Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1338415
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2021 13 UNDER THE DOME 90 Years Ago: March 31, 1931 A nation is in grief when Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne, who turned 43 earlier in the month, and seven others perish in a place crash over Bazaar, Kan. The plane was en route from Kansas City to Wichita prior to Rockne travel- ing to California. In newspaper accounts and according to Mrs. Seward Baker, on whose farm the crash occurred, the plane burst into flames at a height of about 2,100 feet and spiraled to the ground. Three months earlier, Rockne had celebrated a consensus third national title in seven seasons, a second straight unblemished campaign and a 19- game winning streak. His final season also marked the opening of Notre Dame Stadium. With a 105-12-5 record, Rockne compiled a .881 winning percentage, which still remains the best in Football Bowl Subdivision history. 50 Years Ago: March 20, 1971 In Austin Carr's final college game, a 119-106 loss to Houston in a consola- tion outing in the then 25-team NCAA Tournament, he scores 47 points. In seven NCAA Tournament games at Notre Dame, Carr averages 41.3 points a contest — which remains unbreakable in NCAA annals. Princeton's Bill Bradley is second at 33.7 (nine games) and Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson third at 32.4 (10 games). 40 Years Ago: March 28, 1981 First-year Notre Dame head coach Gerry Faust opens spring practice with what becomes known as "Faust Fever" when Sports Illustrated, ABC's Wide World of Sports and hundreds of spectators show up to the open session that features nearly perfect weather. Wrote SI of the debut practice: "Look out America, here comes the human dynamo, the whirling dervish of college football. During his four months on the job — he succeeded Dan Devine, who retired — Faust has seemed bent on proving that a man can go in 17 directions at once — 18 if you count his daily visits to church for Mass and communion. "… Listen up, America, because if Faust's rookie season is anything like his spring debut, you should get to know him before he's canonized for succeed- ing in the most visible job in sports." 35 Years Ago: March 14, 1986 Sports Illustrated is present again for the first day of spring practice five years later under a new Notre Dame head coach, Lou Holtz. Unlike Gerry Faust's first practice five years earlier, the damp, dreary day has not a single ray of sunshine. SI writer Douglas S. Looney, who seven years later would eviscerate Holtz in the Under The Tarnished Dome book, does a six-page spread after his visit to practice. Holtz had been chosen for the front cover — which was changed at the 11th hour when 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus shoots a 65 on the final day of The Masters to win his 18th Grand Slam tournament. 20 Years Ago: March 16-30, 2001 On March 16, Notre Dame men's basketball under first-year head coach Mike Brey plays in its first NCAA Tournament game in 11 years and records the program's initial NCAA Tour- nament win in 12 seasons with an 83-71 victory over Xavier before losing 59-56 to Ole Miss in the second round. On March 30, the No. 2 women's basketball team rallies from 16 points down, and 12 at halftime, to de- feat No. 1 Connecticut and advance to the national title game for the first time in its history. A l l f i ve I r i s h sta r te rs score in double figures, led by point guard Niele Ivey's 21. Alicia Ratay tallies 20 while going 4 of 4 from three-point range, high- lighted by the shot that puts Notre Dame ahead for good (61-60) en route to a 90-75 victory. National Player of the Year Ruth Riley nets 18 points, and forwards Ericka Haney and Kelly Siemon finish with 15 and 11, respectively. — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame History: March Alicia Ratay scored 20 points to help Notre Dame rally past No. 1 Connecticut for a 90-75 victory that earned the program its first berth in the national championship game. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS Send us your email address to get Send us your email address to get the Blue & Gold daily newsletter the Blue & Gold daily newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! delivered straight to your inbox! NEWSLETTER DAILY HEADLINES AND BREAKING NEWS ALERTS Sign up at BlueGoldOnline.com/go-to-blueandgold-com