Reviving the Fighting Irish: A Weekly Series

Recently inspired by a Her Loyal Sons post that brilliantly put ND Football’s soon-to-be-worn “Irish Flag cleats” into context, I believe the time has finally come to share my thoughts on the “Irishness” of Notre Dame:

As I read the above-mentioned post, my thoughts returned to the 69 page senior thesis I wrote in 2010 for the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, which I dubbed: “Reviving the Fighting Irish: The real significance of the words ‘Fightin’ Irish’ at Notre Dame.”

As an Irish Studies student at Notre Dame, the phrase “Fightin’ Irish” took on a special significance that made me want to know how it came about and what it actually means.

As the official Leprechaun mascot of Notre Dame Athletics, I also felt as though it became my duty to grasp and embody the true meaning of the name as well as I possibly could.  I felt that if I could not understand why Notre Dame had officially sanctioned me to become the face of the Fighting Irish, then I would fail to respect the legacy that I was called to represent.

As we prepare to kick off Notre Dame’s 125th football season in Dublin, I see no better time than now to release a blog-friendly edited (and much shorter) version of my senior thesis through a series of segments leading up to the game on September 1.

My greatest hope in doing so is that we will not let this opportunity to return to the Emerald Isle pass us by without any real recognition of Notre Dame’s “Irishness” or what it actually means that we call ourselves “The Fightin’ Irish.”

(Part I to come on Thursday, May 17)

Army v. Notre Dame: More than a Game

Clashmore Mike refuses to back down to Army's mule in Yankee Stadium
(Notre Dame Archives, 1947)

This Saturday when the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame meet the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy in New York City, they will be continuing a tradition that is not only central to the identity of both schools, but to the overall history of our nation.  The awe-inspiring history behind this rivalry is far too vast to fit into a single article, but a quick overview should shed some light on its relevance for the casual fan:

Army v. Notre Dame in New York:

1913 – In the first-ever meeting between the small, unknown school from South Bend and the fearsome football giant from West Point, the Catholics made a name for themselves by practically reinventing the game.  Quarterback Gus Dorais led an offense that was the first of its kind, relying on what was until that point known as a trick play (the forward pass).   His favorite target?  You may have heard of the undersized end named Knute Rockne who hauled in a 25 yard touchdown pass for the first score in a 35 – 13 win for Our Lady’s team.  As they say, the rest is history…

The 1913 upset of a thousand lifetimes initiated an annual rivalry that was played in West Point every year until 1923 when the overflow of fans forced the popular matchup to Brooklyn, where the yet to be named Four Horsemen led Notre Dame to a 13 – 0 victory on Ebbets Field.

1924 – The pivotal game in Notre Dame’s first national championship season was relocated once again as the crowds continued to grow, this time to the Polo Grounds in New York City.  The spectacle of a Notre Dame backfield, the likes of which had never been seen, as they galloped to a 13 – 7 victory in front of a record 60,000 fans inspired Grantland Rice of the New York Herald-Tribune to write the most famous piece of sports journalism in history.  It’s opening stanza:

“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky,

The Four Horsemen rode again.

In dramatic lore they are known as

Famine, pestilence, destruction and death.

These are only aliases.

Their real names are Stuhldreher,

Miller, Crowley, and Layden.”

1925 – In the aftermath of the 1924 game, the national championship, and Rice’s poetic praise, the series was finally moved to a worthy venue inside Yankee Stadium.  The black Knights carried the day 27 – 0 in the first of many games to be played there.

1928 – Locked in a scoreless tie at half-time, now head-coach Knute Rockne delivered what has since transcended sports and popular culture as the Golden standard of all locker room speeches when he told his boys to go out there and “Win one for the Gipper.”  The Fighting Irish did just that, stalling Army at the half-yard line as time ran out on a 12-6 victory.  Not only did Rockne’s speech propel Our Lady’s loyal sons onward to victory, but it also launched a budding actor named Ronald Reagan into stardom some years later.

1944 – Top ranked Army, dominant during the WWII era, embarrassed #5 Notre Dame by running up the score 59 – 0.

1945 – Army delivered the second straight slaughter of the Fighting Irish by the score of 48 – 0.  The Fighting Irish would not forget the two-year 107 – 0 domination by the Black Knights.  At the end of WWII, when Leahy and his lads returned from active duty to rejoin their team, the old ball coach reminded them that Army may have beaten up on the boys over the past two years, but the men had finally returned.

