Knute Rockne was a Norwegian immigrant who lived in the Logan Square district of Chicago. Knute Rockne attended the University of Notre Dame for college and graduated there in 1914 and earned the job of the football team’s head coach in 1918. Rockne went 105-12-5 in 13 seasons. He won three National Titles. Rockne died in a plane crash in Kansas on March 31, 1931.

“The Four Horsemen.”  These four players known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death played under Knute Rockne in 1921-1924.  They got the nickname “The Four Horsemen,” in 1922. Their real names are Harry Stuhldereher, quarterback, Jim Crowley, left halfback, Don Miller, right halfback and Elmer Layden, who played fullback.

Notre Dame’s name is the “Fighting Irish.”  This name was acquired in 1899 when Notre Dame was leading Northwestern 5-0 at the half.  At the beginning of the second half the Wildcat fans began to yell, “Kill the Fighting Irish, kill the Fighting Irish.”

In 1996 the 59,075 seat Notre Dame Stadium was expanded for the 1997 season to 80,795 seats.  Some changes that were made to the stadium were that the first three rows of seating were taken out to make more room for the sidelines, a new natural-grass field and drainage systems were put in, and two new scoreboards were installed on the north and south ends of the stadium.

Notre Dame has had 77 All-American players and many future ones to come.  Seven of those All-Americans have been awarded with the Heisman Trophy.  This award goes to the best overall player voted by fans, coaches, teammates and NCAA staff.  The seven winners were Angelo Bertelli, in 1943, John Lujack, in 1947, Leon Hart, in 1949, John Lattner, in 1953, Paul Hornung, in 1956, John Huarte, in 1964, and most recently Tim Brown, in 1987.  Notre Dame is also the leader in National Championships at eleven.  The most recent National Title was won in 1988 under the coaching staff of Lou Holtz.