Why Was Ronald Reagan Known As “The Gipper”?
In his acting career, Ronald Reagan played the part of George Gipp in the 1940 film Knut Rockne, All American. Gipp, nicknamed “the Gipper”, was a player in the Notre Dame American football team who caught an infection and died in the prime of his youth and player career in 1920. On his deathbed, while speaking with the team coach, Knute Rockne, he told him that, if, at some future date, the team was ever struggling to overcome their opponents and in need of inspiration, he should tell them to “Win one for the Gipper.” A few years later, Rockne did just that and his team went on to win the match. In his later political career, Reagan was dubbed “the Gipper” by journalists. He adopted the persona wholeheartedly, using the catchphrase “Win one for the Gipper,” as he campaigned for fellow Republicans towards the end of his second presidential term.
