Notre Dame and the Game That Changed Football: How Jesse Harper Made the Forward Pass a Weapon and Knute Rockne a Legend

by Frank P. Maggio

Between 1880 and 1905, more than 325 deaths were reported in college football, and several major football schools, including Princeton, Harvard, Columbia, and Penn, threatened to drop the sport. President Theodore Roosevelt even called a White House conference to eliminate football's violence. One result was the development of the forward pass, which reduced the frequency of dangerous collisions between helmetless players. Enter Jesse Harper, head...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 078672014X
• ISBN13: 9780786720149
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Best Football Book I've Read

An insightful, INTERESTING book about, among other things, reasonable people developing rules intended to keep people alive as they engage in sport. It is astonishing to know that there were actually people who opposed the new rule of the forward pass. Maggio's well-researched hindsight gives much deserved credit to Harper's foresight, and gives us all a timely reminder that intelligence is never out of style. The book reads anecdotally, and is a must for anyone interested in the history of football, the history of education, the history, really, of the game that defines in large part the character of our land. Maggio's well developed story telling style is a pleasure. You'd be well advised to buy two: One for you, and one to make sure you won't have to loan yours out.

The author defends his position.

I enjoyed Homer Martin's review of my book, but I stand by my position that the Notre Dame vs. Army game of 1913 was indeed the game that changed football. I understand that many teams had used the forward pass prior to the 1913 game, including the great teams at the Carlisle Indian school. Sally Jenkins in her recent book points this out very well. However, I would point Mr. Martin, Ms. Jenkins and others to Chapter 3 of my book concerning the evolution of the rules governing the forward pass and also the change in the shape of the ball. Prior to the 1913 season the rules and the shape of the ball virtually prohibited the full and free passing attack that Notre Dame used against Army in 1913. Notre Dame gained 213 yards in the air that day. An unheard of statistic at the time.The evolution of the rules and the change in the shape of the ball made all the difference. Note also that ESPN, see the final chapter of my book for the citation, called Jesse Harper's decision to to pass against Army in 1913 the number one college coaching decision of the 20th Century. Hollywood did not make a myth out of the 1913 game. The credit for the game being the game that changed football has been asserted by numerous sport's writes since the day the game was played - starting with 2 and 1/2 columns on the game in the Sunday edition of the New York Times the day after the game was played. The Times article quoted Bill Roper, the former head football coach at Princeton, who was one of the officials in the game to the effect that "he had always believed that such playing was possible under the new rules, but that he had never seen the forward pass developed to such a state of perfection." So I submit, there is no myth to put to rest. It is a reality. Best regards to Mr. Martin and all who read this. Frank P. Maggio, the author. I can be contacted at "maggioND@msn.com"

ALL football fans should read.

Great book! This book is a MUST read for any die-hard Notre Dame fan. But also, it's a story ALL football fans should take interest in. Plus, it's interesting to learn about Jesse Harper and how he contributed to the storied history of the Notre Dame football program. Get it for your sports library.

PASS IT ON

Who is Jesse Harper? And where is Notre Dame? These matters don't concern you? We'll tell you just the same. Is it "Knute" with a "K" Or "Knute" with an "N?" It's all in the book, man, Read it and then, You'll know more of football, Forward passes and scores Than goofy John Madden And the rest of the bores. So, if you want the real lowdown, Want some arcana to bank. Get out your checkbook: Send your money to Frank. TIO CARLOS copyright 2007

Correction

Looking forward to reading the book, but the forward pass was used to beat ARMY! Not Navy