When did you become a ND fan

[BGI User 1798]

As long as I can remember I was watching Norte Dame football on Saturday, the reason was my mom she grew up in Clay township and back then money was tough to come by for the family, Mom said they received help from the University she didn't go into detail.
So that's how I became a fan. Every Saturday was football day. Many years later my mom & dad would give back the help. They owned Morgan's Bike Shop north of the University on 31. So if you were associated with Notre Dame you received a discount. Lucky to grow up with great parents.

 

[crxohio]

As a kid, we only had a couple channels with good reception. Thank God one aired notre dame on Saturday!

 

[Holycrossover3]

When my parents named me after a Notre Dame Quarterback from the 1960’s.

 

[Shakin' Down the Thunder]

The day I was born. I remember being a kid and my Dad turning on the game once and proclaimed "God loves Notre Dame!"

 

[sjb75]

As long as I can remember I was watching Norte Dame football on Saturday, the reason was my mom she grew up in Clay township and back then money was tough to come by for the family, Mom said they received help from the University she didn't go into detail.
So that's how I became a fan. Every Saturday was football day. Many years later my mom & dad would give back the help. They owned Morgan's Bike Shop north of the University on 31. So if you were associated with Notre Dame you received a discount. Lucky to grow up with great parents.

Before I was born. Way before.

 

[theskibro]

Before I was born. Way before.

Great answer

 

[THUNDERSTRUCK111]

In 1988 for me.
My Dad loved Notre Dame ( subway alum)
Every Saturday in the fall when I was a kid we would watch the games together. I’d go outside at halftime and pretend I was Rick Mirer, or Ron Powlus, and throw td passes in to my dads arborvitae trees. I would even paint the white lines on the football so it looked like a college football. When I played midget football my jersey was cut just like Chris Zorichs. Those were some great Irish teams then. Loved coach holtz and how the Irish played .
Now I’m the biggest Irish fan in the family.

 

[theskibro]

As long as I can remember I was watching Norte Dame football on Saturday, the reason was my mom she grew up in Clay township and back then money was tough to come by for the family, Mom said they received help from the University she didn't go into detail.
So that's how I became a fan. Every Saturday was football day. Many years later my mom & dad would give back the help. They owned Morgan's Bike Shop north of the University on 31. So if you were associated with Notre Dame you received a discount. Lucky to grow up with great parents.

I wish I knew the answer. I think it’s always been in me. But I can point to elementary school maybe grade 5 and the assignment was to go down to the library, take out 3 books and do a book report.
I selected Knute Rockne, Lou Gehrig, and the greatest racehorse of all time - Man O war

Clearly it was an impressionable age. I was hooked on ND if I was not already. And the Iron Horse. And Man O War. Still today when young whippersnappers say Secretariat was the greatest, I will argue all day and put forth some undeniable facts

 

[BaldyNd]

2002 was the first year I really rooted for ND

 

[HDK]

My father was a railroad buff, and in the summer of 1962 or 1963 he took my brother and me on an excursion where they had a short train pulled by a steam engine from Chicago to South Bend. There was a layover, and we took a cab up to the campus and walked around a bit, up to the church and the administration building. At the time, I didn't know the difference between the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the quarterback of Notre Dame, but I knew I was at a special place.

As to when I became a fan, I was aware of ND football starting in 1964 because of the excitement of that season around our house, but I really became a fan in 1966. I can still remember the Purdue game and watching LeRoy Keyes return Rocky Bleier's fumble, which he caught in the air, about 98 yards for the first score. Notre Dame responded on the very next play when Nick Eddy returned the kickoff for a TD. After that, it was the Hanratty-to-Seymour show.

 

[BGI User 1798]

I wish I knew the answer. I think it’s always been in me. But I can point to elementary school maybe grade 5 and the assignment was to go down to the library, take out 3 books and do a book report.
I selected Knute Rockne, Lou Gehrig, and the greatest racehorse of all time - Man O war

Clearly it was an impressionable age. I was hooked on ND if I was not already. And the Iron Horse. And Man O War. Still today when young whippersnappers say Secretariat was the greatest, I will argue all day and put forth some undeniable facts

That's awesome

 

[irishalice]

Vincennes, Indiana here. I have always been a fan of Notre Dame and can remember the pure joy I felt when my pops told me about Notre Dame being located in northern Indiana. I was very young then and a few years later discovered the Vincennes connection to ND. The Bishop of Vincennes wanted to establish a Catholic university in Indiana. The Bishop of Vincennes donated the land and called upon Father Sorin. Vincennes was founded by French fur traders and still today you can see the French influence of that era.

 

[wfeldmann]

From a catholic area in Montana and on the farm we only had a couple channels. Watched ND football since a kid in the early 70’s.

 

[BGI User 1798]

From a catholic area in Montana and on the farm we only had a couple channels. Watched ND football since a kid in the early 70’s.

