This little gem comes from our Vice-President of Research, Steve Zeber.  Please note that we are not organizing a trip here at Irish Musings, we are simply letting you know about one more passion among the Faithful!

Flint Hills pilgrimage on 3/31 / Last post through Lent
by Chuck84 (click here to email the poster) (02/28/2006 18:47:23)

In an attempt to curtail many of my "nasty habits" (cue Khadaffi) this will be my last post until after Lent.

With this in view I need to make an announcement: On Friday March 31, many of us will be visiting the Flint Hills of Kansas to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Rockne's plane crash. The site is near Bazaar, Kansas which is approximately 50 miles NW of Wichita, not far off of Interstate 35.

This ritual basically involves throwing a football at the monument (below) for a few minutes and then visiting local bars to toast Rockne.



I understand that the Wichita Alumni Club is planning a memorial at 10AM. Our brigade will arrive at approximately that time from places suc as Chicago, Minneapolis, and DC.

This is something the likes of Bullhauler, Cash, Pat85, IrishRifle's Dad, and I have all participated in on previous anniversaries. Bullhauler has been kind enough to help assure access to the property that day for many of us to make this unique visit.

To some of you, this may seem an unusual and perhaps morose pilgrimage. However, I remind you that we are talking about the man who revolutionized college athletics in America, a man whose leadership inspired Curly Lambeau to create the most successful pro football franchise, a man who emboldened the the students to confront and turn away the KKK, a man whose death (with that of seven other Americans) changed commercial air travel forever, a man whose death the president noted as a national tragedy, a man who made Notre Dame a national treasure in the early 20th Century among Catholics all across America.

"Extremism in the pursuit of Rockne is no vice."

If you are interested (CJC!), please email me and we'll coordinate meeting you out there. I recommend that you attend.