Names Inseperable
But the one made the other
Rockne made Gipp, and Gipp in
no small measure made Rockne
The two names are inseperable
and the one has, and, I imagine,
always will suggest the other.
1t was strange that they
should meet in such manner
and at such time. ROckne was
just taking over the Notre Dame
football team.
A war was being waged and
other grim war years loomeo
ahead. Good football materia,
was, naturally, at premium. The
man who had a reputation tC
build had really nothing much
from which to build it-no tools
no materials. And then came
Gipp.
Destinies Intervened
And from that date-on through
the years the destiny of Rocknt
and Gipp was strangely inter
twined. To the date of Gipp''
death the two were almost like
father and son-and even aftel
death it was the spirit Of George
Gipp which Rockne called bacl
from the Beyond to win a gamt
over Army. But that's another
story-a story of Rockne psychol
ogy that can be better told at an
other time.
George Gipp from the start
fitted into the ROckne picture.
He had pOiSe, he had balance,
he had brains. All these things
ROkne wanted and used.
Like Rockne, he was a show
man, too, making of football
spectacle as we'll as a contest
Naturally he was not without hi
faults. He was inclined to care
lessneSs at times, and there wer
moments when he was incline'
! to loaf-but the spark of geniu
was ever present, and when i
was needed it never failed t.
flame.
Rockne nursed Gipp along care
fully, taking no chances. Through
his freshman year he watche'
and guarded him, bringing hin
along slowly and carefully. An,
how Gipp responded. If a gam
needed fire and power, Gipp wa
there to provide it.. If what wa
required was GOODNESS, and ger
eralShip, and deliberation, Clip
had that. too, and to spare. I
quick thinking and intuitive foot
ball knowledge was needed. Gipl
was equal to the occasion.
(Another inStallment of Fort
C. Frtck'S life story of Knut
Rockne tDiH appear In tomorrow