George Gipp
George Gipp was a notable American college football player born in Laurium, Michigan, in 1895. Initially aspiring to be a professional baseball player, he attended the University of Notre Dame, where he transitioned to football after being discovered by coach Knute Rockne in 1916. Gipp played for the Fighting Irish from 1916 to 1920, during which he became one of the school's most celebrated athletes, known for his exceptional speed, intelligence on the field, and remarkable kicking and passing abilities. His college career ended tragically early when he died at the age of 25 from complications of a throat infection shortly after earning recognition as an All-American player. Gipp’s legacy is immortalized in college football history, particularly through the phrase "win one for the Gipper," which has become a rallying cry for teams in difficult situations. His contributions to the sport have been honored with numerous accolades, including his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame and the establishment of the George Gipp Award for outstanding athletes at his former high school. Gipp's impact on football and his enduring legend are celebrated, demonstrating his significance in the sports community.
George Gipp
Football Player
- Born: February 18, 1895
- Birthplace: Laurium, Michigan
- Died: December 14, 1920
- Place of death: South Bend, Indiana
Sport: Football
Early Life
George Gipp was born in the small town of Laurium, Michigan. The young man, who would become one of the best-known college football players of all time, was a natural athlete. Football was not his primary sport, however; he did not play on an organized football team in high school. Always an avid sports enthusiast, he actively participated in track, hockey, sandlot football, and organized baseball. He loved baseball, and throughout high school he was an outstanding player on the Calumet High School team. George aspired to be a professional baseball player and worked toward that dream while attending the University of Notre Dame. In addition to playing football, he was the center field for the Irish; he planned to play professional baseball with the Chicago Cubs following his graduation from Notre Dame.
The Road to Excellence
George’s career as a football player was almost accidental. One early autumn afternoon in September, 1916, he was kicking a football on a practice field with another student when football coach Knute Rockne spotted him. Rockne was impressed by George’s natural athletic style and grace—he repeatedly kicked the football 50 yards or more with both precision and accuracy without the benefit of football boots. Rockne asked George to join the freshmen on the football field the following day. George, wanting to make the most of every opportunity available to him at Notre Dame, did so, thereby beginning his college football career.
The Emerging Champion
George played football at Notre Dame from 1916 to 1920. His playing has been unparalleled in the history of the university. George stood 6 feet 2 inches and weighed 185 pounds. He was fast on his feet, running 100 yards in 10.2 seconds. He was also an intelligent player on the field. He could kick remarkably well, and he was one of the most accomplished passers of his day. Even as a freshman George was well regarded and recognized as the best player on the Fighting Irish team.
In 1918, George joined the Student Army Training Corp. He was not drafted during World War I and was able to continue playing football. During his years at Notre Dame, not a single pass was completed in his protective zone when he played defense. During his career, Notre Dame’s football team compiled an astonishing 27-2-3 record. For the last twenty games in which George participated, Notre Dame’s record was 19-0-1. With George on the team, the Irish outscored their competition 506-97. George led the team in rushing and passing yards each of his last three seasons. His career mark of 2,341 yards rushing was a school record that stood until Jerome Havens broke it in 1978. In 1920, George was named the outstanding college player in the United States by coach Walter Camp.
George’s final statistics might have been better but for some strict officiating. In a 1919 game against Kalamazoo, George had three touchdown plays recalled when penalties were assessed against the Notre Dame players. Following the nullification of the third score, a frustrated George reportedly asked the official to signal one whistle to stop and two to keep going the next time he carried the ball.
Continuing the Story
On November 20, 1920, during his final season, George injured his shoulder in a game against Illinois, just a week before an important game against Northwestern. He also contracted a serious throat infection and was not slated to play in the Northwestern game. Rockne kept him off the field until the crowd demanded George make an appearance. George took the field with a few minutes left to play and threw a fifty-five-yard touchdown pass to his teammate. That was his final football game: The streptococcic infection he had contracted worsened after the game against Northwestern.
George was subsequently hospitalized. On his deathbed, he supposedly requested that Rockne ask the team to “win one for the Gipper.” In American sports, this phrase became the rally cry for downtrodden teams. Rockne invoked that memory for his team during Notre Dame’s game against Army in November, 1928; the Fighting Irish won 12-6.
George died on December 14, 1920, of complications from his throat infection and pneumonia. Just two weeks after he was named Notre Dame’s first all-American, George was dead at the age of twenty-five. His legend lived on in the film Knute Rockne, All American (1940), starring Ronald Reagan as George Gipp. He was later named to the Michigan Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the Upper Peninsula Hall of Fame. The George Gipp Award, established in 1934, is awarded to an outstanding senior athlete at Calumet High School. His legacy has become part of college football lore, at Notre Dame and beyond. His legacy remained topical nearly ninety years after his death. In 2007, George’s body was exhumed for a DNA sample in response to a claim that he fathered a child. The accusation proved to be false.
Summary
George Gipp’s name has become synonymous with football worldwide. Frank Coughlin, captain of the 1920 Notre Dame team, said of his friend: “George Gipp was the greatest athlete I have ever known. He will forever be remembered as a friend, a student, an athlete, and a gentleman, for to know him was to love him.”
Bibliography
Chellan, Patrick. One for the Gipper. Lumas, Calif.: Arrowhead, 1996.
“Gipp, George.” American National Biography 9 (1999).
Klosinski, Emil. Gipp at Notre Dame: The Untold Story—Finally, the Truth About “The Gipper.” Baltimore: PublishAmerica, 2003.