Today's Tidbit... The Original Fighting Irish

College football has many Wildcats, Tigers, and Bulldogs in its menagerie, so those nicknames are not uniquely tied to specific teams. However, a mention of the Horned Frogs, Ducks, or Badgers leaves everyone clear about who is who. Leaving the animal kingdom behind and focusing on nicknames based on humans, only one school comes to mind when hearing Midshipmen or Deacon Deacons. Still, based on their long-term success and unique nickname, Notre Dame's "Fighting Irish" may be college football's most iconic nickname.

I thought about this issue when I acquired the RPPC shown below, which does not show a team based in South Bend, but likely one based at the Lexington Avenue Armory on Manhattan's East Side.

c. 1905 69th New York Infantry Regiment Football Team (RPPC, Personal collection)