- Joe Cusack
Joseph E. Cusack (
January 13 ,1868 —September 4 ,1930 ) was anAmerican football player, and an officer in theUnited States Army .Cusack was born into a military family of Irish immigrants in
New York City , but as an infant was moved toFort Stockton, Texas and later to Fort Niobrara, Nebraska. In 1885, he enrolled at theUniversity of Notre Dame and participated in their military cadet training program, achieving the rank of Captain in Colonel William Hoynes' Light Guard, Company A.Cusack played as a halfback in the first-ever football game to be played at the university—an 0-8 loss to Michigan on
November 23 ,1887 . The following spring, Cusack would move to thequarterback position and play two additional games against Michigan on consecutive days in April. The first was a 6-26 loss at South Bend's Green Stocking Ball Park in front of 400 spectators; the second was a 4-10 loss at Notre Dame.After becoming a member of the first graduating class out of Sorin Hall in 1889, Cusack enlisted in the Army and eventually achieved the rank of
colonel . He died inSan Antonio, Texas and is buried inFort Sam Houston National Cemetery .References
cite web | url=http://archives.nd.edu/hope/hope17.htm | title=Chapter XVII | work=Notre Dame -- One Hundred Years | author=Arthur J. Hope | accessdate=2008-01-30
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