The Washington times., 1938-11-17

Notre Dame is one university
where practically every student
plays on the team. don't mean
actually on the first squad, of
course, though sometimes when
you see it streaming onto the
field, it looks almost that big.
But football is the sport of the
school out there in Rockneland,
and the boy is the exception who
doesn't at least get out and
chuck the ball around on some
class, house. club, dormitory, or
pickup team.
If you could roll all the foot
balls that are in the air at
Notre Dame on a sunny autumn
afternoon into one, you'd have a
Zeppelin. FROM these catch-as-
catch-can outfits sometimes come
the stars who later carry the
green banner of the Fighting
Irish in intercollegiate compe-
tition, so that virtually every lad
there can be said to contribute
his bit.
The legend always has had it
that Rockne discovered the
unforgettable George Gipp, when
Gipp happened to pick up
stray football and whip it back
TO a cluster of players. I even
have heard some tellers of that
tale say that 1.-THE Clipper" never
had had a football in his hand
until that one CHANGED to come
bounding his way. But 1 always
had a bunch they were stretch
ing the truth a trifle in order
to make a good story better.
1t is true that such natural
athletes as Gipp are born and
not made. Still, the very best of
'em don't just start doing the
Turkey Trot the first time they
hear the music. I would lay
a small wager that Gipp, the big,
silent youth who came unher-
aided out of the North to Notre
Dame and returned before his
college days were over-Silent
forever-to the tiny mining
town of Laurium, had better
than a vague idea of the length
of a football field before Rockne
invited him out to play.
And if pressed, and baited
with the proper price, I'd lay a
trifle that Roclne knew George
was around there somewhere be-
fore he saw him chuck that now
legendary ball back further than
some kid had kicked it.
EVANSTON-THE LAST PERIOD
Now that I mention Gipp, I
am reminded that 1t was on a
corresponding November Satur-
day that he went to Evanston
with the Irish to play North
western, just as they will go this
coming Saturday.
Then as now, it was next to
the last game on their schedule.
Then as now, they had a great
and unbeaten team.
Gipp, who had made the grid
irons Of rival elevens his per
sonal sand pile for three years,
had been in the college in
Urinary with a cold. Nobody
thought any more about 1t than
that. It was just a cold. The
doctor saw no reason why he
Shouldn' go with the team, Gipp
scoffed at the idea of staying
home, when Rockne suggested it.
The sun was shining when
they left the campus. The next
day turned snowy and bitter
cold. Roc did not name Gipp in
his regular place in the start
ing lineup, but kept him on the
bench wrapped in his mackinaw
and heavy blanket. Nor would
Knute have used hi mat all, II
It had been left to him.
There was no need for him.
Notre Dame quickly piled up a
big lead. But that was all the
more reason for the shivering
fans to demand Gipp.
They had paid to see him.
They wanted what they had
paid for. People in the mass
can be extremely thoughtlesS.
There is a hysteria that goes
with big crowds that seems to
stida i1Id6nnaY1t
"Gipp, Gipp, Gipp, Gipp!",
the crowd chanted, Stomping its
feet In cadence with his name.
1--WE want Gipp! We want
Gipp!"
Naturally they could not
know, or believe. that such n
mighty athlete had no more
business on q football field that
raw afternoon than he would
have had trying to swim Lake
Michigan.
PERHAPS 1T MADE NO
DIFFERENCE
They thought Rockne was
eeping him on the bench be-
cause Notre Dame was so far
ahead and they felt that they
were being gyped of Gipp.
Rockne, who couldn't possibly
have known, either-perhaps it
would have been the same, any
way, who knows?-finally looked
along the bench and said:
"Okay. George, go in for little
while"
Almost before the words were
out of the coach's mouth, the
big fellow. was Looping onto the
field. He played only a part of
that final quarter. 1t would be
a better story If we could say
that he raced some great dis
distance for q touchdown, or