Interhall football is definitely a unique ND thing and was enjoyed by so many of us over the years. The story I will share is a bit different but I am guessing not entirely unique.

In 1971 a group of high school buddies from D.C. who were students at Xavier in Cincinnati “visited” for a football weekend. As many reading this will recall these out of town college friend visits tended to turn into the invasion of the Huns. Of course, we would return the favor when we spent a weekend at their schools – but I digress. These friends who had been football teammates in high school were extremely jealous of interhall football. Their flag games didn’t quite scratch that itch for them. Anyhow, since I was nominally the “Captain” of our team (name of hall to remain secret to protect the innocent), when my buddies begged me to let them stay around and play on Sunday afternoon (when the games were played then), I made an executive decision and figured why not. We had a couple of guys gone for the weekend so equipment and uniforms were available. Two of the Xavier guys played, loved it, and were so excited they returned a couple of weeks later when we made the playoffs. Perhaps it was for the best that we did not advance.

The funny part was that in one of the games, I think the first one, one of these Xavier guys found himself lined up across from another guy from our high school who suddenly recognized his old friend and teammate – who he knew was not a fellow Domer. I heard our opponent say pretty loudly “Pete!?!?” and Pete from XU responded “Hey Dennis”. Fortunately, Dennis was mellow about the whole thing and did not blow the whistle with Interhall Sports (where I also had a part time job). Not sure this is what you were looking for but this is what I’ve got. We still laugh about it when we get together at Pinehurst every summer. Go Irish.

My idea of playing interhall started on my first day in college in 1969. I was playing touch football outside the Rock with some unknow freshmen Pangborners and was booming the punting kickoffs. The Pangborners were going to form a team but need more players. I was from Fisher Hall and we contributed about a dozen players to from the Pangborn-Fisher squad. There was a lot of talent on the team lead by Pete Farbutko as fullback and linebacker. Chuck Voelker (QB) and John Barber (C) were also stalwards and we somehow ended up in the playoffs for the championship. I never played football in high school as I weighed only 120 lbs., so playing in pads was a new experience for me. I did bulk up to about 145 lbs though by beginning of the season. I became the default punter and kicked off but my star never really shined. In fact, it's rather tarnished.

I'll never forget that I was punting in the championship game. It might have been for the chance to play in the stadium and it might have been the conference championship. We played the game on the dirt and rock that is now the football teams practice fields. It seemed like the Super Bowl nonetheless. Toward the end of a 0-0 game I was backed up at about the 10 yard line and punting into the wind. Well I received the ball and looked at the ball to kick it when about three opposing players came crashing up the middle and blocked the kick into the end zone They jumped on the ball for a TD and a championship victory. Ahhh the agony of defeat. Memorable, but I should have bought the lineman blocking for me a pizza or a watch or whatever the NFL punters do to ensure protection.

I spent my sophomore year in Innsbruck so I missed the 1970 season. I returned in 1972 and was the only Fisher Hall member of the team this time around. I recommended we changed the name to Pangborn-Burke. My lobbying fell on deaf ears. Again Chuck Voelker and John Barber led the team. Poor John broke his leg early in the season and had to borrow a golf cart to get to classes.

One thing I'll never forget that season is that football stars All-American Greg Polowski (#1 NFL draft pick) and Ralph Stepaniak (#176 NFL pick) and would regularly show up at our games, often on cold and windy October and November Sunday mornings. I think one of them broke their leg and would show up in a golf cart in 35 degree weather supporting us. Great people.

Their names remind me of the famous Interhall Rockne Hall classic basketball game between Pangborn and Fisher. Walt, Ralph and Pete Farbutko took on a Fisher team consisting of UCLA beaters All American John Shumate and Gary Brokow. It was riveting as there was no love lost between the players. Someone with a fresher memory and I will have to complete the story but I remember sitting on the Rockne floor sidelines watching one of the best competitive basketball games I've ever seen.

Back to interhall football. Pangborn-Burke was not as successful in 1971 as prior years, but new friendships helped keep the season fun. I met Kirk Miller thru Paul Breen, a fellow 1970 Innsbrucker. Paul and I had just bicycled about 800 miles from Innsbruck to Le Harve, France to make our SS France cruise home for fall semester. Paul talked about his roommate Kirk Miller and I finally met him at a Morrissey party. Well Kirk won't remember because... well he just had too much fun at the party. Not an uncommon thing for Morrissey parties in those days. Well the next day I watched Kirk quarterback the Morrissey team to an upset victory over perennial champs, Dillon Hall, a team captained by Jim Cannon.

Now, recently the varsity ND football team had dip in quarterback talent after Joe Theismann left. I am making this proclamation now - Kirk Miller was the best quarterback on the Notre Dame campus - varsity or interhall. He tried out for Ara, but like many others was it seemed like a token event.

At Morrissey he shined for many years and won the championship in '71 or '72. He was a nimble QB often running for positive yardage, evading the Dillon pass rushers. He was great at running the triple option. Paul Breen scored many a touchdown off Kirk's execution of the option. He was a spot on passer as well. I don't know the stats but if you ever get the data, I think you'll find Kirk Miller deserves consideration for Interhall Hall of Fame.

After many of our junior and senior year games the Morrissey and Burke portion of the Pangborn-Burke team would adjourn to the polish bar on US 31 just over the border for Sunday brews and polka. Michigan's bars didn't close on Sundays back then so it was the perfect way to ease the bumps and bruises.

I think I played for off campus one year but injured my knee. I did recruit Hack Incorporated, a Bookstore Basketball Team that included footballer Craig Stark, basketballer Dave Kusmitz, Kirk Miller, Breen-Phillips Interhall QB Mike Manyak and a motley crew from Rockne pickup balling. We finished third out of about 500 teams during my 1975 grad years but that's another story....for another day.