Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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50 SEPT. 28, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE W hen all four quarterbacks on Notre Dame's roster played in the 66-7 rout of Purdue, Notre Dame fans were abuzz on social me- dia, dissecting the perceived strengths and weaknesses of each, and projecting who, in their opinion, might be the best option, for this season and beyond. Thus, it has always been. The position of Notre Dame quar- terback is among the most analyzed in all of sports. Often enough, the most popular guy on the team is the backup quarterback. But a century ago, in the 1922-24 sea- sons, there was no question as to who was in command — it was Harry Stuhl- dreher, all 5-foot-7, 151 pounds of him. At a time when calling plays from the sidelines was against the rules, and sub- stitutions severely limited by rule, the need for the quarterback to be a true signal-caller was essential. To say Knute Rockne trusted Stuhl- dreher is an understatement. Their relationship started in 1915-16, when Rockne was Notre Dame assistant to Jess Harper. Rock kept his toe in play- ing football by occasionally suiting up for the Massillon, Ohio, semipro Tigers in games against rival Canton and its star Jim Thorpe. Rabid crowds clung to the fences circling the field, wildly cheering their hometown 11. It was said that at this time Rockne struck up an acquaintance with an adoring young local football player — Harry Augustus Stuhldreher. Harry, a slight lad of about 14, would occasion- ally help carry Rockne's football gear to and from the field. This experience planted the youngster's dream of his own football glory. Stuhldreher developed a great love for the game while growing up near the center of Massillon. He played football for local sandlot teams, but he would be regularly teased for his slight stat- ure. That only made him more focused on developing his speed, quickness and deception. At M a ss i l l o n Wa s h i n g to n H i g h School, "Hezzy" Stuhldreher was an undersized, scrappy ballplayer who took advantage of opportunity when it appeared. As a junior in 1918, he was a backup at the halfback and quarterback positions during a season shortened by the influenza epidemic. In 1919, he saw more action when the regular starter went down with an injury. His size being a factor, it was decided that he could use a year of seasoning before facing the rigors of college, both athletically and academically. For the 1920-21 year, he enrolled at The Kiskim- inetas Springs School about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh. The Kiski School, as it was known, provided a quality educa- tion for boys on its picturesque, 350- acre campus. At Kiski, Stuhldreher led the squad to victories over the freshman teams from Carnegie Tech, Washington & Jeffer- son, and Penn, losing only to Pitt. The school annual hailed "our little bow- legged athlete. Here we have the rar- est of combinations, namely, a whiz of an athlete and a scholar." Stuhldreher's older brother Walter had attended Notre Dame, not as an athlete but a scholar, and that's where young Harry headed, to the delight of his family. As a sophomore during the 1922 sea- son, Stuhldreher gradually took over the starting quarterback spot from Frank Thomas, future Alabama coach of Bear Bryant. Yet for the season, he com- pleted just 8 of 15 passes for 68 yards — less productive than fellow sopho- more backs Jim Crowley (10 of 21 for 154 yards) and Elmer Layden (9 of 17 for 173 yards). So it was for the backfield that would become known as the "Four Horsemen." With the Notre Dame shift, any of the four would be in position to receive the snap from center Adam Walsh, and the possibilities were endless. Each was a threat to throw or run on any given play. And amazingly for his slight stature, Stuhldreher was consid- ered the best at laying "interference" — i.e., blocking — among the four. He was also the primary punt returner. In three seasons, the sure-handed Stuhldreher returned 88 punts for 701 yards and a touchdown. And he caught 18 passes for 210 yards and a score. On defense, he intercepted 3 passes. As a junior in 1923, Stuhldreher com- pleted 10 of 19 passes for 205 yards with 3 touchdowns, while Crowley con- nected on 13 of 36 throws for 154 yards with 1 score. It was only as a senior in the magi- cal 1924 season that Stuhldreher broke out to clearly lead the team in passing, completing 25 of 33 attempts (75.8 per- cent) for 471 yards (a whopping 14.3 per attempt) with 4 touchdowns. Harry's final regular-season game for Notre Dame, against Carnegie Tech at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, was notable in that it was the first college game his father, William, witnessed. The elder Stuhldreher left his grocery story in Massillon in others' hands for the day Little Harry Stuhldreher Was A Giant For The 1924 Champs CELEBRATING THE 1924 CHAMPIONS Stuhldreher was just 5-foot-7, 151 pounds when he quarterbacked Notre Dame in 1922-24. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME