Notre Dame at Northwestern
November 22, 1924

In 1924, one of the crowning jewels for Chicago was the opening of the new $5-million Grant Park stadium, along the lakeshore south of the “loop district.” The great edifice was declared ready to use in late summer, with about 35,000 seats completed and construction on seating sections continuing. On September 6 and 7, the stadium was dedicated when crowds of 45,000 and 50,000 gathered for the annual Chicago Police Department track and field meet. In the coming weeks, the stadium would host a great variety of civic events, from a children’s parade circus to the Chicago Day program, when men of Troop A of the Fourteenth Cavalry charged with their horses through rings of fire.

The first football game at the mammoth new field was the 1924 Public League High School championship game. Then, on Armistice Day, the “Catholic college championship of the Midwest” was contested between Columbia College of Dubuque, Iowa, coached by ex-Irish star Eddie Anderson, and St. Viator of Bourbonnais, Illinois, a frequent foe of Notre Dame reserve teams.

The Notre Dame-Northwestern game in late November was scheduled for the Wildcats’ home field in Evanston. But just days before kickoff, the site was switched to Grant Park Stadium.

It seemed to some that every Chicagoan who called themself a fan of football was planning to head to the lakefront Saturday for a glimpse at the “four horsemen” and their teammates. True, some 32,000 would pack Stagg Field to watch the Maroons attempt to clinch the Big Ten title against Wisconsin. But the draw of a chance to see Rockne’s “wonder team” caused a tremendous wave of ticket-seekers.

The new stadium was as ready as it could be. During the week, Northwestern’s movable bleachers were installed at the north and south ends of the gridiron, adding several thousand seats to the site. Officials decided several thousand more could be admitted to standing room areas. Workmen also thickly dressed down the field with hay to protect the turf.

On game day, though, the new field showed the effects of the recent snow and rain and was in poor condition. Players slipped and slid in pre-game warm-ups, while the heavily bundled crowd, many arriving at the stadium for the first time, struggled to find their seats. The Northwestern backers occupied the west stands, including boxes for dignitaries such as Mayor Dever and university officials. The east stands were filled largely by Notre Dame partisans and the general public.

At 2 p.m., Notre Dame’s O’Boyle kicked off to Baker, and the slog through the mud was on. The first few minutes set the tone – a Notre Dame fumble, a bad pass from center by Northwestern. Baker missed his first drop kick attempt from 40 yards, but instead of letting the ball hit the goal line, Notre Dame’s Scherer fielded it and was buried at his own 3. Unable to move, ND punted, and good field position helped set up Baker for another drop kick try, which he converted from 30 yards out for a 3-0 Purple lead.

With the ball, the Irish gained a little momentum when O’Boyle charged through center to the 35 for a first down, but the drive stalled when Connell lost his footing on an end run. The first of the regulars – Adam Walsh and Elmer Layden – entered the game. Minutes later, Walsh intercepted a Baker pass, but was called for interference. Layden’s first contribution was a 35-yard punt that drove Baker back to his 30-yard line. But on the next play, the Purple star danced his way for 20 yards to midfield to the shouts from the Northwestern section. Baker picked up another five on the next snap, and Rockne brought in the rest of his regulars, the Chicago crowd issuing a mighty shout upon seeing the “four horsemen” together in the backfield. A minute later, after Rip Miller stopped Northwestern’s White for no gain, Baker successfully drop-kicked from a difficult angle, increasing the margin to 6-0.

Starting from their 20, the Irish had Layden fake a kick, and he gained 11 yards. Don Miller drove off Joe Bach at left tackle and picked up eight more. On a third-down, Crowley faked a kick and went for four and a first down. Layden made a pair of nice gains through center. The Irish looked to be stopped when Stuhldreher was dropped for a 10-yard loss on a pass attempt, but Northwestern was penalized for being offside. From the Purple 25 as the second quarter began, Stuhldreher hit Miller with a pass, and the Irish halfback slipped to the turf while trying to dodge a tackler at the five. Miller was held for no gain, and Layden netted two yards in two carries, setting up fourth down and goal from the three. The Purple braced for another line buck, most likely by Layden, though the possibility of an end run by Crowley or Miller had the flanks nervous. Instead, Stuhldreher, who rarely took the snap, got the ball and followed a tremendous block by Adam Walsh into the end zone. Crowley kicked to give the Irish a 7-6 lead.

Northwestern decided to kick off, a move that backfired when Layden rumbled for 24 yards off left tackle. The teams exchanged punts, the yardage coming harder as field conditions worsened, and both teams frequently lost their footing. In a break in the action, it was reported, “old grads and Notre Dame men in all parts of the stadium rose and cheered as the Notre Dame student body sang the victory march.” Their encouragement was met by a strong Northwestern defensive effort, and Layden was forced to punt. Baker and NU captain Wienecke took turns running the ball for the Purple, and picked up ground before Baker punted to the Irish 20. Again ND met an inspired defense; the purple-clad warriors, as they had a week earlier against Chicago, were truly playing “like a bunch of wildcats” and frustrating the Notre Dame attack. With its running plays stymied, the Irish went to the air. A 30-yard toss from Layden to Chuck Collins was incomplete, but Northwestern interfered, setting up the Irish at midfield in the final minutes of the half. Stuhldreher hit Miller with a pass for eight yards. With time winding down, Stuhldreher set up for another pass. This one was intercepted by White, and the teams carefully stepped through the mud to the dressing rooms, ND ahead, 7-6.