Thats great

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

My grandfather was friends with the great Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horsemen. After a chance encounter with Layden at a restaurant, my grandfather introduced me to him. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. When we sat down at our table, I turned to my grandfather and asked, "Gramps, who are the Four Horsemen?" I literally thought they were a musical group of some kind. During the ride home I got an education on the Four Horsemen, the Gipper, and Knute Rockne. I have been a fan ever since.

 

[BGI User 1798]

My grandfather was friends with the great Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horsemen. After a chance encounter with Layden at a restaurant, my grandfather introduced me to him. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. When we sat down at our table, I turned to my grandfather and asked, "Gramps, who are the Four Horsemen?" I literally thought they were a musical group of some kind. During the ride home I got an education on the Four Horsemen, the Gipper, and Knute Rockne. I have been a fan ever since.

A music group that's funny back then made sense, thks for sharing.

 

[Drinking The Green Koolaid]

A music group that's funny back then made sense, thks for sharing.

Years later I became a big fan of the Motown Sound. The Four Tops were one of my favorites, with Reach Out (I'll Be There) one of my favorite tunes.



They just don't make 'em like that anymore!

 

[theskibro]

My grandfather was friends with the great Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horsemen. After a chance encounter with Layden at a restaurant, my grandfather introduced me to him. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. When we sat down at our table, I turned to my grandfather and asked, "Gramps, who are the Four Horsemen?" I literally thought they were a musical group of some kind. During the ride home I got an education on the Four Horsemen, the Gipper, and Knute Rockne. I have been a fan ever since.

That’s amazing

 

[Irishjohn68]

My Dad (RIP Dad) was ND class of 1958 and young sister ND class 1994. Been going to games since 1976 Purdue game. Vagas Ferguson is from my hometown (Richmond, IN) was and still is my all time favorite football player. I can now call Vagas a friend and a great human being.

Irish fan for life.

PS: Miss you so much Dad!

 

[NWfor3]

Being a Polish, Catholic from the West Side of South Bend, Notre Dame was the only school to root for. We were like Rudy’s family in the 60’s & 70’s, go to Mass Sunday morning and be home in time to watch the replay with Lindsey Nelson.
I remember wearing a “Theisman for Heisman” button to school and the nuns loved it!
Mt Aunt worked in an office at ND so she had 2 season tickets for years and I was lucky to go to many games since the early 70’s!

 

[Quest4Twelve]

1988 I moved to Granger from the East coast. Watched that season and remember before the Fiesta bowl and my hands were a sweaty mess. I was 10 years old and I knew I was a fanatic. The next year I saw my first game against Rice in the stadium and I'll always remember the feeling.

 

[BGI User 1798]

Years later I became a big fan of the Motown Sound. The Four Tops were one of my favorites, with Reach Out (I'll Be There) one of my favorite tunes.

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They just don't make 'em like that anymore!

So true big fan of that music.

 

[wicker]

1970. Thought playing Texas in the Cotton Bowl was part of the schedule. Thought USC and Southern Cal were two different teams

 

[Juniper_Run]

I arrived at Notre Dame in September 2001 for no other reason than that it was a great school about the distance from home I was hoping for. 20+ years later I give thanks to God for putting me there to meet my wife and the greatest team in the land.

What a great thread. Thanks for posting!

 

[NDgreatestofalltime!]

I’m not sure the exact moment but I was young and growing up in a Catholic home in central OH. I was the baby of five boys (bless my mother).

I recall my brothers and my father rooting for ND and like many younger siblings and or sons, I wanted to be like them. So, in reality, I was a fan before I really understood ND football. My first meaningful memory was probably the last title season of 1988. I was nine or so, and I remember jumping on the couch as we all cheered as Ricky Watters returned a punt for a TD. I had a plastic Gold helmet on my head that had been passed down to me from an older brother. It really does seem like much simpler times looking back now.

Nice reading everyone else’s backgrounds as well.👍🏼

 

[BGI User 1798]

I’m not sure the exact moment but I was young and growing up in a Catholic home in central OH. I was the baby of five boys (bless my mother).

I recall my brothers and my father rooting for ND and like many younger siblings and or sons, I wanted to be like them. So, in reality, I was a fan before I really understood ND football. My first meaningful memory was probably the last title season of 1988. I was nine or so, and I remember jumping on the couch as we all cheered as Ricky Watters returned a punt for a TD. I had a plastic Gold helmet on my head that had been passed down to me from an older brother. It really does seem like much simpler times looking back now.

Nice reading everyone else’s backgrounds as well.👍🏼

This is what I wanted see great memories of ND football, another one watching the replays on Sundays,being a kid on Saturdays couldn't always catch the game.

 

[tkirish]

Well it was 1971. I was with my parents and siblings. We were leaving a family function and my dad put the ND/Purdue game on the radio in the car. I remember it was late in the game and ND was losing. I remember the announcer saying the Irish scored. My dad was saying they needed 2 points to win. They went for 2 and got it. Irish won 8-7 in a pouring rain. The 2 point conversion is known as the “ genuflect “ play.



