Slap the Sign
Fansided

30 Things All Notre Dame Fans Should Do Before They Die

By Joshua Vowles

Oct 11, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of the golden dome at the University of Notre Dame before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2014; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of the golden dome at the University of Notre Dame before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
10 of 31
Next
Nov 2, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the third quarter of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen. Notre Dame won 38-34. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 2, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view of Notre Dame Stadium during the third quarter of the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen. Notre Dame won 38-34. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Knute Rockne Crash Site

In one of the saddest days in Notre Dame history, Knute Rockne was killed in a plane crash in Bazaar, Kansas on March 31, 1931.   Rockne left Kansas City and was bound for Los Angeles where he was going to participate in a motion picture called The Spirit of Notre Dame.  The movie was released in October of 1931.

There were six passengers and two pilots aboard and all were killed.  A memorial was created at the site of the crash.  On that fateful day, James Easter Heathman was 13 years old and heard the explosion when the plane it the ground.  He was one of the first persons to the scene.  Heathman became a legend because for most of his life, he conducted tours to the crash site at no charge because he wanted to perpetuate Rockne’s legacy.  He became an expert on Rockne’s life and was visited by Rockne’s family.

Heathman attended some Notre Dame football games and gave talks on campus to Notre Dame alumni.  He estimated he took tens of thousands of people to the crash site.  Many were Notre Dame alumni or fans and he became life-long friends with lots of them.

For those interested in visiting the crash site, it is on private property and is off road.  It is accessible only by arrangement with the owners. It is an amazing story how Heathman dedicated himself to the site memorial and he ultimately was rewarded by the many friendships he developed with Notre Dame fans and alumni.

-WK

Next: Bury SC

Home/Notre Dame Fighting Irish