Knute Rockne (1888-1931)

Today in 1931 marks the death of famed Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. Born in Norway in 1888, his family came to Chicago when he was five. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1914. As a student he played on the football team and was a key player in the famous 1913 game against West Point that saw the famed “forward pass.” After graduating from Notre Dame, he taught Chemistry and became assistant football coach. In 1918 he was named head coach. It was under Rockne that Notre Dame became a national team. During his thirteen years as head coach (1918-1931) the team won 105 of 122 games. In doing so, he generated immense publicity for the school. His contributions to the sport included the introduction of the “precision backfield” and the perfection of line play. He also wrote several books on football. In 1925, he became a Catholic. In 1931 he died in a plane crash. Part of Rockne’s fame is due to the movie made in his memory, The Knute Rockne story, which featured future President Ronald Reagan as the “Gipper.”