Original artwork, not a still
Tell 'em to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Gipper.
— Knute Rockne, All American • 1940
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A dying teammate's wish turned into a battle cry, and it gave sport the idea of winning for someone who cannot be there. Reagan's later use made it a political slogan: at the 1988 Republican convention he told George Bush to go out and win one for the Gipper. Fans say it whenever a team, or a campaign, needs a push for a lost friend.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Knute Rockne, All AmericanShow the scene
In Knute Rockne, All American (1940), Notre Dame star George Gipp dies of illness after the 1920 season and asks coach Knute Rockne to call on the team, some day when the breaks go against them, to win one for him. Years later Rockne finally shares what Gipp said and delivers the line to a beaten team in the locker room. In real life, Rockne used a deathbed story of Gipp's request to rally Notre Dame to a 12-6 win over Army in 1928. Ronald Reagan played Gipp in the film and was nicknamed the Gipper.
Sources (3)
- Wikipedia: George GippLegacy sectionReference checked
- Wikipedia: Knute Rockne, All AmericanPlot and introReference checked
- Wikiquote: Knute Rockne, All AmericanKnute Rockne and George Gipp sectionsReference checked
Context reviewed