by G.K.Chesterton (2020-07-10 13:40:36)
Edited on 2020-07-10 13:40:58
The post below on Frank Carideo led me to the Chicago Tribune obit on him, which includes the following (bolding mine):
Cardieo was an All-American on Rockne`s 1929 and 1930 teams and regarded Rockne`s last game against USC in `30 as his greatest thrill. The Irish were a four-touchdown underdog and won 27-0.
If we were undefeated, how could we have been such huge underdogs? Moreover, how did we win so big and shut them out?
I am wondering if you ever read the book O’Riley of Notre Dame by Francis Wallace. It is a fictionalized insider‘s view of the 1930 season. Wallace was a significant Notre Dame historian, and was essentially Rockne’s SID. I read it in junior high school and it was one of the factors in my love for Notre Dame. Just wondered if you had ever heard of it; I presume you are familiar with Francis Wallace. FYI the O Reilly in the title was the pseudonym for Bucky O’Connor, Who you mentioned above, And is the source for my handle.
linked is a good article from ND Magazine on Wallace
yes, I have read 'O'Reilly of Notre Dame'-many years ago...though I just looked to see if I still have a copy..didn't find it.
Wallace was from Bellaire, Oh -graduated ND in 1923
Wallace helped recruit many a Bellaire (and surrounding area) HS football players to ND -especially in the late '20s & early '30s
even though Wallace was off working in NYC etc., Francis always kept tabs on Bellaire & surrounding towns for ND recruiting material
From Bellaire Oh to ND
John Polisky T '24 Frosh
Jim Harris G '29 Frosh
Ray Bonnar QB (who transferred to ND from WVA
+ there were others
and nearby towns
Joe Sheeketski QB Shadyside,Oh...just down the Ohio River..later HC at Holy Cross and Nevada
Wally Fromhart QB Moundsville WVa..just across the Ohio River & arch rival of Bellaire...'32 Frosh
Wallace also helped ND recruiting in nearby Wheeling WVa also
In addition to books, Wallace wrote some screenplays for Hollywood
One- 'Kid Galahad' was made into a '30s move starring Humphrey Bogart, Betty Davis and Edward G Robinson,,,,and then remade in the early '60s starring Elvis Presley (music version of course :)
Thanks, Olson. I remember that article! I recently purchased a copy of "O'Reilly" for one of my grandsons, but found that it hasn't aged as well as I had imagined, and, in spite of the great "story", the language is stilted enough to not be able to hold his attention.
Anyway, keep up the great historical work! I always enjoy.
From an excellent 1990 Los Angeles Times article on the game (bolding mine):
Notre Dame boarded a train in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 1, and headed west. The night before, Rockne and his quarterback, All-American Frank Carideo, were interviewed on a radio show broadcast to Los Angeles. Bemoaning the loss of his first- and second-string fullbacks, Rockne said:
“I’m afraid we’re going to take a beating from Southern California next Saturday in Los Angeles. I am willing to wager we will not be defeated by four touchdowns, as some Los Angeles newspapermen have predicted, but if we can hold the Trojans to a two-touchdown difference we’ll go home feeling pretty good.”
An L.A. Times headline the next day said: “Knute Sees Defeat for Irish Team.”
Another read: “Battered Irish Team on Way to Los Angeles.”
Times writer Dick Hyland had sent a postcard to Grantland Rice, predicting that USC would win by four touchdowns. Rice gave it to Rockne, who showed it to his players.
Page 86 of the attached 1930 review.
