Blue and Gold Illustrated

February 2013

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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Beyond The Barrier The late Cliff Brown played quarterback for the Irish from 1971-73 W By Lou Somogyi hen sophomore Everett Golson helped direct Notre Dame to a stunning rise to No. 1 in 2012, he was merely known as the Fighting Irish quarterback — not its "black quarterback." That's not how it was for Cliff Brown, who became Notre Dame's starter as a sophomore in 1971, bridging the Joe Theismann (1968-70) and Tom Clements (1972-74) eras. Theismann was a Heisman Trophy runner-up for the No. 2 team in 1970, and Clements directed the 1973 national title. Brown died from a massive heart attack Dec. 10 at age 60. "We're all sad he's gone," said classmate Frank Pomarico, a guard and tricaptain for the 1973 national champs on which Brown was the No. 2 QB. "He walked with a great confidence and with a lot of pride, and he was a good guy and a good teammate." A star athlete at Middletown High in Harrisburg, Pa., Brown's college career began in an era when the SEC was not yet integrated despite the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Even in 1974, Sports Illustrated had a cover of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Joe Gilliam with the headline "Pittsburgh's Black Quarterback." Black football players back then were stereotyped mainly for the "speed" positions — running back, receiver or defensive back — but quarterback or middle linebacker were taboo because they were face-of-theprogram spots that required more leadership or "cerebral" work. Even Notre Dame's 1966 national champs had only one black player on the roster: defensive end Alan Page. Head coach Ara Parseghian and his staff made a concerted effort to recruit more black players into the small, private Catholic school that had limited diversity and didn't admit females until 1972. One of the first breakthroughs came in 1968 with a five-in-one recruiting class, including future All-Americans Tom Gatewood (split end) and Clarence Ellis (cornerback). Brown enrolled in 1970 and displayed his wares first as a kicker, booting a 51yard field goal as a freshman in the 1971

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