This weekend, we celebrate the 40th anniversary of what’s widely regarded as the greatest sports moment in American history, the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s titanic upset of the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Games of Lake Placid. The “Miracle on Ice.” It was truly a “remember where you were” moment, when hockey crossed all Read Full Post
‘Rock’ Will Always Be No. 1 on Our List of Greatest Coaches
August 31, 2019 by
Another college football season is upon us. Actually, it’s not just another season; it’s a special one that celebrates the 150thanniversary of that first clash between Rutgers and Princeton on Nov. 6, 1869. Throughout the season there will be various recognitions of the rich history of the sport, starting with several “all-time college football” lists Read Full Post
Explaining The Rockne Crash: Truth vs. Fiction
April 16, 2019 by
By Jim Lefebvre An author who undertakes the telling of a significant life takes on an awesome responsibility – assuming he or she is serious about truth-telling. For the biographer of integrity, there will be years of research, mountains of materials to sift through, speculation and supposition around certain aspects of the life being Read Full Post
Legendary Figures, Classic Battles Connect Notre Dame, Green Bay, U. of Wisconsin
August 14, 2017 by
Today’s announcement of the Notre Dame-Wisconsin series resuming after a 56-year hiatus opens a floodgate of historical connections. The two-game series at iconic venues – Lambeau Field in 2020, Soldier Field in 2021 – promises to be one of the toughest tickets imaginable, given the geography and the enthusiasm of the two fan bases. When Read Full Post
ND Leads History of Top Crowds
September 9, 2016 by
For nearly a century, games involving Notre Dame have stood atop the list of the greatest crowds ever to witness a game of American football. This Saturday, there will likely be a new champion in that category. Tennessee and Virginia Tech are set to play at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in a game expected to Read Full Post
Rockne 85 Years On: In Life and Death, He Moved a Nation
March 31, 2016 by
After all these years, the life of the Notre Dame icon continues to inspire The shocking news dispatches started reaching the eastern United States around mid-day on Tuesday, March 31, 1931. Eight people – including Notre Dame football coach and athletic director Knute Rockne — had lost their lives in the crash of Transcontinental & Read Full Post
Notre Dame-Wisconsin Athletic Bond Has Roots Sunk A Century Ago
March 22, 2016 by
The two have met in basketball just once in last 47 years, but share earlier connections Along the shores of Lake Mendota in Madison, Wis., stands a towering pine tree nearly 100 years old. Its owner, Walter Meanwell, Jr., lives in the tasteful lakeside home his father had built in the 1920s. The tree Read Full Post
High Drama Highlights ND Games at Pittsburgh
November 5, 2015 by
Notre Dame travels to Pittsburgh today for Saturday’s game against the Pitt Panthers. In recent years, the games have been decided by slim margins, regardless of the teams’ relative strengths. That’s consistent with a long history of close, dramatic contests, beginning more than a century ago. On Oct. 30, 1909, Coach Frank “Shorty” Longman brought Read Full Post
Philly “Will Be Bonkers” for Irish-Temple Tilt
October 26, 2015 by
The Philadelphia Archdiocese is populated with 1.4 million Catholics. The area hosted the church’s “World Meeting of Families” this September, featuring a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis, drawing a crowd estimated in the hundreds of thousands. So it’s really no surprise that the first Notre Dame football game in Philadelphia since 1993 is a huge Read Full Post
100 Years Ago Today: ND, Nebraska Start a Great Series
October 23, 2015 by
Shortly after Jesse Harper was hired from Wabash College to become Notre Dame’s first full-time athletic director and head football coach in 1913, he started working on upgrading and expanding the school’s football schedule. He contacted major colleges across the country, seeking to add major opponents. Harper’s efforts resulted in Notre Dame trips to play Read Full Post
