Summary
Win one for The Gipper.
Has there ever been a better-known and widely-used exhortative phrase in sports? Not likely. But who was the "Gipper", this mythical-like sports figure whose nickname has aroused, in turn, awe, wonderment, curiosity, and amusement since the second decade of the 20th century, and why is his story important? Answering those questions is the formidable task taken on here by veteran sportswriter Jack Cavanaugh, whose Pulitzer Prize-nominated biography of boxing legend Gene Tunney was referred to as "impressively researched and richly detailed" by Sports Illustrated.
More than eight decades after his death, George Gipp is still regarded by football historians as Notre Dame's best all-around player. And it was Gipp and his legendary coach, Knute Rockne, who were largely responsible for putting the small Midwestern all-male school on the map.
Like Cavanaugh's other critically acclaimed books, The Gipper is also a period piece, with a considerable focus on the era before, during, and immediately after WWI. It details the changes that the country underwent during that time, including the onset of Prohibition and the gangs that it spawned in the Midwest such as those active in the South Bend area and in nearby Chicago, headed by the notorious Al Capone.
Editor reviews
Pulitzer Prize-nominated sportswriter Jack Cavanaugh delves into the remarkable story of George Gipp, the subject of the famous phrase "Win one for The Gipper", uttered first by Gipp's coach Knute Rockne and oft-repeated by Ronald Reagan. Using the backdrop of WWI, Cavanaugh - armed with an inquisitive, probing performance by Nancy Linari - masterfully portrays Gipp's impressive talent, and how he was able to capture the hearts and minds of the American public. The Gipper is a probing look at the legend surrounding the man still widely considered to be Notre Dame's best-ever player.