Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 NOV. 5, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE BY JIM LEFEBVRE A century ago, in 1922, Knute Rockne was in his fifth year as head foot- ball coach and athletics director at Notre Dame, and his ninth year as head track and field coach. He was increasingly gaining acclaim across the nation while Notre Dame plowed down the opposition. His 1919 and 1920 teams, led by the incompara- ble George Gipp, were undefeated. The 1921 Irish went 10-1, and the '22 squad took a 7-0-1 record into an historic trip to Georgia Tech, their first ever ven- ture into the Southeast. The team would travel over four different rail lines to get to Atlanta. One of Rockne's seniors, versatile 6-0, 195-pound lineman Tom Lieb, had suffered a broken leg vs. Purdue, ending his football-playing days. He was at the station to see his teammates off — on crutches and wearing corduroys and a flannel shirt, while members of the traveling squad were dressed in their usual natty suits. Minutes before the train pulled out, Rockne leaned over and called to Lieb, "C'mon, Tom, you're go- ing!" Rockne was clearly try- ing to boost team morale, for Lieb was popular and well respected by his teammates. T h e Sc h o l a s t i c n o te d , "Many a proud tear glittered in the eyes of the assembled crowd which cheered and marveled at this defiant display of the Notre Dame spirit." It also cemented the bond between Rockne and Lieb, one that had started in track workouts three years previ- ous. Lieb had been drawn to Notre Dame at least as much by Rockne's reputation in track and field than anything football related. Lieb had grown up in Faribault, Minn., where his family owned and operated a quarry. As a teenager, he pitched rocks for hours on end. Perhaps not surprisingly, he became a superla- tive discus thrower. At Notre Dame, he quickly gained the attention of Rockne, who had been a shot putter among his many events as a competitor. Lieb was willing to put in the work to improve, and Rockne provided the con- stant encouragement and motivation. Lieb not only became a force on the na- tional track scene, he also picked up the finer points of coaching, applicable to any sport. Lieb became the NCAA discus cham- pion in 1922 and 1923, and the AAU na- tional champ in 1923 and 1924. He qualified for the Paris Olympics in 1924 and came away with the bronze medal. But there was little time to cel- ebrate or even continue to compete in track. He was expected back on campus — Rockne had hired him as one of his foot- ball assistants for 1924. He worked with the line that picked up the nickname The Seven Mules, in front of The Four Horsemen, during a magical season that ended with a Rose Bowl victory and na- tional championship. Lieb served as Wisconsin's line coach in 1926-28 and then returned to Notre Dame in 1929. He couldn't have envi- sioned what would unfold. Rockne was hit by a debilitating case of phlebitis and had to miss several games. Each time, Lieb stood in as substitute head coach. He emulated Rock, in teaching the finer points of the game and in his treat- ment of the players. And each time the Irish prevailed, en route to a 9-0-0 re- cord and second national title. Lieb played football at Notre Dame with both George Gipp (1920) and the Four Horsemen (1922). He also earned a bronze medal in the discus at the 1924 Paris Olympics. PHOTO COURTESY FAMILY OF TOM LIEB Lieb took tiny Loyola of Los Angeles and made it a factor in West Coast football. In nine seasons (1930-38), he posted a record of 47-33-4. PHOTO COURTESY KNUTE ROCKNE MEMORIAL SOCIETY Tom Lieb: Olympic Medalist And Undefeated Stand-In For Knute Rockne