The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-04
DHUe!
His FavOrite Word Typi-
cal of Knute RoCkne's
Teams, His Life, His
Speeches; Tongue Won
Many Games.
Editors Note-FOlIowing is the final
instaIlment on the life of knute Rockne.
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY
United Press staH Correspondent

United Press stah Correspondent
II MUTE ROCKNE was a mod
IN ern Demosthenes. His biting,
burning words. made him a spell
binding orator. One brief message
from Rockne often inspired his
players to valorous heights when
the odds against them seemed al
most lnsurmountable
In his early days Rookie had
dread OF badness. When he was
a student Of chemistry at Notre
Dome he concocted all kinds of
preparations in an effort to save
his hair. Many Jokes have been
cracked about Rockne's bald head.
Well, Demosthenes didn't have
any hair, either" Rockne once jok-
lngly remarked about his badness.
This bit Of comparison was in
tended for a jest. Strangely it ex-
tended not only to the absence of
halr, but to the flow of words.
d OCKNE'S magnetism threw a
An hypnotic spell over his players
Just before the call to gridiron bat
tie. Let's go back to the North
western-Notre Dame game of last
season, one of the greatest Vi
tories scored by the Irish:
The scene is the Notre Dame
dressing room underneath Dyche
stadium, Evanston. The Notre
Dame players are dressed, nerv-
ously awaiting Rockne. Ten min
utes tick away and Rockne still
does not appear.
Finally, he enters. The players
come to rigid attention. Rockne
does not say a word The silence
continues for seemingly inter-
minable period.
Ten minutes before game time,
Rockne utters his first word.
"Upl"
His sharp, staccato voice brings
his men to their feet almost ST.
multaneously.
MY starting lineup will be Con-
ley, Kurth, Metzger, Yarr, Kassis,
Culver, Host, Carideo, Brill, Null
Inns, Schwartz"
A DOZEN or So more words and
IA then the team goes out to the
field for a brief warmup. Back
again TO the locker room and not
another word from Rockne until
two minutes before game time.
'Upl"
That's allan ear-splitting COM
mand
Twice in the first half Rockne's.
men stopped Northwestern on the
one-yard line and then in the last
seven minutes of play broke q
scoreleSs deadlock when Marchy
Schwartz broke away for twenty
seven yards and touchdown. An
other touchdown was added in the
final minutes, Notre Dame winning,
14-0.
A famous engineer told Rockne
there was no such thing as emo
ton; that nothing counted but
cold intelligence. Rockne disagreed
with him and he asked to hear
what message the late coach would
deliver to his men before the Car
negie Tech game last year.
II
THIS is what Rockne said:
Il I'VE will probably Win the
toss. want you to run down the
field and tackle them and go on
the defensive. Stop them dead and
take the heart out of them! You
men in the back field, be alert,
heads up, smart; look for that ball
when they throw a pass, and
when they do, go in and get the
ball.
Il want you to block as you
never blocked before, I want you
to do as we'll as, as hard, as me-
Chemically perfect, as you can
think of. And the quarter back
think clearly and call the right
play.
And you men, all eleven of you,
dig those cleats in deep, get your
paws set, and when you start for
that goal line, DRIVE, DRIVE,
DRIVE!"
Rockne's men followed instruc-
tions to the letter and defeated
Carnegie Tech, 21-6.
Rockne's eloquence was not con-
fined alone to his football teams.
He spoke at banquetS, meetings
and gatherings all over the coun-
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