'Rudy' still gives inspirational after his days at Notre Dame

Except for a few minor details, most of the 1993 movie "Rudy" that portrayed the life story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger was true, the 51-year-old Henderson resident revealed Thursday afternoon.

Even the last sequence -- when thousands of Notre Dame football fans started chanting his name in hopes that he would fulfill his dream of playing in one game.

And especially the scene where he made his first and only tackle in the last game of the 1975 season, against Georgia Tech. The play is immortalized in a black and white photograph that he signs for fans.

"It's like a vivid video," Ruettiger said of his 27 seconds of playing time. "You remember everything about that moment.

"The student body started the chant. They got to know me through an article in the newspaper."

Ruettiger was the guest speaker at the Working In Communications luncheon held at the Las Vegas Conference Suites and Services.

Speaking engagements are just one of the vehicles Ruettiger uses to get his message of hope across to others. Starting Sept. 1, he and Jack London will host a one-hour radio talk show Saturdays from noon to 1 p.m. on KXNT AM 840 called "Rudy and Jack -- Winning in Life."

Ruettiger's tale is one of hope, courage and persistence.

The third child of Daniel and Elizabeth Ruettiger, Ruettiger grew up in the working class town of Joliet, Ill., with six brothers and seven sisters.

Ever since he was a kid he longed to attend Notre Dame and aspired to be a part of the football team, a dream laughed at by his dad and brother Frank. They laughed because Rudy was supposedly not big enough to play football (he stands 5-foot-6), and he didn't have the grades to get into the prestigious Catholic university.

But because a few mentors encouraged him to follow his heart, he ignored his critics, who kept telling Rudy he would be nothing more than a worker in the local power plant like all of his ancestors.

In the movie, the character of "Pete," Ruettiger's best friend, was actually the combination of two of his close friends who had both died, Ruettiger said. When Pete dies in an accident while working at the local steel mill (Ruettiger said they weren't allowed to film at the power plant), that's when Ruetigger decided to take control of his life.

He quit the job at the plant and moved to South Bend, Ind., to study at Holy Cross Community College, with hopes of transferring to Notre Dame one day.

"It was right across the street from Notre Dame," Ruettiger remembers fondly. "That was the magic of it."

And the irony.

It took Ruettiger four semesters before his grades were good enough to transfer to Notre Dame. After he did, he slaved for two years as an unappreciated walk-on for the team he loved.

As a walk-on, Ruettiger was not allowed to dress or stand on the sidelines for any games. Toward the end of the movie, every one of his teammates walks into coach Dan Devine's office, lays down his jersey and tells Devine that he wants Ruettiger to dress in his place.

In actuality, it was only four seniors who volunteered their jerseys in honor of Ruettiger, he said.

"What I did, I thought was so impossible," Ruettiger said. "So impossible when you're third from last in your (high school) graduating class, but it's possible.

"It's possible if you change. I wanted to bring that message to people that you can change at any time once you decide to make that change."

The most rewarding part of the saga for Ruettiger wasn't meeting President Clinton or a number of actors and actresses -- it's the impact he had on his dad and Frank.

"This is how they complimented me," he said. "They quit their jobs and became what they always wanted to become.

"Frank became a police officer. So that's a compliment. My father became the man he wanted to be by allowing dreams and supporting his family's dreams."

Victoria Sun

is a Sun sportswriter. Reach her at [email protected] or 259-4078.

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