As a student at Notre Dame it is impossible to escape the tradition, the folklore, and the sheer greatness upon which our beloved football program was founded. Students love to brag about it, and rightfully so.
The list of legacies is as lengthy as the line to get into Hip Hop Night at Legends on a Saturday night. “The House that Rockne Built”, “Win just one for the Gipper”, Rudy, Touchdown Jesus, 11 National Championships, more unanimous All-Americans than any other university, and 7 Heisman Trophy Winners epitomize just a few aspects of Notre Dame’s impressive football résumé.
But how much does the average Domer ACTUALLY know about the history of a program that they will undeniably defend to the death against any ‘haters?’ Can anyone name all seven Heisman winners? If so, how about reciting three facts about each of them?
The point here is not to be condescending—humbly put, there are simply so many great athletes contributing to the authentic, unparalleled tradition of Notre Dame football that it is practically impossible not to overlook a few. This section of the Rover will uncover the hidden heroes of Irish football lore, and dedicated readers might just become uncontested champions of unofficial Notre Dame trivia.
What better place to start than with Notre Dame’s first Heisman Trophywinner, Angelo Bertelli?
Born in West Springfield, Massachusetts in 1921 to Italian parents, Bertelli was a naturally gifted all-around athlete and leader. After earning all-state honors in football, hockey, and baseball, Bertelli arrived in South Bend slated to become the next great Notre Dame running back.
Coach Frank Leahy, however, had other things in mind, and after a relatively successful season transitioned Bertelli from a small-statured halfback to a force to be reckoned with as the field general and quarterback of the new-look ‘T-formation’ offense.
Bertelli flourished in his new role and threw for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns his first season as quarterback. Though limited by injuries to only six games in his senior year (see below), he again threw for 10 touchdowns and did enough to win the hearts of the Heisman voters – an extremely remarkable achievement considering his limited game time.
Aside from the 1943 Heisman Trophy, Bertelli’s other notable football accolades include being named to the 1942 and 1943 All-American teams, only losing a total of three games in his entire Notre Dame career, and being voted sixth in the Heisman ballot in 1942 and runner-up in 1941. He was picked first overall by the Boston Yanks in the 1944 NFL draft.
A side note on the Boston Yanks: quite an ironic choice for a professional team name from the city of Boston, right? The label ‘Yanks’ derived from their owner’s initial desire to field a team whose home games would be played at Yankee Stadium.
Oddly enough, despite being denied life in the Bronx and having to settle for Fenway Park, the franchise stuck with the highly contentious and polarizing name. Perhaps it was a bad omen, as the organization formed in 1944 and went bankrupt just four years later, never garnering a winning season.
An interesting fact to tie this back to Notre Dame, though, is that the Yanks are the only defunct NFL franchise to ever select first overall in the draft, holding the top position twice. They selected Fighting Irish players both times (Bertelli in ‘44 and quarterback Frank Dancewicz in ’46).
However, Bertelli never actually suited up for the Yanks. He instead chose to wear a different type of uniform in 1944, one with more personal significance. As was quite frequent in the era, Bertelli enlisted as a Marine Corp Reserve while studying at Notre Dame and was called to active duty as a second lieutenant during World War II. After several stops in Europe, he nearly lost his life after a Japanese mortar shell exploded 15 feet from him at the Battle of Iwo Jima. His staunch courage earned him multiple military honors, including a Purple Heart.
Bertelli finally returned home to the United States in March 1946, and shortly thereafter signed a contract to play football professionally for the Los Angeles Dons. (It is difficult to envision anything like this happening in today’s society—imagine Andrew Luck, the first selection in this year’s draft, forgoing millions of dollars to join the military). Unfortunately, knee trouble forced Angelo into retirement prior to the 1949 season. After football, he remained involved with the military until 1957, operated several small businesses in New Jersey, and served as the radio voice of the Princeton University Tigers’ football team for over a decade. His athletic prowess on the football field also led to his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
On June twenty-sixth 1999, Bertelli passed away in his New Jersey home at age 78 after losing a battle with brain cancer. He is survived by his wife, Gilda Passerini, and his four children.
Lou Ganser is a senior Dillonite studying finance and also one of Notre Dame’s esteemed leprechauns. He is so thanksful to have Bob Burkett as both his boss and his RA, and hopefully won’t crash Bob’s car when he borrows it. Contact Lou at lganser@nd.edu.
