This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/12/2013
This featured lot contains a historically significant Knute Rockne 10 page speech dated January 20th, 1931. This was just 2 months before a plane crash would take his life at the young age of 43 on March 31st, 1931. This lengthy 10 page speech was made by Rockne to the Studebaker Sales Organization and is endlessly fascinating. He talks about hard work, perseverance, attitude, success, teamwork and also uses many of his past experiences as the coach at Notre Dame University in helping to motivate the young Studebaker sales crew. The most interesting part of the speech is where Rockne talks about how he prepared his team to play the USC Trojans in the deciding game of the memorable 1930 National Championship season. His Fighting Irish were 9-0 and the USC Trojans were 8-1 with the game being played in the Rose bowl Coliseum on December 6th, 1930 in Los Angeles. Many predicted that USC would defeat the Fighting Irish on that day. Rockne was remembered for his great many speeches and he delivered another one to his team before that memorable game. Notre Dame would dominate in every phase of the game while defeating the Trojans 27-0 to win their 2nd back to back National Championships. This offered speech was given by Rockne in Detroit on January 20th, 1931. Rockne would tragically die in a plane crash just 2 short months after this speech was given. His life was taken way too soon on TWA Flight 599 to Kansas on March 31, 1931, while en route to participate in the production of the film "The Spirit of Notre Dame". This treasure was recently discovered in South Bend, Indiana in an attic with other vintage non-sports related memorabilia and is sure to give you goose bumps. It will definitely get your competitive juices flowing as if you were in the locker room with Rockne himself. Rockne was one of the best to ever coach the game of football as he went an unprecedented 105-12-5 with 4 National Championships during his shortened coaching career. This speech was actually authenticated by Charles Lamb, the Notre Dame archivist, as well being authenticated/appraised by Robert Snyder from the COHASCO Document Preservation Center who tied it to Rockne's typewriter. He confirmed that the type used in this speech was a match to the one example that Notre Dame had in it's archives tying it directly to Rockne himself. Our consignor initially considered donating it to Notre Dame but instead decided to offer it for auction. This lot is truly a historically significant item and a great piece of American Sports History.