Daniel Ruettiger

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Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger
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Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger dressed in his #45 for the Georgia Tech game
University of Notre Dame — No. 45
Defensive End 1976
Major: Sociology
Date of Birth: August 23, 1948 (1948-08-23) (age 59)
Place of Birth: Joliet, Illinois
Height: 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)
Career History
High school: Joliet Catholic High School
 College(s):
Notre Dame University, Holy Cross Junior College
Career Highlights and Awards
Last player carried off the field at Notre Dame
Bowl Games

Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger (b. August 23, 1948 in Joliet, Illinois, United States) is a motivational speaker best known as the inspiration for the motion picture Rudy.

Contents

[edit] Early life and college career

Daniel Ruettiger (nicknamed "Rudy") grew up in a middle class household, the third of fourteen children. He attended Joliet Catholic High School, where he played for locally famous coach Gordie Gillespie and led the team in tackles his junior and senior years. After graduating from high school, Ruettiger worked in a steel mill before attending Holy Cross Junior College in South Bend, Indiana.

After two years at Holy Cross, and three rejections to transfer to the University of Notre Dame, Ruettiger was accepted as a student in the Fall of 1974. It was during his time studying at Holy Cross that Ruettiger discovered he suffered from dyslexia.

Ruettiger harbored a dream to play for Ara Parseghian and the Fighting Irish football team, despite being 5' 7" and 165 pounds (far shorter and lighter than would be expected of a collegiate football player). [1] Parseghian encouraged walk-on players from the student body. For example, Notre Dame's 1969 starting center, Mike Oriard, was a walk-on who eventually won a Rhodes Scholarship and an NFL contract with the Kansas City Chiefs[2].

Ruettiger earned a place on the Notre Dame scout team, a practice-squad that helps the varsity team practice for games. Merv Johnson was the coach that was instrumental at keeping Rudy on as a scout team player.

After Parseghian stepped down after the 1974 season, Dan Devine was named head coach. In Ruettiger's last opportunity to play for Notre Dame at home, Devine put him into a game at defensive end against Georgia Tech on November 8, 1975. In the movie Rudy, Devine is depicted as a villain, not wanting Rudy to dress for his last game; however, during the actual game, Devine reportedly came up with the idea to dress Rudy. In the final play of Ruettiger's senior season with the Fighting Irish, he recorded a sack, which is all his Notre Dame stat line has ever shown. Ruettiger was carried off the field by his teammates following the game. Ruettiger actually played for two plays. The first time he was unable to get to the quarterback, but on the second play he sacked the Georgia Tech quarterback. [3]

[edit] Later life

On October 14, 2005, Ruettiger was the master of ceremonies at a pep rally for Notre Dame Football. The Fighting Irish were about to play rival and then #1-ranked University of Southern California (USC) the following day and Head Coach Charlie Weis asked some Notre Dame legends, including Tim Brown and Joe Montana, to come back and speak at the rally. Ruettiger came out of the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium to a loud ovation.[4]

Ruettiger is currently married and has two children. Most recently, Ruettiger has begun to market a sports drink, Rudy Revolution, capitalizing on his reputation as a motivational speaker.[5]

Ruetigger and his wife are currently building a new home in the glitzy Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, NV.

[edit] In film

Ruettiger's story was told in the 1993 film Rudy. The film was written by Angelo Pizzo, directed by David Anspaugh and produced by Rob Fried, the award winning team who created Hoosiers. Actor Sean Astin portrays Rudy in the film, and Ruettiger himself has a cameo, as a fan behind Rudy's dad (the man that Rudy's dad bangs in joy after the sack was recorded) in the final game scene. Rudy also had another part in the making of the movie, where during the recording of the score for the final game sequence, Rudy himself conducted the orchestra while composer Jerry Goldsmith looked on in tears.[citation needed]

[edit] Publications

  • Rudy's Insights for Winning in Life
  • Rudy's Lessons for Young Champions
  • Rudy & Friends
  • Dream Power (audio cassette)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Rudy international
  2. ^ It's Not All Fun and Games: college athletics, Notre Dame Magazine Online, summer 2002
  3. ^ Actual footage of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger recording the final sack for Notre Dame against Georgia Tech on November 8th, 1975.
  4. ^ "One for the ages: USC edges Notre Dame: Leinart pulls trickery with 3 seconds left, Bush scores 3 TDs in 34-31 win"; msnbc.com
  5. ^ rudybeverage.com
  • Pagna, Tom, "Notre Dame's Era of Ara", Diamond Communications, Inc., 1976, ISBN 0-912083-74-3, pp 182-183, regarding Parseghian's use of walk-ons.

[edit] Awards

[edit] External links