George Gipp

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

George Gipp
George gipp football player.jpg
No. 66
Position Halfback
Class1921
Personal information
Born:(1895-02-18)February 18, 1895
Laurium, Michigan, U.S.
Died:December 14, 1920(1920-12-14) (aged 25)
South Bend, Indiana, U.S.
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career history
College Notre Dame (19171920)
High school Calumet (MI)
Career highlights and awards
College Football Hall of Fame (1951)

George Gipp (February 18, 1895 – December 14, 1920), nicknamed "the Gipper", was an American college football player at the University of Notre Dame under head coach Knute Rockne. [1] Gipp was selected as Notre Dame's first Walter Camp All-American, [2] and played several positions, particularly halfback, quarterback, and punter.

Contents

Gipp died at age 25 of a streptococcal throat infection and pneumonia, [3] three weeks after a victory over Northwestern in his senior season, [4] and was the subject of Rockne's "Win just one for the Gipper" speech. In the 1940 film Knute Rockne, All American , he was portrayed by Ronald Reagan.

College career

Gipper in football uniform George Gipp.jpg
Gipper in football uniform

Born and raised in Laurium, Michigan, on the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula, [1] Gipp entered Notre Dame intending to play baseball for the Fighting Irish. While on campus, he was recruited by Rockne for the football team, despite having no experience in organized football. [5]

During his Notre Dame career, Gipp led the Irish in rushing and passing each of his last three seasons (1918, 1919, and 1920). [5] His career mark of 2,341 rushing yards lasted over fifty years, until Jerome Heavens broke it in 1978. [5] Gipp was also an ideal handler of the forward pass, [6] [7] and threw for 1,789 yards. [5]

He scored 21 career touchdowns, averaged 38 yards a punt, and gathered five interceptions as well as 14 yards per punt return and 22 yards per kick return in four seasons of play. [5] Gipp is still Notre Dame's all-time leader in average yards per rush for a season (8.1), career average yards per play of total offense (9.37), and career average yards per game of total offense (128.4). [8]

Death

Illustration tribute to Gipp published in December 1921 Gipper illustration tribute.jpg
Illustration tribute to Gipp published in December 1921

Gipp died December 14, 1920, two weeks after being elected Notre Dame's first All-American by Walter Camp, [2] [9] and second consensus All-American overall [10] (after Gus Dorais).

A frequently told but probably apocryphal story of Gipp's death begins when he returned to Notre Dame's campus after curfew from a night out. Unable to gain entrance to his residence, Gipp went to the rear door of Washington Hall, the campus' theatre building. He was a steward for the building and knew the rear door was often unlocked. He usually spent such nights in the hall. On that night, however, the door was locked, and Gipp was forced to sleep outside. By the morning, he had contracted pneumonia and eventually died from a related infection. [11]

It is more likely that Gipp contracted strep throat and pneumonia while giving punting lessons after his final game, November 20 against Northwestern. Since antibiotics were not available in the 1920s, treatment options for such infections were limited. [12]

Gipp's hometown of Laurium built a memorial in his honor; he is buried in Lake View Cemetery near West Tamarack, Michigan. [13]

"Win just one for the Gipper"

Army vs Notre Dame souvenir program for the game held in 1928 at Yankee Stadium Army vs notre dame souvenir program.jpg
Army vs Notre Dame souvenir program for the game held in 1928 at Yankee Stadium

It was on his hospital bed that he is said to have delivered the "win just one for the Gipper" line. [14] [15] He apparently said this to Rockne; [16] the full quotation from which the line is derived is:

"I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock. But I'll know about it, and I'll be happy." [17]

Rockne used the story of Gipp, along with this deathbed line that he attributed to Gipp, to rally his team to a 12–6 upset of the previously undefeated Army team in 1928, with Jack Chevigny scoring the "that's one for the Gipper"[ clarification needed ] tying touchdown at Yankee Stadium. [18] [19]

The phrase "Win one for the Gipper" was later used as a political slogan by Ronald Reagan, who in 1940 portrayed Gipp in Knute Rockne, All American and was often referred to as "The Gipper". At the Republican National Convention in 1988 in New Orleans, he told Vice President Bush, "George, go out there and win one for the Gipper." [20] The term was also used by President George W. Bush at the 2004 convention in New York City, when he honored the recently deceased President Reagan by stating, "this time we can truly win one for the Gipper." The Republicans won both presidential elections.

