Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2020 13 UNDER THE DOME 60 Years Ago: June 5, 1960 President Dwight Eisenhower delivers the university's initial presidential commencement speech. In order to make the trip for his 20-minute talk, Eisenhower inter- rupts his 45-year reunion of the graduated 1915 class at the U.S. Military Academy (Army West Point). Eisen- hower had appointed Notre Dame president, Rev. Theo- dore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., to the National Science Board and the fledgling U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1957. After several prominent figures had to reject initial in- vitations to speak, Hesburgh's administrative assistant, Helen Hosinski, suggests asking Eisenhower. Because of the short notice, the eighth-year Notre Dame president originally balks, but then agrees to sign the letter if Ho- sinski would write the draft. To Hesburgh's amazement, Eisenhower accepts. Receiving an honorary degree at the same com- mencement is Cardinal Giovanni Montini — who three years later would become Pope Paul VI. 50 Years Ago: June 4, 1970 By winning 15 of the last 17 regular-season games, Notre Dame baseball coach Jake Kline's Fighting Irish are invited to the 26-team NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years. Notre Dame had made it six times in the eight years from 1956-63, highlighted by advancing to the 1957 College World Series. The Fighting Irish open the tournament by defeating Big Ten champion Minnesota, but then lose twice to Southern Illinois to get eliminated. It would be 19 years before Notre Dame gets invited again to the NCAA Tournament. 25 Years Ago: June 1995 Notre Dame's No. 1-ranked 25-man recruiting class from February takes two immense hits at the outset of summer school. First, the nation's top wide receiver prospect, West Virginia's Randy Moss, is denied admission. Shortly thereafter, news breaks that Florida running back recruit James Jackson did not meet the re- quired ACT score to be admitted, so he enrolls at the University of Miami instead. Moss' rejection occurs after the evaluation of his application, which is submitted four months after signing his letter of intent. Moss also is involved in a legal battle because of a fight he was involved in from a racial incident at his DuPont High School, but it is the application that is particularly referred to as "not acceptable." In an interview with Blue & Gold Illustrated, Notre Dame's associate director of admissions Pat Leon- ardo said the application was the central factor in the decision. "It gave us a strong indication that this was not a good match," Leonardo said. "People have called and some reporters have blasted us for denying Randy due to his [fight] situation in West Virginia. That is not what the decision was based upon. … "No one outside the admissions department has the right to see a student's file. So people can either trust what we tell them or not. … For Randy's sake, I hope this awakens him. As a football fan, I would have loved to have seen him wearing a Notre Dame uniform." 20 Years Ago: June 1, 2000 A press release sent out May 30 by AllSports.com portends a major event at the start of June. "Several Notre Dame alumni members have confirmed that current Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Tom Coughlin will resign from the Jaguars on June 1 and take the head coaching job at Notre Dame," it wrote. Because third-year head coach Bob Davie is coming off a 5-7 season and two of his top allies, athlet- ics director Mike Wadsworth and executive vice president Rev. E. William Beauchamp, C.S.C., stepped down from their respective posts in the spring, the story is believed to have legs. However, new Notre Dame director of athletics Kevin White, who has been at the school only two months, tells Blue & Gold Illustrated: "We are enthusiastically moving forward to the 2000 football season with Coach Davie at the helm. There have been absolutely no conversations relative to deviat- ing from the current leadership." — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame History: June Notre Dame president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., rode with United States president Dwight Eisenhower and the future Pope Paul VI to the school's 1960 commencement ceremonies. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ARCHIVES BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 • Durham, NC 27702 1-800-421-7751 www.BlueGoldOnline.com DELIVERY LIMITED TO CONTINENTAL U.S. PLEASE ADD SALES TAX FOR ITEMS SHIPPING TO: (NC 7.5%, IN 7%, MI 6%) Made to order & shipped direct from manufacturer, returns not related to damage may incur fee. (Item #6621) CUSTOM GRILL COVERS Hand-made in USA using the finest commercial grade breathable vinyl featuring double- stitching, buckle clasps and moisture vent. Logo printed with UV-resistant ink. AVAILABLE IN 2 SIZES & 3 LOGOS: Small: 60" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $51.95 + $15.00 S&H Large: 72" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $54.95 + $15.00 S&H Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.