Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/200019
Under the Dome Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: Oct. 29-Nov. 4 100 Years Ago: Nov. 1, 1913 One of the watershed moments in Notre Dame football history occurs when first-year head coach Jesse Harper's "Catholics" stun Eastern power Army 35-13. Because Notre Dame is blackballed from the Western Conference (later named the Big Ten), it is forced to schedule nationally, leading to a November schedule that features road games at West Point, Penn State, St. Louis and Austin, Texas, on Thanksgiving Day versus the Longhorns. This epic victory, highlighted by the passing combination of quarterback Gus Dorais to receiver/captain Knute Rockne, puts Notre Dame football in the headlines on the East Coast and eventually serves as an impetus to national scheduling and becoming America's Team. 95 Years Ago: Nov. 2, 1918 After Notre Dame cancels its entire slate of October games, first-year head coach Knute Rockne's team records a 66-7 victory against Wabash College. Football had been cancelled throughout the country in October because the worldwide Spanish influenza epidemic swept into the United State. By the time it abated, more than a half-million Americans died and nearly 20 million were afflicted. Theatres, bars, schools and churches were ordered closed, and there was a ban on the assembly of crowds for football games in efforts to keep the disease from spreading. Five Notre Dame games were cancelled, including Army, but Notre Dame was able to reschedule Purdue for Nov. 23. Rockne's debut season would end with a 3-1-2 record. 70 Years Ago: Oct. 30, 1943 Two days before he is to report to Parris Island for advanced Marine training, Notre Dame quarterback Angelo Bertelli plays his last game for Notre Dame. The No. 1-ranked Fighting Irish defeat No. 4 Navy in Cleveland, 33-6, and they outrush the Midshipmen 323 yards to minus-seven. Bertelli completes 5 of 9 pass attempts for 119 yards with three scores — 49 yards to Jules Rykovich, 52 yards to Creighton Miller and three yards to John Yonakor. Bertelli also adds a one-yard TD run to cap the scoring. Angelo Bertelli threw for three touchdowns and Later that season, Bertelli would become Notre ran for one in his final game before heading off to Dame's first Heisman recipient despite playing in serve in World War II. only six games before heading off to World War II. photo courtesy notre dame media relations