Exhumation

Gravestone at Lake View Cemetery in Calumet, Michigan 2009-0617-GeorgeGippGravestone.jpg
Gravestone at Lake View Cemetery in Calumet, Michigan

On October 4, 2007, Gipp's body was exhumed for DNA testing to determine if he had fathered a child out of wedlock with an 18-year-old high school student. The right femur was removed and the rest of the remains were reburied the same day. A sports author who was present at the exhumation said it was requested by Rick Frueh, the grandson of one of Gipp's sisters. [21]

The tests showed that he was not the father of the child who was born within days of Gipp's death. [22] [23] Other Gipp relatives claimed in a subsequent lawsuit that the exhumation was conducted in an improper manner and under questionable circumstances. [24] The lawsuit was subsequently dismissed. [25]

Honors

Gipp Memorial in Laurium, Michigan 2009-0617-GippMemorial-Laurium.jpg
Gipp Memorial in Laurium, Michigan

Statistics

In 2002, the NCAA published "NCAA Football's Finest," researched and compiled by the NCAA Statistics Service. [27] For Gipp they published the following statistics:

George Gipp Career Statistics
YearCarriesRushing
yards
AveragePassing
attempts
CompletionsPassing
yards
Interceptions
Thrown
Interceptions
Caught
TDXPFGPoints
1917 632443.98340200000
1918 985415.545192931167043
1919 1067296.972417274374149
1920 1028278.1623070991816064
Total3692,3416.3187931,76916521271156

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knute Rockne</span> American football player and coach (1888–1931)

Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships.

<i>Knute Rockne, All American</i> 1940 film by William K. Howard, Lloyd Bacon

Knute Rockne, All American is a 1940 American biographical film that tells the story of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame's legendary football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien as Rockne and Ronald Reagan as player George Gipp, as well as Gale Page, Donald Crisp, Albert Bassermann, Owen Davis Jr., Nick Lukats, Kane Richmond, William Marshall and William Byrne. The film also includes cameos by legendary football coaches "Pop" Warner, Amos Alonzo Stagg, William H. Spaulding and Howard Jones, playing themselves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Thomas (American football)</span> American football player and coach (1898–1954)

Frank William Thomas was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Chattanooga from 1925 to 1928 and at the University of Alabama from 1931 to 1946, compiling a career college football record of 141–33–9. During his tenure at Alabama, Thomas amassed a record of 115–24–7 and won four Southeastern Conference titles while his teams allowed an average of just 6.3 points per game. Thomas's 1934 Alabama team completed a 10–0 season with a victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl and was named national champion by a number of selectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Stuhldreher</span> American football player, coach, and administrator (1901–1965)

Harry Augustus Stuhldreher was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played quarterback at University of Notre Dame from 1922 to 1924, where he was a three-time All-American and member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield. After graduating from Notre Dame, Stuhldreher played professional football briefly with the Brooklyn Horsemen/Lions in 1926. He served as the head football coach at Villanova College—now known as Villanova University—from 1925 to 1935 and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1936 to 1948, compiling a career college football record of 110–87–15. Stuhldreher was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunk Anderson</span> American football player and coach (1898–1978)

Heartley William "Hunk" Anderson was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the Saint Louis University (1928–1929), University of Notre Dame (1931–1933), and North Carolina State University (1934–1936), compiling a career college football record of 34–34–4. From 1942 to 1945, Anderson was the head coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL), tallying a mark of 24–12 and winning the 1943 NFL Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Dorais</span> American football player, coach, and administrator (1891–1954)

Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais was an American football player, coach, and athletic administrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marchmont Schwartz</span> American football player and coach (1909–1991)

Marchmont H. "Marchy" Schwartz was an American college football player and coach. He played football at the University of Notre Dame from 1929 to 1931, and was a two-time All-American at halfback. Schwartz served as the head football coach at Creighton University from 1935 to 1939 and at Stanford University from 1942 to 1950, compiling a career college football coaching record of 47–50–6; Stanford, like may other universities, suspended football during World War II. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Harper</span>

Jesse Clair Harper was an American football and baseball player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Alma College (1906–1907), Wabash College (1909–1912), and the University of Notre Dame (1913–1917), compiling a career college football record of 57–17–7. Harper was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1971.

John Edward Chevigny was an American football player, coach, lawyer, and United States Marine Corps officer who was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. He is best known for scoring the famous "that's one for Gipper" touchdown for Notre Dame on November 10, 1928, versus Army at Yankee Stadium. One of the Great Depression-era football stars, he was one of the best blocking backs for Knute Rockne's Notre Dame football team in the 1920s. Chevigny later served as the head coach of the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League in 1932 and the head football coach at the University of Texas from 1934 to 1936.

