Notre Dame welcomes the Southern California football team this Saturday, continuing the 85-year storied rivalry. When the teams are both doing well, as they are this year, the excitement is palpable as fans flock to campus days before the game. With the anticipation of another great match-up, tickets are often hard to come by.
Demand for tickets for high-profile games is nothing new at Notre Dame. In his capacity as Football Coach and Athletic Director, Knute Rockne often ended up playing ticket manager. The Athletic Director records contain the occasional ticket request from celebrities. Rockne sold tickets to Babe Ruth [UADR 18/138] and Lou Gehrig [UADR 12/31]. However, former Notre Dame football player Curley Lambeau of the Green Bay Packers was a bit late in his request and Rockne was unable to fulfill his request for a sold-out game in 1927 [UADR 14/116].
Some of the more colorful requests came from two famous cartoonists of the time requesting football tickets to the November 26, 1927, Notre Dame vs. Southern California (USC) game at Soldier Field in Chicago:
Illustrated letter from Cartoonist Harold Gray to Athletic Director Knute Rockne featuring a drawing of Little Orphan Annie, dog Sandy, and Daddy Warbucks
Illustrated letter from Cartoonist Frank H. Willard to Athletic Director Knute Rockne featuring a drawing of Moon Mullins and Emmy (Schmaltz) Plushbottom
Great collection and post.
I love the “Illustrated letter from Cartoonist Frank H. Willard to Athletic Director Knute Rockne “