Profile of Knute Rockne on Famous Like Me

Knute Kenneth Rockne (March 4, 1888–March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach of Norwegian origin.

Rockne was born Knut Rokne in Voss, Norway, and emigrated while still a child to Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was the laboratory assistant to Julius Arthur Nieuwland at Notre Dame, but rejected further work in chemistry after receiving an offer to coach football.

As head coach of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana from 1918–1930, he set the greatest all-time winning percentage of 88.1%. During 13 years as head coach, he oversaw 105 victories, 12 losses, five ties, and six national championships, including five undefeated seasons. His players included George 'Gipper' Gipp and the "Four Horsemen" — Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden. He died in a plane crash in Kansas while en route to participate in the production of the film The Spirit of Notre Dame. Rockne was buried in Highland Cemetery in South Bend, and the student athletic building on campus is named in his honor, as well as a street in South Bend, a travel plaza on the Indiana Toll Road, and a travel plaza on the Kansas Turnpike.

Rockne was the subject of the 1940 film Knute Rockne, All American.

Rockne is also credited for perfecting the forward pass with the help of former teammate Gus Doras while he was a life guard on the beach at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio.

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