"Outlined against a blue, gray October sky the Four Horseman 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."

It was 77 years ago that the dramatic nickname was coined by poetic sportswriter, Grantland Rice.

Quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, left halfback Jim Crowley, right halfback Don Miller, and fullback Elmer Layden had run rampent through Irish opponents' defenses since coach Knute Rockne devised the lineup in 1922 during their sophomore season. After Notre Dame's 13-7 victory over Army on October 18, 1924, Rice penned the most famous passage in the history of sports journalism.

(For those who may be unaware, Army football was a powerhouse in the early part of the 20th century. Army won 3 national championships.)

After that win over Army, the Irish were rarely threatened the rest of the year. A 27-10 win over Stanford in the 1925 Rose Bowl gave Rockne and Notre Dame the national championship and a perfect 10-0 record.

The Four Horseman earned their spot in gridiron history. Although none of the four stood taller than six feet and none weighed more than 162 pounds, the Four Horseman might comprise the greatest backfield ever. As a unit, Stuhldreher, Crowley, Miller, and Layden played 30 games together and only lost 2.

After graduation:

Layden coached Notre Dame for 7 seasons compiling a 47-13-3 record and winning 1 national championship. He also served as athletic director at Notre Dame after which he pursued a business career in Chicago. Layden died in 1973 at the age of 70.

Crowley coached at Forham where one of his players was Vince Lombardi. He also had a career in business in Cleveland. He died in 1986 at the age of 83.

Stuhldreher became athletic director and football coach at Wisconsin. Died in 1965 at the age of 63.

Miller coached for four years at Georgia Tech then practiced law in Cleveland. He was appointed U.S. District Attorney for Northern Ohio by President Franklin Roosevelt. Miller died in 1979 at the age of 77.

IT'S USC ON SATURDAY!   IT'S GONNA BE AN EXCITING GAME.

In an era of creampuff schedules, these 2 teams continue to schedule an annual cross country meeting.    Give'em both credit.

The winner of this game gets the "Jeweled Shillelagh".   Notre Dame currently leads the overall series 42-33-5.