Notre Dame vs. Lombard
October 4, 1924

Saturday, October 4, burst out with a hint of fall in the air. In the early afternoon, lines of automobiles snaked toward Cartier Field.

Two main approaches to the campus, Notre Dame Avenue and the Dorr road, were closed for paving, leaving only Eddy Street as a means to reach the grounds. The ideal weather spurred a large number of box holders to attend the game, and the boxes in the west stand were a colorful display of finery worn by the men and women of South Bend’s leading families.

All told, the stands were about half filled when the game began, and the crowd totaled about 9,000, including an estimated 300 organized Lombard rooters. Several thousand potential attendees chose to head downtown instead and stood in front of the Tribune building, gazing up at the mechanical board showing play-by-play of the first game of the World Series. The New York Giants defeated Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators, 2-1, in 12 innings.

At 10 minutes past two, seven full teams of Notre Dame players streamed onto the field to the delight of the home fans, followed in a few minutes by Lombard’s squad of 22. At 2:28 p.m., the 1924 season began as O’Boyle kicked off for the Irish. Notre Dame started its “Shock Troops” with Scharer, Connell and Cerney joining O’Boyle in the backfield, along with an entire second-string line.

After the teams traded punts, Lamb led Lombard to Notre Dame’s 25-yard line, and Rockne responded by sending in three of his famous backs, with Layden at fullback, and Crowley and Miller at the halfback spots. Stuhldreher was kept out of the game due to a shoulder injury. Lombard fumbled on a kick attempt, and the Irish were set to go with the ball.

A pair of runs by Crowley and one by Miller lost yardage, and Layden was forced to punt. The Irish held Lombard again, and after Scharer fielded a Lombard punt at his own 23, Rockne sent in the first team line. To nearly everyone’s surprise, it included Adam Walsh, only days removed from his hospital stay. His presence lifted his teammates’ spirits against the feisty opponents.

But penalties and sloppy play hurt ND, and the punting duel continued. Only when Miller broke loose a run around left end for 20 yards as the first quarter ended did the Irish look as if they were poised to dominate. As the second quarter started, Layden sliced for five yards off tackle, and Crowley added eight more through the same spot to the Lombard 24. From there, Miller dashed through left tackle and into an open field for the first score of the season.

After forcing another punt, the Irish kept up the pressure. Miller raced 21 yards to the Lombard 27. Crowley and Layden advanced the ball deeper. Even after another offside penalty moved the Irish back to the 15, Miller got free around end and again reached the end zone. Crowley’s kick put ND ahead, 14-0. Miller and Layden left for subs, and after forcing another punt, ND gave it back with a fumble. Lamb missed a 30-yard place kick, but Crowley then lost a yard and left the game due an injury.

A Notre Dame punt was fumbled by Lamb, and ND’s Livergood recovered. Then penalties struck again, with a 25-yard run by Coughlin wiped out. A holding call sent ND back another 15 yards. Late in the half, ND’s Red Edwards lofted a 45-yard punt fielded by Lamb, who was swarmed under by the Irish and fumbled. Worse for Lombard, he couldn’t get up and was carried from the field with a badly dislocated shoulder. The half ended with ND ahead 14-0 – not an impossible margin to overcome, but Lombard was deflated watching its star and leader hurt and out for the day.

The teams slogged through the third quarter, and even with most of the Notre Dame regulars in the lineup, the Irish could not add to their lead. Typical was a series in which Crowley completed a 20-yard-pass to Collins, only to watch the drive stall due to penalties. Scouts from several of Notre Dame’s upcoming opponents viewed the action from the press box. Though poker-faced, they had to be wondering what the problem was with the vaunted Irish attack. But the fourth quarter brought the offensive fireworks many had expected. Lombard’s troops were now nearing exhaustion, and it showed.

On the first play of the quarter, Crowley connected with fellow Wisconsinite Ward “Doc” Connell for a 25-yard pass completion, which Crowley followed by breaking through right tackle for a 13-yard touchdown. After another Lombard punt, Connell lit up the crowd by breaking through left tackle and racing 57 yards for a score. Crowley’s kick put the Irish ahead, 28-0.

More Notre Dame substitutions entered the game, and the backups relished the chance to show their stuff. On the next Irish possession, O’Boyle broke loose for a 50-yard rumble before being dropped at the Lombard two-yard line. On the next play, Cerney scored on a line buck. In almost no time, Notre Dame powered its way to a 34-0 end. Again, ND forced the punt, and on the first play O’Boyle again broke loose from the line and raced 55 yards for the game’s final touchdown.

When the final gun sounded, it was Notre Dame 40, Lombard 0. It would look better in the papers than it did on the field. Observers who went into the game wondering about ND’s reserve strength were reassured, given the performances of Connell and O’Boyle at halfback, Cerney at fullback and sub quarterbacks Edwards and Sharer. The line play received less favorable reviews, due especially to penalties and to some less than textbook blocking. But the Irish were able to overcome their errors against a squad that struggled all day with the ball and wilted after losing Lamb.

In only a couple of weeks, the Irish would have far less room for error.

Excerpted from Loyal Sons: The Story of The Four Horsemen and Notre Dame Football’s 1924 Champions. Order an inscribed, autographed copy of the Special Centennial Commemorative Edition HERE.