A couple years later my whole family were watching ND/Southern Cal in 1973. That’s the game that really did it for me. I listened to every game every Saturday with my dad and watched the highlights every Sunday morning with Lindsay Nelson. Those were the days.

 

[tbone3114]

As a kid in the early 70's at my Uncle Jack's house (graduated sometime in the late 50's) been a fan ever since! Getting my 6 and 8 year old in the fold!

 

[HDK]

Well it was 1971. I was with my parents and siblings. We were leaving a family function and my dad put the ND/Purdue game on the radio in the car. I remember it was late in the game and ND was losing. I remember the announcer saying the Irish scored. My dad was saying they needed 2 points to win. They went for 2 and got it. Irish won 8-7 in a pouring rain. The 2 point conversion is known as the “ genuflect “ play.

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A couple years later my whole family were watching ND/Southern Cal in 1973. That’s the game that really did it for me. I listened to every game every Saturday with my dad and watched the highlights every Sunday morning with Lindsay Nelson. Those were the days.

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Who could not love those old-school Notre Dame uniforms, home and away?

 

[HarlemIrish]

That’s all I knew as a kid. My grandfather went to ND, GI Bill. Actually my pop was born on the campus, Vetsville. I was told it’s where undergraduates who are married live. My grandparents left South Bend when my grandfather got a job in DC.

Merry Christmas everyone.

 

[buckey]

When my parents named me after a Notre Dame Quarterback from the 1960’s.

Your first name is lamonica?

 

[buckey]

Who could not love those old-school Notre Dame uniforms, home and away?

Who could not love those old-school Notre Dame uniforms, home and away?

Remember the game well. I was a sophmore in Howard hall

 

[4-4-3]

As long as I can remember I was watching Norte Dame football on Saturday, the reason was my mom she grew up in Clay township and back then money was tough to come by for the family, Mom said they received help from the University she didn't go into detail.
So that's how I became a fan. Every Saturday was football day. Many years later my mom & dad would give back the help. They owned Morgan's Bike Shop north of the University on 31. So if you were associated with Notre Dame you received a discount. Lucky to grow up with great parents.

1955, though I remember watching part of the 1953 ND-OU game on TV at the age of 5.

Here's what ND football looked like in 55:

ND-SMU

 

[ndnd]

That's awesome

Does anyone remember Lindsey Nelson that’s how long

 

[4-4-3]

Does anyone remember Lindsey Nelson that’s how long

Yes. But the ORIGINAL LINDSAY NELSON. Same guy, but not the one who did the ND replays in the 70's, but the EARLIER ITERATION who did the WEEKLY NCAA GAME on NBC in the 50's with -- wait for it -- THE GALLOPING GHOST, RED GRANGE. Generally, ND would be broadcast twice a season.

 

[BGI User 1798]

1955, though I remember watching part of the 1953 ND-OU game on TV at the age of 5.

Here's what ND football looked like in 55:

ND-SMU

Thank you for that.

 

[4-4-3]

Thank you for that.

You're WELCOME.

As for me, I could watch Hornung videos all day. He was JUST fast enough, JUST elusive enough, and JUST powerful enough. In many ways, the ideal RB of his day.

Plus, he played with a GOD-GIVEN JOY.

Aubrey Lewis was no slouch either, but, like Red Mack, he hurt his knee and was never the same. And he was fast. Had he not failed to clear the last hurdle in the qualifying meet, he would have made the US Olympic Team.

Also seen in that video is Don Schaefer, a truly BRUISING FULLBACK. Other good backs on that team included Bob Ward, Jim Morse and Dick Lynch. Lynch became an All-Pro CB with the Giants, played for 9 years and led the league in INT'S twice.

No one could have known that much of that same team would go 2-8 the following season. The shock in those days was almost UNFATHOMABLE. ND had not had a losing season since 1933.

 

[scubavt]

As long as I can remember I was watching Norte Dame football on Saturday, the reason was my mom she grew up in Clay township and back then money was tough to come by for the family, Mom said they received help from the University she didn't go into detail.
So that's how I became a fan. Every Saturday was football day. Many years later my mom & dad would give back the help. They owned Morgan's Bike Shop north of the University on 31. So if you were associated with Notre Dame you received a discount. Lucky to grow up with great parents.

I was born and raised in South Bend. I went to Darden grade school on Darden road ( that's in Clay township) We were the Darden Darts and our school song was sung to the tune of the Notre Dame victory march.

I became a fan because my mother was. We used to watch games together when they were televised. They weren't on TV every Saturday back then.

The first national championship I remember was in 1966. That was the year we tied Michigan State.

My mother worked for Ara Parseghian. He was part owner of an insurance company and my mom was an underwriter and book keeper.
My brother and I both got team autographed footballs.

 

[Patrirish]

1956

 

[wawasee]

1968 for me.