Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 7, 2019 53 years at the helm, Rockne was losing his coaching touch and fire in the belly. Such a theory was expanded early in 1929 when the head coach suf- fered from phlebitis, a condition that threatened his life, confined him to a wheelchair for part of the season, and even forced him to miss some of the road travels, thereby leaving assistant Tom Lieb as the acting head coach on occasion. ON THE ROAD AGAIN, AND AGAIN … • The season commenced at In- diana University, which would fin- ish 2-6-1, and resulted in a 14-0 Irish whitewash in front of only 16,111. • The warm-up was followed by victories at Baltimore and Chicago versus Navy (14-7) and Wisconsin (19-0). A capacity crowd of 64,681 was in Baltimore, while 90,000 went to Soldier Field. Navy would lose only two games that season. • Another capacity crowd of 66,000 came out in Pittsburgh for the dra- matic 7-0 victory versus Carnegie Tech, a program that had become Rockne's bane. The Tartans ruined Notre Dame's national title aspira- tions in 1926 with a stunning 19-0 vic- tory when the Irish were 8-0. Then in 1928, Carnegie Tech snapped Notre Dame's 23-year unbeaten streak at home with a 27-7 walloping. Breaking the doctors' orders to stay home, Rockne made the trip to Pittsburgh anyway and shocked his players when he was wheeled into the locker room prior to the game to implore victory. It was delivered with a hard-fought outcome. • A week later at Georgia Tech — which had shut out Notre Dame 13-0 the year prior en route to a 10-0 finish — the Irish suffered no letdown in a 26-6 thumping of the Yellow Jackets. • The main "gimme" on the slate, Drake, was also held in Soldier Field, a 19-7 Irish conquest. • A week later, Notre Dame returned to the same venue to face Howard Jones' powerhouse USC squad that won the national title a year earlier. In front of 112,912 (paid attendance 99,351), Rockne's troops eked out the 13-12 triumph to improve to 7-0. • Next up was Northwestern, which was 6-2 and would share the Big Ten title the ensuing two sea- sons. The 26-6 Irish victory meant a national title could be clinched in the Nov. 30 finale versus Army. • The Black Knights of the Hud- son were Notre Dame's top rival in the Rockne era, and fittingly the final hurdle. Although Army was a rela- tively modest 6-2-1 entering the game, it gave a supreme effort and put the Irish on their heels several times. However, Jack Elder's record 100- yard interception return was the lone touchdown in the 7-0 Notre Dame win in front of a capacity crowd of 79,408. During Notre Dame's 125th anni- versary of football in 2012, that play by Elder ranked No. 5 in our count- down of the most iconic and impor- tant plays in the program's history. There were other schedules in Notre Dame history that featured more than nine games, had a bet- ter cumulative winning percentage among the opposition, and included more marquee foes. Some might even contend that ev- ery 1929 outing was a "home game" for Notre Dame in some ways — es- pecially in large cities such as New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Atlanta — because of the follow- ing Rockne and the school had mar- keted and cultivated during the 1920s. But to travel nine consecutive weekends against a quality slate, never play at home, and still win a consensus national title merits adula- tion beyond the norm. ✦ PRAYER TO THE BLESSED MOTHER- (Never known to fail) Oh, most beauti- ful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven. Blessed Mother of the Son of God; Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me in my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, Mary, con- ceived without sin, pray for us who have re- course to thee. (3 times). Holy Mary, I place this prayer in your hands. (3 times). Sweet Mother I place this cause in your hands. (3 times). Thank you for your mercy to me and mine. Amen. This prayer must be said for 3 days and after 3 days your request will be granted and the prayer must be published. Thank you. S.G. PERSONALS M A R K E T P L A C E MEMORABILIA Vintage Notre Dame Memorabilia Augie's Locker Room ND Stadium Items, Jerseys, Helmets, Autographs and One-of-a-Kind Rockne Items. COME INTO THE STORE TO SEE OUR RARE NOTRE DAME HELMET DISPLAY, 1900 - PRESENT!! Voted Best Notre Dame Collectibles in the Country! 1811 South Bend Ave. South Bend , I n 46637 574-277-NDND (6363) www.augieslockerroom.com FACEBOOK.COM/AUGIESLOCKERROOM NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAMES on VHS or DVD for sale, from 1928 to present. Contact Peter Rahas at 7700 Golden Filly St., Las Vegas, NV 89131 or call 1-702-395-2974 Call 877-630-8768 to advertise in Blue & Gold Illustrated! Want a prayer published? Call 800-421-7751 1929 NATIONAL CHAMPS Ninety years ago this week, Notre Dame began its march to the national title — with the same dates to the day as this season — without playing a single game at home, nor having a bye or any air travel. While playing nine road games is no longer an option, next season Notre Dame's "brand" across the country, and internationally, will continue with road trips to Ireland (opener versus Navy), and five NFL stadiums at iconic Lambeau Field (Wisconsin), Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium (Wake Forest), Heinz Field (Pitt), Atlanta's Mercedes Benz Stadium (Geor- gia Tech) and the venerable Los Angeles Me- morial Coliseum (USC). Here was Notre Dame's 1929 slate: Date Opponent Result Oct. 5 at Indiana 14-0 Oct. 12 at Navy 14-7 Oct. 19 vs. Wisconsin* 19-0 Oct. 26 vs. Carnegie Tech^ 7-0 Nov. 2 at Georgia Tech 26-6 Nov. 9 vs. Drake* 19-7 Nov. 16 vs. USC* 13-12 Nov. 23 at Northwestern 26-6 Nov. 30 at Army! 7-0 * at Soldier Field in Chicago; ^ at Pittsburgh; !at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.