Notre Dame took the second-half kickoff determined to shake their pesky adversaries. Don Miller got free around left end for 15 yards. The drive fizzled on an incomplete pass, and Layden punted to the Northwestern 20, with Baker picking up 23 yards on the return. From there Baker and Wienecke took turns smashing the Irish line for gains, pushing Notre Dame back into its own territory. But Adam Walsh threw Wienecke for a four-yard loss, and Baker’s drop kick from 30 yards split the uprights, but fell just underneath the crossbar.

The Irish again found the going rough, and Layden got off a poor punt that made it only to midfield. There, Walsh and Hanousek, in for Kizer, made a big play, dropping Baker for a four-yard loss. With little open along the line, Baker resorted to more passes, but was unable to connect and faced another punt. A penalty against Northwestern backed him up, and he boomed a 65-yarder past the Irish goal line.

Darkness was quickly descending on Grant Park, and the ball was becoming harder for the massive crowd to follow. The Notre Dame rooters let out a mighty roar as if to propel the Irish to another score as they took over the ball at their own 20. On third-and-four from the 26, Stuhldreher found an open Crowley on a 20-yard pass play. Crowley ran for three yards, then took a wide pass from Stuhldreher but was dropped for a six-yard loss. On third-and-13, the pair connected again, this time Crowley breaking tackles and taking the ball to the Northwester 24. The Purple seemed baffled by Notre Dame’s array of fakes and feints.

The crowd stood and hollered as the players lined up, sensing a killing blow by the Irish. Crowley dashed for three yards, then fumbled on a reverse and lost a yard before recovering. Miller dashed through left tackle for four and on fourth down, Stuhldreher’s short buck pass to Layden fell incomplete, giving Northwestern the ball on its 21. Baker dropped to punt formation, then tried to run, but Bach and Collins collared him for a short gain. On third-and-four, Hanousek broke through to drop Baker for a two-yard loss, and the Purple star punted yet again. Three Irish plays netted six yards, and Layden set up to punt as the quarter ended. ND clung to its 7-6 lead, with all players on the field competing in mud-soaked uniforms. Three straight one-sided games against Georgia Tech, Wisconsin and Nebraska seemed light years removed from the battered Grant Park turf. A perfect season was being seriously challenged in the November gloaming.

Layden, sensing the importance of the moment, extracted every ounce of energy in his right leg to drive the ball 65 yards to the Northwestern 10, where backup NU quarterback Solheim raced through an open field out to the 32. On first down, Baker sliced through the ND line for six yards, followed by Wienecke’s lunge at center for two more. On third-and-two from the Northwestern 40, the Purple eschewed the run and attempted a short pass to Solheim. Timing his move perfectly, Layden stepped in front of the pass at the 45 and sprinted untouched into the end zone. In an instant, the Northwestern charge was repelled, and the Irish led, 13-6. A huge portion of the 45,000 fans stood and cheered wildly as Layden was mobbed by his teammates. Even a missed extra point didn’t dim their enthusiasm.

With running becoming increasingly treacherous, Northwestern felt aerials were the way to go. On first down after ND’s kickoff, Baker faded back and threw wildly downfield, Don Miller intercepting for the Irish at the Purple 40. Miller tried an end run which was sniffed out for a 10-yard loss. Stuhldreher, attempting to get the yardage back, lofted a pass but was picked off by Wienecke. NU’s Baker ran once and went back to the air only to watch a roving Adam Walsh come up with the ball on Notre Dame’s 44. The crowd was nearly apoplectic with the dizzying turn of possession.

Layden had to leave the game with an injury and was replaced by Chicagoan Cerney. The wet ball, muddy field and intense Purple pressure led to fumbles on his first two carries, the second one going over to Northwestern. On the next two plays, Walsh stopped Baker in his tracks, and Hanousek did the same to Wienecke. Baker, showing the range of skills and pluck that tagged him an All-American prospect, completed a pass to White for 18 yards to midfield. Baker’s next pass attempt was broken up by Walsh and Crowley, and he ended up punting to the Irish end zone.

Now Notre Dame needed to keep a drive going, both to run down the clock and to get the ball out from its territory. Don Miller came through with a seven-yard gain behind Bach at left tackle. Crowley did the same, gaining a first down at the 34. Cerney made a nice run, but the Irish were penalized for holding. Crowley set up in punt formation and took off for a 22-yard run and a first down. Miller, going off tackle, lost his balance on the slippery turf but rebounded just in time and picked up seven yards. Again, though, the Irish were called for holding, and the crowd booed loudly while the referee walked off the penalty.

Notre Dame called time and huddled to discuss who would kick in Layden’s absence. Not surprisingly, Crowley was chosen and went back into punt formation. But it was another fake, and the darting back lofted a perfect pass gathered in by Don Miller, who took it 50 yards to the Northwestern 25 before being shoved out of bounds. Irish rooters were besides themselves. Crowley crashed through the line, twisted through the arms of tacklers and drove down to the 17. Miller gained the needed two for a first down at the 15. Crowley made an off-tackle burst for eight yards, then drove for another two and a first-and-goal at the five. Victory was in sight.

In the dark and the mud, Miller was stopped for no gain. Crowley saw another opening at tackle, but slipped at the line. Rockne sent in Doc Connell with a play, replacing Miller. Connell gained two yards off-tackle, and it was fourth-and-goal from the three. Connell tried to hit Cerney with a pass but it sailed incomplete, giving the ball to Northwestern at its 3 with little time left.

The irrepressible Baker would not go down quietly. He tried a series of long, high passes, one of which was completed to Seidl for 15 yards. But on the others, Irish defenders had time to get under the ball and knock it away from the receiver. Finally, the gun sounded and teams shook hands, both having given the full measure of effort in difficult conditions. The Irish prevailed, 13-6, and their record stood at 8-0.

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.