The Gipper Audiobook By Jack Cavanaugh cover art

The Gipper

George Gipp, Knute Rockne, and the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football

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The Gipper

By: Jack Cavanaugh
Narrated by: Nancy Linari
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About this listen

Win one for The Gipper.

Has there ever been a better-known and widely-used exhortative phrase in sports? Not likely. But who was the "Gipper", this mythical-like sports figure whose nickname has aroused, in turn, awe, wonderment, curiosity, and amusement since the second decade of the 20th century, and why is his story important? Answering those questions is the formidable task taken on here by veteran sportswriter Jack Cavanaugh, whose Pulitzer Prize-nominated biography of boxing legend Gene Tunney was referred to as "impressively researched and richly detailed" by Sports Illustrated.

More than eight decades after his death, George Gipp is still regarded by football historians as Notre Dame's best all-around player. And it was Gipp and his legendary coach, Knute Rockne, who were largely responsible for putting the small Midwestern all-male school on the map.

Like Cavanaugh's other critically acclaimed books, The Gipper is also a period piece, with a considerable focus on the era before, during, and immediately after WWI. It details the changes that the country underwent during that time, including the onset of Prohibition and the gangs that it spawned in the Midwest such as those active in the South Bend area and in nearby Chicago, headed by the notorious Al Capone.

©2012 Jack Cavanaugh (P)2012 Audible, Inc.
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Editorial reviews

Pulitzer Prize-nominated sportswriter Jack Cavanaugh delves into the remarkable story of George Gipp, the subject of the famous phrase "Win one for The Gipper", uttered first by Gipp's coach Knute Rockne and oft-repeated by Ronald Reagan. Using the backdrop of WWI, Cavanaugh - armed with an inquisitive, probing performance by Nancy Linari - masterfully portrays Gipp's impressive talent, and how he was able to capture the hearts and minds of the American public. The Gipper is a probing look at the legend surrounding the man still widely considered to be Notre Dame's best-ever player.

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As much about new Rockney as George Gipp

Reader sounded too much like a robot and mispronounced too many words resulting in a distraction. Still there was a lot of new information for me about George Gipp, but it probably could have been covered in half the time.

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The Gipper review

The story is good but the author repeats himself to much. The end of my review

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Eh, it's an ok book.

It was riddled with tons of great knowledge and stories. the problem was... it kept repeating itself and it could've been way shorter. they were reaching for awhile.

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  • Overall
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Must Read for ANY Notre Dame Fan

As a lifelong fan of the Irish I am, or shall I say was, well acquainted with its legends. I even had the privilege of attending high school with the Great Granddaughter of the legendary Gus Dorais, who was kind enough to give me some much treasured pieces for my personal collection all those years ago. I had not thought much about Notre Dame for many years, until an off-handed comment about “The Gipper” made me curious. Doing some research I wondered into Mr. Cavanaugh’s book, and from the moment it started I could not stop.

Paying full tribute to the legend of “The Gipper”, Mr. Cavanaugh builds onto the “lore” of Notre Dame by shining light on practically all of its greatest figures. Not only does he take you back to the time of the Great Knute Rockne, he builds the legend from the ground up just as the coach did himself. He tells of the human side of Knute Rockne and George Gipp, which only further illuminates their greatness. In the spirit of Grantland Rice himself, Mr. Cavanaugh takes you directly into the stadium, and makes you feel like you are on the sideline watching the events unfold.

If you are a Notre Dame fan or even a fan of football, this is a book that you truly must read. Not only has it renewed my interest in Notre Dame Football, but it made me email an old friend from high school.

Excellent Job Mr. Cavanaugh!!

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Not sure why my grade 1 teacher was reading this

Would you try another book from Jack Cavanaugh and/or Nancy Linari?

Jack yes.... Nancy no

How could the performance have been better?

The good ones perform the book..... this was read for the 1st time by a person with little or no interesting the subject, or understanding. Poor Jack, fine book.... terrible presentation.

Could you see The Gipper being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Ryan Gosling and Ed Harris

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Enjoyable read

Great story. Lots some of the stars on Gipp I wasn’t aware of. The author clearly demonstrates Gipp and Rockne were absolute cultural legends. Author repeated himself a few times. I would have chosen a different narrator.

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