“Win one for the Gipper” was a phrase Ronald Reagan used as a political slogan when he successfully ran for President of the United States in 1980.

 Why? And what did it mean? 

“The Gipper” was an All-American football player in the College Football Hall of Fame named George Gipp at the University of Notre Dame under its famous head coach, Knute Rockne. In the days before penicillin, Gipp died of pneumonia three weeks after a big win over Northwestern during his senior year. Rockne immortalized George Gipp with his “Win one for the Gipper” motivational speech.

Ronald Reagan portrayed Notre Dame’s star player George Gipp in the 1940 film KNUTE ROCKNE, ALL AMERICAN.