George Gipp

George Gipp
University of Notre Dame Baseball, Football Player (1917 – 1920)

George Gipp was born in Laurium, Michigan and attended Calumet High School. Gipp entered the University of Notre Dame intending to play baseball but was persuaded by head football coach Knute Rockne to play football. During his football career, Gipp led the Fighting Irish in rushing and passing in each of his last three seasons, scoring 21 touchdowns, averaging 38 yards a punt and intercepting five passes and was named an All-American after his senior season. Gipp died prematurely at age 25 just two weeks after being named an All-American, his death was immortalized in the movie “Knute Rockne, All American” when on his deathbed he uttered the phrase to Rockne “sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper”. George Gipp was inducted into the inaugural class of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1957. He passed away on December 14, 1920 at 25 years of age.