July 12, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – What’s the greatest moment in the last century of Notre Dame football?

Was it the Irish upset of Army in 1913? What about the christening of the Four Horsemen in 1924?

Was it four straight years (1946-49) without Notre Dame losing a game? Maybe it was the fabled green-jersey game against USC in ’77 — or the triumph over top-ranked Florida State in 1993.

Notre Dame fans will have the chance to determine the top 20 moments during the 1900s in Notre Dame football history as part of a joint promotion involving the University of Notre Dame, Host Communications and University Netcasting. Meijer, Inc. and Coke will be the title sponsors of the promotion.

Beginning in August Irish fans will have the opportunity to select their top moments from the 1900s as part of a season-long A Century of Greatness program. Fans can vote in three different ways:

• Balloting will take place throughout the month of August on Notre Dame’s official athletic Internet site at www.und.com.
• Ballots will be distributed at Notre Dame Stadium in conjunction with the August 28 season opener against Kansas in the Eddie Robinson Classic.
• Ballots will be available throughout the month of August at in-store displays at select Meijer stores. Balloting at Meijer stores also will include a sweepstakes featuring a trip to the Nov. 6 Notre Dame-Tennessee game in Knoxville, with sweepstakes registration continuing through Oct. 9. Fans will be invited to choose their top 10 moments in the past century of Irish football history (in no particular order) and votes will be tabulated to produce a final top 20 listing.

Results will be announced a few days prior to Notre Dame’s final ’99 home game Nov. 20 against Boston College — a game that marks the final Irish home game in the 1900s.

Here are additional events surrounding Notre Dame’s final football season of the century:

• The special, commemorative game program for the Notre Dame-Boston College game will feature a pull-out 24-page insert that will include feature stories on each of the top 20 moments. Meijer and Coke will sponsor the insert.
• A video will be produced to highlight the top 20 moments. Details on availability will be announced at a later date, with Meijer stores slated to be the outlet for public sales.
• Meijer plans to offer at its stores commemorative trading cards representing some of the great Notre Dame football moments — with the giveaway based on specific Coke product purchases. Details will be announced later this summer.
• The A Century of Greatness program also will include weekly features in the home game programs throughout the year, public-address announcements at home games featuring radio actualities from top moments in the 1900s, as well as vignettes from the great moments on the Bob Davie Show (Host Communication’s weekly highlight show) and Notre Dame Football Review (the two-hour, delayed version of Irish home games).
• Covers of Notre Dame’s 1999 home game programs will feature reproductions of covers and artwork from vintage Irish programs of the past century.