1946 – “The Game of the Century” – The matchup between #1 Army and #2 Notre Dame, both 6 – 0 at the time, still stands as quite possibly the most hyped college football game in history.  Over $5,000,000 was placed in bets on the game (a lot for what ended up as a push – especially considering it was 1946).  Mind-blowingly, the game featured four Heisman winners (Blanchard ’45 and Davis ’46 for Army; Lujack ’47 and Hart ’49 for ND) on the field at the same time.  As the fates would have it, the actual game failed to live up to expectations and ended in a 0 – 0 tie.  The score was much more meaningful than it now seems though, as it signaled the Post-War arrival of the Fighting Irish.  After going toe to toe for four quarters with the mighty Black Knights while literally the entire sports world tuned in, Leahy’s lads knew they could play with anyone.  In fact, they wouldn’t lose another game for four years, picking up three National Championships and two Heisman Trophies along the way.

1969 – After a 23 year drought, Yankee Stadium witnessed its favorite historic matchup once again, this time between # 15 Notre Dame and unranked Army.  The 0 – 0 score at half-time triggered talks of the ghosts still lingering from the Game of the Century, but the Fighting Irish opened the floodgates in the second half en route to a 45 – 0 victory.

2010 – Saturday’s return to Yankee Stadium marks the continuance of a tradition that transcends sports.  Both teams will honor a shared history that changed the college football landscape forever.  For Notre Dame fans, returning to New York presents a unique opportunity to honor the birth not only of the forward pass (thanks Rock), but also of the never-say-die spirit that formed the identity of the university we all know and love.  Finally, as you board the train on your way to the Bronx this weekend, give special thanks to the past generations of immigrant New Yorkers who gave rise to our fiercely loyal fanbase by adopting Notre Dame as working-class America’s favorite university.

Blood Brothers: Notre Dame v. Navy

“Mr. K. K. Rockne may, or may not, be a psychologist. But, he did array his Fighting Irish in bright green jerseys for their battle with the United States Naval Academy.  Mr. Rockne evidently surmised that garbing a band of native and adopted Irish in their native color is somewhat akin to showing a bull the Russian flag.” - The Scholastic, “Football Review,” 1928

No rivalry holds as much history as that between the University of Notre Dame and the United States Naval Academy.  Fierce contests between the powerhouse Midshipmen and the underdog Fighting Irish during the Rockne era helped Notre Dame gain respect and grow from a largely unknown football program into the greatest of all time.  Since then, the two teams have played annually without interruption for over 80 years.  One of the longest continuous series in the history of college football, the rivalry has seen domination on both sides.  Navy had its way for many of the early years before Notre Dame went on to win 43 straight times.  Recently, the tables have turned and I have personally never seen the Fighting Irish beat Navy at home.  


The brotherhood between Notre Dame and Navy is one that deserves recognition and respect from all fans of both schools.  As a preview of the 2010 edition of a continuing saga that began in 1927, I hope to shed some light on the historical significance of the bonds we share:

Frank Leahy after returning from active duty in the Navy
 during WWII, where he proudly served
God, Country, & Notre Dame

    
    The Second World War proved to be pivotal in the evolution of Notre Dame. Those who returned home from the war reentered society as All-American heroes.  At Notre Dame, the “Fighting Irish” became national icons due to their commitment to the war effort and their domination on the football field.


    The wartime era brought sweeping changes to Notre Dame.  The draft depleted enrollment numbers and consequently forced the administration to request transfers of over 1,000 midshipmen from the Naval Academy to attend Notre Dame through the newly created V-7 Naval Training Program.  In addition, the naval ROTC unit expanded dramatically and newly constructed naval drill halls appeared across campus.  By the start of the 1943-1944 academic year, over 85 percent of the students on campus were Navy trainees.


    Not only did the war alter the physical appearance of campus, but it also brought uncertainty to a football program that lost players and coaches to the draft.  Most importantly, though, it cemented the already strong commitment to American values at Notre Dame.  In turn, the public came to view the university as a prominent symbol of American patriotism.


    On a page labeled “For God, Country and Notre Dame” in the 1944-1945 volume of The Scholastic, a tribute was made to the “Notre Dame men who made the supreme sacrifice for our final victory” by listing all 272 individuals associated with the university who had died or gone missing during the triumphant war effort.  Through the life-stories of these brave individuals, American society came to associate Fighting Irish Football with those remarkable Notre Dame men who had served their country honorably during the war.  For all those men returning to play football at Notre Dame after the war, the name “Fighting Irish” now symbolized an American fighting spirit, especially to all those who had fought for the honor of God, Country, and Notre Dame.


