Book Description

A unique anthology of 10 individuals who influenced, or were influenced by the University of Notre Dame make up the new, inspirational book, "The Pluck of the Irish: 10 Notre Dame sports figures who made a difference."But it is not just about athletes. As noted in the second Foreward by former Los Angeles Times sports editor Bill Dwyre:"Some of them are famous athletes - a quarterback who broke records, a running back who was a Vietnam war hero, a basketball star who pioneered race relations. There's a story about a hall-of-fame coach, a swimmer whose accident almost left her paralyzed, a broadcaster who wasn't good enough to play sports, but excels at describing them. There are stories about Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, who explained what happened on the playing field and also why."But the first profile "is the story of a priest who made sure that everyone at Notre Dame was a good person as well as a good athlete, coach, or teacher; a leader, who made a difference at his university, and all over the world." That would be the Father Theodore Hesburgh, who served as the president at Notre Dame over a period of extraordinary change for 35 years from 1952-87.Written by Notre Dame alum Jim Hayden, it's a fun read for anyone who wants to understand the impact that an institution like Notre Dame can have, and how students, staff and administrators can have a profound impact on the university they attend.Muffet McGraw, the coach of Notre Dame's 2018 NCAA women's basketball championship team, details her journey as a high school point guard from Pottsville, Pennsylvania to being in charge of teaching inning basketball to young women.And how the son of a railroad boilermaker returned to Notre Dame after World War II because it "was a place where good thing happen to you." Johnny Lujack became the Heisman Trophy winner and a four-sport letterman.It finishes with a dozen facts and anecdotes about Notre Dame, including who wrote the "greatest of all fight songs," the Notre Dame Victory March.