The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame

One of the most famous groups of players in Fighting Irish history, and indeed American sports history, is the legendary “Four Horsemen of Notre Dame.” The Four Horsemen were comprised of the backfield of the 1924 Irish team coached by Knute Rockne. The phrase was coined by a sports writer for the New York Herald Tribune named Grantland Rice, who was famous for his colorful, poetic descriptions. After Notre Dame beat a favored Army team he wrote,

“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.”

The Four Horsemen were actually quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, left halfback Jim Crowley, right halfback Don Miller and fullback Elmer Layden. They enjoyed great success over the years. Stay tuned tomorrow for more info on the famous Horsemen. While you’re waiting to learn about the legends of Notre Dame, you can check out StubHub.com for some Notre Dame Fighting Irish tickets for games next season.

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