February 18th, Pasty Central Day in History
Today is the birthday of George Gipp, Notre Dame Football legend from Laurium, Michigan. Born on this day in 1895. His life would one day be immortalized by future president of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
It was on his hospital bed that he is purported to have delivered the famous, “win just one for the Gipper” line. He apparently said this line to Knute Rockne, the football coach of Notre Dame. The full quotation from which the line is derived is:
“I’ve got to go, Rock. It’s all right. I’m not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they’ve got and win just one for the Gipper. I don’t know where I’ll be then, Rock. But I’ll know about it, and I’ll be happy.”
The year Gipp was born was also the year the locks were completed at Sault Saint Marie. Some 40 years after the project began. However, it wasn’t until this day in 1927 that the US and Canada formally began diplomatic relations.
Finally, today its snowing across much of the U.P. Not at all unusual. But on this day in 1979 was the only recorded snow fall in the Sahara Desert. The white stuff fell for half an hour before it quickly disappeared. Pasty Central Day in History, February 18th.