Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-31

Oh LLcIIl
He was best known as head coach
of foot ball at Notre Dame, for 1t was
in that capacity that the success Of
his teams brought him fame and made
the university at South Bend, IND, ma
tionally known.
was Star End.
AS a player, Coach Rockne was one
of the best ends ever to represent the
University of Notre Dame on the grid
iron. He had original ideas about foot
ball, and when he became head coach
was able to put them into practice UNI
l1ampered. The soundneSs Of his sys-
tenn was attested by the consistent sue
cess of Motto Dame teams coached by
him, record of achievement that gave
him rank with such noted foot ball
mentors as Fielding II. Yost, Amos
Alonzo Stagg, Glen S. Warner. Bob
zuppke and the late Percy Haughton. !.
It was seldom that Rockne- coached
teams suffered mere than enc det5at
during season, the worst being In 1873.
when Metre Dare lost four out CT nine
games. on the other side, there were
several seasons during which the charges
of Rockne played through their scned-
ule without the loss Of game.
Coach Rockne was captain. OF the
1918 team at Notre Dame, which went
through the season undefeated. During
the next four years he was assistant TO
Head Coach Jesse Harper, and when
tna latter retired at the end of the 1917
season, it was largely upon his recon-
mendation that his lieutenant was in
stalled as his successor
one of the finest tributes 70 Coach
Rockne and his foot ball system mas peen
fine wide demand for coaches who
learned the game from him. It Is esti-
mated that during the first dozen years
of the Rockne regime between 90 ana
so Notre Dame players were engaged as
foot ball mentors In other colleges ana
universities in all parts OF the country.
Was Native Of Norway.
Mr. Rocl1ne was a native of Norway,
horn at Voss. March 4, 1888, the son OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Lewis Rockne. His Ia
ther, q carriage maker, frst came 20 the
United States in 1898 to exhibit at the
World Fair at Chicago product OF ms
skill The exhibit won medal for him
and so delighted was he with his sue
cess that he decided to remain IN Chi
caro-. Two months later his wife, son
and two daughters Joined him.
Kn1te was thrown upon his own re-
nol,rces before he went to high school.
ne was seif-supporting during that pc
Rod Of his education and worked on
railroad in Illinois 70 pay MS tuition at
Notre Dame There, as an undergrad
uate, he took hoi1ors IN chemistry ana
upon completing his course Joined the
faculty as an instructor in that subject,
and later, In addition, became athletic
director. 4
on July IS. 1914, Mr.. Rocxne married
Miss Bonnie Skiles of Sanduskys Ohio.
They had four children.
Conducted Grid Schools.
AS Rockne,s fame spread he came to
be recognized as the outstanding TOOL
hall strategist. His formations ana
uisvs have been copied as much as
fhose IF any man who ever coached
foot ball. Roclne contributed to the
DEVELOPMENT of foot ball In many ways
other than as q player and coach. He
Conducted foot ball schools largely at
tended by college and high school
coaches; he wrote numerous DOCKS on
the game that we're widely circulated,
and there was an ever-growtng demand
for him as a lecturer on the technique
and strategy OF the game.
AZ athletic director ct Notre Dame,
Rockne built uTi . system Of mass ath-
letics and encouraged every student to
participate.
eff foot bali Is good sport for the
varsity player" he argued, why isn't
1t q good sport for the entire under
graduate body7 Granted that 1t il, I
want every boy at Notre Dame who
cares to kick a foot ball to have some
place in which to kick 1t"
Develops -Four HOrsemen.
That policy led to the formation CT
many elevenS at Notre Dame, and there
were tsams representing az least =
dozen dormit1ries that played regularly
with each ether.
The 1890 varsity eleven generally was
regarded IS one Of the best teams
Rockne had put together. Many rated
II a better combination than that OF
1924. which had the famous Four
Horsenen- Stuhldreher, Miller, Layden
and CroWley-and one Of the greatest
of ali centers, Adam Walsh. Both the
1929 and 1880 teams won all Of their
games.
An Of the teams coached by Rockne
were noted for their speed, alertness
and intelligence. These qualifications
he insisted upon in every Individual
who sought a place on the team, deem
ing them requisite for the right type Of
youth demanded to At the Rockne sys-
tenn. With that class Of material to
work with. he vas able to develop SEE
ondary or substitute players who, IN
many instances, were not far below the
ability Of the regulars.
"Shock Troops" His Idea.
With strong secondary players, Coach
Roclxne was the first to take advantage
Of what has become generally known in
foot ball as the use Of SHOCK troops"
In that system the second-string men
are played at the beginning OF game
in order to wear down the opposition,
and at an opportune time the regulars
are put in TO finish the job and bring
victory.
In recent years the annual game be-
tween Notre Dame and the Army has
become one of the most attractive fea-
lures Of the season and the foot ball
classic Of the year. especially when the
Army and Navy teams were not sched-
uled 70 meet. The Army-Notre Dame
games have developed the highest stand
ard Of sportsmanship and, while they
have been holly contested have been
devoid Of individual or team friction.
Was Highly Cultured.
Coach RoclSne often vas heard to re-
mark that they call me . roughneck, 4"
but that estimate of him was greatly
exaggerated. He possessed q culture
that made him equally at home when
addressing q gathering Of society folks
as he was when speaking to foot ball
squad in the vernacular of the game
An outstanding characteristic OF the
man was the wholehearted manner IN
which he went into everything. He had
ideas and convictions and the courage
to present them in forceful and fearless
language.
, In 1924 IL was revealed that Rockne
had served Notre Dame for several
years without q contract. During that
time he rejected several offers from
other institutions. some Of which car
ried salaries nearly twice as large as
the $500 he was receiving. That same
year . "NotTe Dame Night was held,
which was made a nationwide testi-