Notre Dame, Naval Academy alumni gather for gridiron game
Nearly 40 alumni from the Notre Dame Club of Lake County and the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and friends gathered at the Warehouse Eatery in Deerfield for a joint Game Watch to celebrate the 92-year football rivalry built on mutual respect and friendship.
While Notre Dame won the game 44-22, Navy won the $210 Charity Pot from the attendees. USNA Alumni Association Chicago Chapter President Fred Weber said it will be given to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society for their work benefiting the active duty forces.
During half-time, Jim Hawkins, ND '91 and Commanding Officer (Ret.) Naval Station Great Lakes, described the unique ND and Navy relationship.
In fact, Saturday's football game between Notre Dame and Navy represented the continuation of the longest uninterrupted intersectional rivalry in college football, starting in 1927. But for a time there was substantial doubt the rivalry would see even its 20th meeting.
In September 1941, nearly two decades after Notre Dame had established itself as a major force in college football, Notre Dame's student body comprised 3,200 males ages 18-21. In December 1941, the nation began mobilizing all healthy males to war, while the student body shrunk to only 750 students.
That, combined with the diversion of donations to the war effort, pretty much guaranteed the imminent demise of Notre Dame as an institution, much less a college football power.
Then University President Rev. Charles O'Donnell reached out to the Navy for help. In response, the War Department established Notre Dame as one of the pre-eminent naval officer training programs (V7-V12) in the country, thus, assuring a steady flow of students and financial support to carry Notre Dame through the war.
In return, Notre Dame promised to keep Navy on its football schedule so long as Navy so desired. No contract; just a solemn promise forged in mutual respect and exemplified by the postgame singing of each other's alma maters.
In that spirit, Notre Dame and Navy loyalists ended the evening game watch with the singing of both alma maters.
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