We are 66 days away from college football kickoff. Today, we have two players who played six decades apart — George Gipp of Notre Dame and William “Refrigerator” Perry of Clemson. Be sure to check back tomorrow for #65 in our countdown to kickoff. Enjoy!
George Gipp Days Away From College Football Kickoff
The Gipper
After dropping out of high school, George Gipp spent several years driving a taxi, playing semi-pro baseball, and improving his billiards skills in his hometown. His friend Wilbur “Dolly” Gray, who had been a standout catcher for Notre Dame’s baseball team in 1913 and 1914, encouraged Gipp to apply to the university. Since Gipp hadn’t finished high school, he was admitted as a “conditional freshman,” which was fairly common at the time. He started at Notre Dame in 1916 when he was 21.
Gipp went to Notre Dame planning to play baseball, which was his favorite sport. However, Knute Rockne, who coached the freshman team and assisted varsity head coach Jesse Harper, noticed Gipp’s kicking ability and recruited him to the football team.
Gipp’s play on the football field helped lead the gold and blue team (Notre Dame had not yet officially become the Fighting Irish) to 19 straight wins during the unbeaten seasons of 1919 and 1920.
Gipp played 32 games in a row for Notre Dame and scored 83 touchdowns. In a 1917 game, he seemed ready to punt but instead dropped-kicked a 62-yard field goal. He was chosen as team captain for 1920, but was expelled in the Spring of his junior year for missing too many classes and visiting places that were off-limits. The university reversed this decision after 80 well-known South Bend citizens asked President Father James A. Burns to let him return.
Gipp rushed for 2,341 yards. This school record lasted until 1978. He also completed 93 passes for 1,769 yards, punted, and returned kicks. Gipp scored 156 points, counting touchdowns, extra points, and field goals. He died shortly after he was selected by Walter Camp as Notre Dame’s first All-American.
At first, doctors said Gipp had tonsillitis, then pneumonia, then strep throat, or maybe a mix of all three. This happened before penicillin and other antibiotics existed, so treatment options were limited. Newspapers gave daily updates, saying Gipp was getting worse, then improving, then struggling for his life. Gipp died on December 14, 1920, at age 25.
In 1928, during halftime of a scoreless game against Army, Rockne told the team to “win one for the Gipper,” saying he was keeping a promise he had made to Gipp on his deathbed. Although it is unlikely that Gipp actually made this request, the story helped build the Gipp legend. Notre Dame came back to beat Army 12 – 6 that year. The legend grew even more when Ronald Reagan played Gipp in the film Knute Rockne, All-American.
Another Great # 66, William “The Refrigerator” Perry, Clemson
William “The Refrigerator” Perry was as famous as any celebrity in the 1980s. Whether you followed football or not, you probably heard his name. His big frame and friendly smile showed up everywhere, from TV commercials to radio interviews and newspaper stories. He got his nickname during his freshman year. One day in the dorm elevator, his teammate, Ray Brown, noticed just how big Perry was. “I gave him the nickname ‘GE’ because he was as big as a refrigerator,” Brown said. “We were standing in the elevator in the dorm, and he nearly took up the whole elevator.”
At Clemson, Perry became the first Tiger to earn All-American honors three times. As a senior, he ranked first among Division I players in tackles for loss, averaging 2.45 per game. Perry was also the first Clemson player to make the All-ACC team three times. He set the school record for sacks with 25, a mark his younger brother Michael Dean Perry broke three years later. He also held the ACC record for tackles for loss with 60 until Michael Dean surpassed him by one in 1987. In 1984, Perry was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive lineman.
Perry succeeded at every level of football. As a freshman at Clemson, he helped the team win the National Championship in 1981. As a rookie with the Chicago Bears in 1985, he won a Super Bowl. His Super Bowl ring was the largest ever made, size 23. In that game, he even scored a touchdown as a fullback from one yard out. After being drafted in the first round by the Bears, Perry played with them from 1985 to 1993, then finished his career with the Eagles.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Rockne Society
