Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma, November 8, 1952:
A Duel Between a Wolfhound and a Bulldog
This classic meeting of Frank Leahy's undermanned and relatively inexperienced Fighting Irish and Bud Wilkinson's title contending Oklahoma Sooners has been called "the greatest Notre Dame game I ever saw" by longtime South Bend Tribune sports editor Joe Doyle.
The Irish took the field as three touchdown underdogs. After each of three spectacular touchdowns by sooner Heisman Trophy winner Billy Vessels, the home team mounted long scoring drives on the strong play of John Lattner and Neil Worden after which Dan Shannon made what many fans recall as "the tackle heard round the world." The resulting fumble recovery led to the game winning Notre Dame touchdown, after which the Irish held the dangerous Sooners scoreless throughout a very threatening fourth quarter.
This unique DVD features opening and closing commentary by Regis Philbin, who attended the game as a Notre Dame student, the spirited play by play call of veteran sportscaster Rich Funke, and the insightful recollections of five Irish stars -- John Lattner, Dan Shannon, Ralph Guglielmi, Tom Carey and Dick Szymanski. The program concludes with an insider’s view of the Leahy legacy plus bonus out-takes during which the Irish players talk about their on and off campus experiences in the 1950s. The original game film (the only remaining visual record of this titanic battle) has been enhanced to bring the production up to today's video standards. Total running time: 120 minutes.
More than just the story of a football game, this is a story about personal sacrifice, pride of place and the demanding ways of Frank Leahy, the man other coaches referred to as "The Master.”
To order a copy, please contact the Archives. VHS copies are $15 each and DVD copies are $25 each.
This page was last updated October 20, 2014