The 1928 Army Cadets football team represented the United States Military Academy in the 1928 college football season. Led by head coach Biff Jones, the team finished the season with a record of 8–2. The Cadets offense scored 215 points, while the defense allowed 79 points. The team was ranked No. 9 in the nation in the Dickinson System ratings released in December 1928. The 1928 season was one of the few years in which Army did not play the Navy Midshipmen in the Army–Navy Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Kirk</span> American football player (1900–1922)

Bernard C. Kirk was an American football player who played for Notre Dame in 1919 and for Michigan from 1921 to 1922. He was selected as an All-American at the end position in both 1921 and 1922. Shortly after being named an All-American, in December 1922, at the height of his popularity, Kirk suffered a fractured skull in an automobile accident, and died several days later at a hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan. His funeral was attended by the Governor of Michigan and many other dignitaries, and was reported by newspapers across the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team</span> American college football season

The 1920 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 1920 college football season. The team was coached by second-year head coach Henry Schulte and played its home games at Nebraska Field in Lincoln, Nebraska. The team competed as an independent. Schulte departed shortly after the end of the season, though he remained at the school to coach track until 1939.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1919 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 1919 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1919 college football season. The team compiled a perfect 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 229 to 47.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1920 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 1920 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1920 college football season. In their third year under head coach Knute Rockne, the team compiled a perfect 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 251 to 44.

The 1978 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Dan Devine, the Fighting Irish compiled an overall record of 9–3. Notre Dame was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic, where the Irish beat Houston, 35–34, after quarterback Joe Montana rallied the team from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The team played home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

The Subway Alumni are a group of Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans who are known for their strict allegiance to the school although never attending or graduating from the school. The group's nickname originated when New York City area residents began traveling to early Notre Dame football games around the New York area by train. The largely Irish and Catholic population began to rally around the emerging Midwestern school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1918 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team</span> American college football season

The 1918 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1918 college football season.

The 1931 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1931 college football season, led by first-year head coach Hunk Anderson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John W. Cavanaugh</span> American priest and academic administrator

The Rev. John W. Cavanaugh, C.S.C. was an American priest and President of the University of Notre Dame from 1905 to 1919.

Thomas Cyril "Cy" Kasper was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Alfred University in Alfred, New York from 1923 to 1924, Columbus College in Chamberlain, South Dakota from 1925 to 1927, and South Dakota State University from 1928 to 1933.

References

  1. 1 2 "Gipp memory brings prestige to Keweenaw Peninsula". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 15, 1985. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Just one Far West gridman looks good to Walter Camp". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 15, 1920. p. 19.
  3. "Gipp will be buried Thursday". Milwaukee Sentinel. December 15, 1920. p. 10.[ dead link ]
  4. Cavanaugh, Jack (December 30, 1991). "The Elusive Gipper". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Notre Dame Archives: George Gipp". Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  6. Schmidt, Raymond (June 18, 2007). Shaping College Football. Syracuse University Press. ISBN   9780815608868.
  7. "Leslie's Weekly". google.com. 1921.
  8. University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site
  9. "Walter Camp, dean of football, selects All-American teams". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). December 16, 1920. p. 17.
  10. Gustkey, Earl (December 14, 1999). "Gipp Still an Inspiration Long After His Death". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
  11. "1895 : George Gipp of Notre Dame Fame Was Born on the Keweenaw Peninsula (2018-02-18)" . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  12. Cavanaugh, Jack (September 10, 2010). The Gipper: George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-62873-112-5.
  13. "1895 : George Gipp of Notre Dame Fame Was Born on the Keweenaw Peninsula (2018-02-18)" . Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  14. Keyes, Ralph (2006). The quote verifier: who said what, where, and when . St. Martin's Press. p.  78. ISBN   0-312-34004-4. win just one for the gipper.
  15. Valk, Garry (April 14, 1969). "Letter from the publisher". Sports Illustrated. p. 5.
  16. Phinizy, Coles (September 17, 1979). "Win one for the Gipper". Sports Illustrated. p. 40.
  17. Homiletic Review. Volume 102, Page 421. 1931.
  18. "Army humbled by Notre Dame". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 11, 1928. p. 1, part 2.
  19. Gould, Alan J. (November 11, 1928). "Notre Dame runs wild over Cagle's Cadets, 12-6". Milwauee Sentinel. Associated Press. p. 1, part 3.[ permanent dead link ]
  20. Gerstenzang, James (August 16, 1988). "Reagan delivers 'last hurrah' to GOP". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 1A.
  21. COLLEGE FOOTBALL: George Gipp's body is exhumed for DNA testing - International Herald Tribune
  22. "Gipp not father of child born after death". The Columbia (Missouri) Daily Tribune. November 11, 2007. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  23. Sandomir, Richard (November 17, 2007). "Cousins Sue Over Gipp Exhumation". New York Times . Retrieved August 8, 2008.
  24. Holt, Ivy (January 7, 2011). "Cousins Sue Over Gipp Exhumation". New York Times . Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  25. "Legal Squabble Over The Gipper's Body". CBS News . January 6, 2009. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  26. 25 Greatest Players In College Football - College Football - ESPN
  27. "NCAA Football's Finest" (PDF). NCAA. 2002. Retrieved July 2, 2010.

Further reading