(LOT 39)
Extremely Scarce George 'The Gipper" Gipp Signed Vintage Photo – Measures Approx. 4-1/2" x 6-1/2" – PSA/DNA Encapsulated & JSA/Spence LOAs
"I've got to go, Rock. It's all right. I'm not afraid. Some time, Rock, when the team is up against it, when things are wrong and the breaks are beating the boys, ask them to go in there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock, but I'll know about it, and I'll be happy." – George "The Gipper" Gipp" - 1920

Only a handful of sports related quotes could possibly be considered more iconic than when Notre Dame star player, George "The Gipper" Gipp, delivered these heart-wrenching words to his legendary coach Knute Rockne from his hospital bed before his tragic death on December 14, 1920. Classified as the "win just one for the Gipper" line, along with Lou Gehrig's "Luckiest Man of the Face of the Earth" speech, it stands as one of the most celebrated sports quotes ever uttered by any athlete, with even the most composed individual shedding a tear at these awe-inspiring words.

The legendary Rockne would never forget this time enduring moment, and he used Gipp's unparalleled brave words to rally his team to a 12–6 upset of the previously undefeated Army team in 1928. So momentous was Gipp's story, that a movie would eventually be released in 1940, where former great U.S. President Ronald Reagan played "The Gipper". Reagan never forgot his renowned role as well as Gipp's revered story and chose to use the 'Win One for the Gipper" line at the Republican National Convention in 1988 when he told Vice-President Bush, "George, go out there and win one for the Gipper!"

Before his untimely passing at the tender age of 25, George Gipp was one of Notre Dame's most gifted players, playing quarterback, half-back and punter. Synonymous with other great athletes who tragically died early in their lives (Mathewson, Gehrig, and Clemente to name a few), obtaining his autograph is an excruciating task, with signed Gipp artifacts few and far between. Unquestionably one of football's rarest and highly coveted scripts, we at Memory Lane are proud to present this miraculous George Gipp signed black & white photo that includes the following George Gipp inscription: "Good Luck – from Gipp."

Measuring approximately 4-1/2" x 6-1/2", the bold black fountain pen script presents itself in conservative "7/8" strength and is fortunately situated in a lightly contrasted area near the lower right quadrant. George Gipp's classic punting pose likewise portrays outstanding aesthetics, with no obtrusive flaws negating the superb eye appeal of this period photo. Indeed, since George Gipp passed away in 1920, this image was issued between 1917 and 1920, obviously signed by Gipp sometime within his four year Notre Dame tenure before the deadly streptococcal throat infection/Pneumonia claimed his life on December 14, 1920.

It may be quite some time before the next George Gipp autograph surfaces in the hobby, let alone one that is scripted on a Notre Dame action photo. His heartbreaking death at the tender age of 25 eliminated the possibility for an abundance of Gipp signatures, substantiating why the most advanced autograph collector will "stand in line" for this unfathomable offering and why not? "The Gipper's" hallowed quote to Rockne on his hospital deathbed stands as one of the most iconic quotes in the sporting world, with Gipp's heartfelt message and unbridled bravery "echoing for eternity". - PSA/DNA Encapsulated & JSA/Spence LOAs

MIN BID $1,500
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