    The post-war era saw Notre Dame put together the most dominant dynasty in the history of college football.  Coach Frank Leahy was already known as a legendary figure due to his prior successes as a coach and the respect he earned nation-wide when he voluntarily joined the war effort by enlisting in (you guessed it) the Navy.  Returning to play for him were several of his dominant players from before the war who came back from active duty with years of eligibility remaining. In addition to his former players, a horde of fresh football recruits joined Leahy’s ranks after becoming attracted to Notre Dame because of the widespread recognition that military men with ties to Notre Dame Football had gained during the war.


    In 1943, star quarterback Angelo Bertelli’s season had been cut short by active duty with the U.S. Marines.  Though he had only competed in six games, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy while on active duty overseas. Future Notre Dame recruits undoubtedly remembered this remarkable episode while deciding which football offer to accept after returning home from war.  Thus, when Leahy ended his tour of duty in 1946 he essentially returned to two full teams of talented players.  Under his direction, the Fighting Irish would go on to win 39 straight games, claim four National Championships, and produce another Heisman winner. John Lujack, who had been Bertelli’s replacement during the second half of the 1943 season, returned to Notre Dame in 1946 after service in (you guessed it again) the Navy and was recognized as the most prolific player in all of college football in 1947.


    The success stories of Bertelli, Lujack and Leahy represented just a few of the many that came from the home of the “Fighting Irish” during this period.  As both football stars and noted veterans, the most visible heroes of the day at Notre Dame were doubly considered to be All-Americans.  The Fighting Irish had become America’s team, and Notre Dame was now America’s school.

Angello Bertelli, the epitome of an All-American,
receives his Heisman Trophy while on active duty
in the Pacific.

All information and photos researched through the Archives of the University of Notre Dame

It’s Skunkbear season at Notre Dame.

In the second week of our 2010 campaign, our historical rivals enemies, the Skunkbears of Michigan, will venture to Notre Dame Staidum to continue a series that began 123 years ago. While our football program can boast a history of just as many years that includes 838 wins and a .732 winning percentage (#3 and #2 all-time in college football), Michigan is the only program that surpasses ours in both categories (#1 all-time in both). What makes our series against the Skunkbears even more compelling is the fact that we owe them all of our success on the gridiron and almost all of our accomplishments as a University. They brought the game of football to Notre Dame in 1887, thinking nothing at the time of the opportunity they had just presented to our small, independent, working-class Catholic school. Little did they know that our team, the very team they brought into being, would eventually rise to become the most decorated program in the history of college football. Little did they know that football would put us on the map as the nation's preeminent Catholic university.

After exploiting our inexperience during the first eight games they played against us, the Skunkbears slowly recognized that we were beginning to gain strength and grow beyond their control. In true Skunkbear fashion, they accordingly made several attempts to pull the plug on Notre Dame football. They blacklisted us in order to prevent us from joining a conference (thanks for our independence and NBC contract, by the way). They refused to play us, hoping we would soon fade away and they could have their game back.

As Providence would have it, though, events overseas would change the face of the world, America, and college football forever. The Great Famine in Ireland sent millions of Fighting Irishmen to our shores as they sought new opportunities in a new world. For those Irish Catholics who ventured to the Midwest, Notre Dame symbolized the pinnacle of the American Dream.

For countless families fighting to survive and prosper in their new “home,” where signs boldly stating “No Irish Need Apply” frequented storefronts in every city, Our Lady atop the Golden Dome truly was the golden standard. The mentality of these Fighting Irishmen, along with subsequent waves of hard-working immigrants from around the globe, brought a mentality to Notre Dame that would define us as a university. As the Skunkbears sat idly by, unwilling to take up the challenge and face Notre Dame under the excuse of a “boycott,” we used that mentality to fight our way to the top of the college football world.

Once we had proven ourselves as the true kings of college football, the Skunkbears had no choice but to get over their jealousy and renew the series that began so many years before. No love was lost, however, and plenty fierce battles between the two juggernaut programs have been recorded in the annals of sports history.

In the most recent chapter, the Skunkbears narrowly escaped our wrath during a last-second comeback at the Big House. This year, a new chapter will be written...

It is up to us, the coaches, players, students, alumni, and fans, to recognize the significance of the game at hand and do our part to ensure this latest chapter is written properly. We must be prepared to uphold our tradition of excellence, and we must show no mercy to the program that has hated us for so long.

As the Skunkbears step timidly onto the hallowed ground inside Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday, let us remind them that we are the Fighting Irish, and we will protect our house like we did last time they attempted to enter it in 2008.

As fans of the greatest college football team of all time, we can fulfill our duty this week by: wearing GREEN, arriving early, getting LOUD, and teaching the Skunkbears a history lesson they will never forget.