Knute Rockne: Norwegian All-American

 

Friday   9:00 AM   Salon A-B

Knute Rockne (1888-1931) is best remembered as the University of Notre Dame’s head football coach from 1918 to 1931.  His winning percentage of 88.1% remains the highest in football history … collegiate or professional!  However, did you know that he was born in Voss, Norway?  Knute, as a five-year-old boy, immigrated with is family to Chicago, Illinois.  Later, as a collegian at Notre Dame, he majored in chemistry and excelled in football.  In fact, Knute graduated magna cum laude in Chemistry and became an Instructor/Professor of Chemistry at Notre Dame shortly after graduation in 1914.  He also coached the football team as an assistant until 1918.  Don Johnson and Marv Lang will discuss the life, the times, and the achievements of this rare, multi-dimensional individual through a multi-media presentation.  In fact, there may even be some “grid-iron” participation required of the audience.

C. Marvin Lang, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry and Eugene Katz Distinguished L&S Faculty Member at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a former member of the Genealogy Committee of the Vesterheim Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library (Norwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library) in Madison, Wisconsin.  He is charter member of Sons of Norway’s Vennligfolk Lodge.  Marv’s father was born on Langørgan Gård in Rissa Parish, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway.  His mother’s ancestors were from Tretten-Øyer in Gudbrandsdal, from Lunder/Norderhov in Ringerike District of Buskerud, and from the Finnskoga (Solør) regions of Hedmark. 

 Donald D. Johnson, M.D. is Consulting Medical Director of Sentry Insurance, Stevens Point.  An old car buff, model railroading afficionado, radio-controlled flyer of model aircraft, co-captain of a 30 foot tugboat on the Great Lakes – Don simply loves anything that moves!  A recent convert to “all things Norwegian” through membership in Vennligfolk Lodge, Sons of Norway, he was raised in a Swedish home having learned the language through the ministries of his father and mother and being spoiled by his grandmother and grandfather.