Comments on: All Aboard: The Subway Alumni

By: The Biscuit

The Biscuit — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:24:45 +0000

Tom, please email me at our email address in the Contact page. I’d like to do an interview for the site!

Thanks,
Biscuit

By: kyndfan

kyndfan — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:00:38 +0000

In reply to Tom Ortwein. Tom, I'm 31 years old. When I grow up I wanna be you. Retired, with a place in Florida and attending every Irish home game and then some. God bless.

By: Tom Ortwein

Tom Ortwein — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:37:46 +0000

I enjoyed the article very well. I have been an Irish fan since 1935. I originaly lived in Bethlehem,PA. Retiring to Venice ,FL permanently in 2004. I missed the opportunity to see the 1946 Army-ND game in Yankee Stadium, however my Mother used the ticket. My first ND game was 1951 vs Pitt. My first home game was 1961 vs Iowa.
I have been an usher at ND football since 1999 I have never missed a game (including Blue-Gold games) however I also the last 4 games of 1996 startin with the Washington game. On Sept.8,2012 I will be seeing my 100th consecutive home game! I have seen the Irish play in 17 different states plus DC and have seen them play in 5 Bowl games.
Not too shabby for an 81 year old who lives 1230 miles away. I also follow the total athletic program and attend events when possible. I also play slo-pitch softball in Venice, 4 days a week during the season.
Thank you and GO IRISH !!!

By: Bill Read

Bill Read — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:22:22 +0000

Lads: I recall my father listening to ND-Iowa in 1939. He was crushed that The Irih lost 7-6. All seven kids in our family followed Notre Dame as if a requirement. My mother knew two marches in her life, the Notre Dame Victory March and something else. Bless her! That’s the only football she knew. My firs ND game was Oklahoma in 1952! Wow. Dan Shannon was there too! My wifw and I have nine kids, all raising their own now. In the 90’s we hardly missed a game, driving from Syracuse, NY very week. We’ve had our kids there. grandkids,neices, nephews etc., one quite friendly with the family of Emil Sitkohe phoned the family from the ACC last fall from beneath a rememberance of 6Yard. Beautiful. Mmories and experiencess to numeorus to list but, on our 50th wedding anniv. Quinn to Samarzijan the 20 seconds thrilled us. It’s haarder to go to the games now due to health reassons and the knees don’t work like they did. But, we follow everything Iris every day. So many great players from the era of Ara. Had the pleasure of meeting Nick Rassas at a game a few years ago. Quite exciting Remember all the National Champs of ’64, (yes we were!),Huarte to Snow,Wolski,Eddy,Farrell.Carrol,Duranko,Snowden. To0o good to miss. God Bless the Fightin’ Irtish!

By: Kevin Zoldowski

Kevin Zoldowski — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:28:12 +0000

Fine job everybody and like each and everyone of you I too am a Subway Alumni. I’m of Polish Irish decent and I’ve loved Our lady and Notre Dame since I was a Little Gipper.
My wife and I get back once a year to attend a game and EVERY time we enter the gates the hair on my ams and neck stands up and a tingle goes through my body that I can’t describe. I also wish I could have been able to attend what was growing up the ONLY college I ever wanted to attend.
God Bless each and every one of you students attending ND as you showed you have the smarts, talent & desire to work hard to earn a degree from what is the most special piece of ground housing a University.
Peace & GO IRISH!!
Subway Alum
Skee

By: tim

tim — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:22:49 +0000

In reply to Tim Scallon. "If they have to ask why,they just dont get it!" stadium usher captain

By: kyndfan

kyndfan — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:13:53 +0000

My wife’s grandfather, may he rest in peace, started going to games in the early 50’s. ND football is a family afair that goes way back for us. My wife and her cousin are Bellarmine University alums and we are all Subway alumni. Since the first time I stepped foot on campus, stood at the Grotto, walked through the Bascillica, and followed the band to the stadium, my goal every year is to get back up there for a game. This past year we went to the MSU game. I later described that trip as a perfect day. The weather, the people we were with, and the butt kickin we put on Sparty was awesome. After the game I looked at my wife and told her how great of a time I had, but at the same time I was sad because I knew we wouldn’t be back until next season. Weeks later my thirst for ND was quenched when I got ahold of 4 BC Tix. As I get older and continue to try and improve my personal financial situation, I realize that if I could ever afford it I would attend every home game. I cannot describe the feeling of being inside ND stadium, but here is a feeble attempt.
It’s that sky, that BIG Indiana sky! You look up at that sky and know that God put it there for the purpose of having football played beneath it.

By: Tim Scallon

Tim Scallon — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:59:42 +0000

In reply to irishfanatic.

Thanks for your thoughts about your love for the Grotto and bringing your son along. I also had a great memory when 18 years ago I brought my son (then 6 years old- he is now 24 and about 6/1 and has been as high as 255lbs) to our first (mine and his) ND home football game at Notre Dame Stadium.

We had seats at the very top Southwest corner (this was before the renovation, so in retrospect they were pretty good seats). At half time I brought my son down to the lower box area by the brick wall to get a photo of the two of us with the Band in the background. Fans were beginning to return to their seats as half time was ending and I asked a guy who was maybe in his 30s if he could take a picture of us as I told him it was my son and my first ND game. He said “sure” and I could tell he really wanted to do a good job for us.

Right then a high society woman (mid 50s) impatiently wanted to pass by the three of us to get back to her seat. This guy with the force of an army surgeant put his hand in front of her to block her movement and said with a load voice “STOP”, then he slowly turned back around to us and with precision took my son and my photo with the field in the background. He knew what this meant to me and I will always be greatful to him for it!

As to the high society woman, I’m sure she was clueless as to what this means to a father.

Fellow Subway Alumni, Tim

By: irishfanatic

irishfanatic — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:58:51 +0000

Great article Bayou Irish. My father was one of those original subway alumni, one which took the subway to games, and absolutely bled gold and blue. Fact is, the first time I saw Rudy it brought back memories for me as a kid with my father telling me that we only watch one team in our house, and he meant it. To this day, I will not watch an entire game that the Irish are not playing in. I know, it’s kinda homer’ish, but that’s the rules in my house. My son, now 11 has gained a greater understanding as to why it’s that way. I’ve taught him to respect excellence, discipline, a set of standards, and a tradition that envelops all of those things.

Interestingly enough, I’ve yet to see a game at ND stadium in my adult years. I’ve only been there twice. Once at age 6 and another at age 8. Even at the age of 8 it still had an affect on me, and believe it or not, my most vivid memory was when we visited the Grotto. I remember a man praying there, and when he turned around he looked as though he’d been crying. I looked at my father, and he simply said, “It’s this place”. He didn’t really go into it any deeper than that, but over the years I’ve learned and understood what he meant. Granted, I’ve seen plenty of “away” games, but I really need to get back to ND, and hopefully will sooner than later.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wish that I had been blessed with the opportunity to attend the University of Notre Dame. Damn, it just sounds so good when you say it, and the pride of having that degree is second to none. However, there’s also not a day that goes by that I don’t know how blessed I am to have the ability to pass all that is inside me about Our Lady on to my son. I guess I’ll be the one praying at the Grotto with tears in my eyes, if and when the day comes that my son attends the University of Notre Dame.

I’m proud to be a subway alumni, and equally as proud of you “Domer’s” that have done the work, and achieved excellence by earning a degree from Notre Dame.