Baker gives credit to the KKK for the rise of Notre Dame football in American society

Baker gives credit to the KKK for the rise of Notre Dame football in American society.

1. Recount his argument and justification for this claim.
2. Do you think this standing is still warranted by Notre Dame? Why or why not?

A3.      Baker asserts that the Ku Klux Klan were responsible for bringing rise to the Ntre Dame Football team in the early 20^th Century. When the argument made by baker is recounted and examined, it states that when the Ku Kluc Klan started targeting Notre Dame Football as a direct threat to Protestantism in America since the football team’s institute was catholic in nature, the Ku Klux Klan inadvertently made the Notre Dame Football club highly popular in America. The Ku Klux Klan was known to reveal information against catholic bodies since its rebirth in American society during the year of 1915. The new Ku Kluc Klan was more adamant than just targeting African Americans. It was targeting Jews as well as Catholic believers and followers in America. This is why it had targeted Notre Dame Football in the 1920s. Since the new KKK was believed to have over 5 million followers, and since the new KKK was also more widespread unlike the KKK from the 1870s, the documentations and information that the KKK’s newspapers would release would be distributed throughout America. This is what Baker used to justify his claims.

Baker asserted that in their preparation to defame or raise hatred against Notre Dame Football, The Ku Klux Klan would publish information and other stories against the club throughout their newspapers. In this manner, the KKK would inadvertently allow information and news about the Notre Dame Football to make it to places in America where the club was not previously known or accounted for. However, The KKK would also get into direct clashes with the students of Notre Dame University, especially when a Klavern was held in South Bend, where the Notre Dame University is established. The further use of politicians by the KKK, such as Indiana Governors to establish anti catholic bills in the legislature, would also highlight the rivalry between catholic Notre Dame University and Protestant Ku Klux Klan. This influx of religious rivalry and involvement of religion in sports is what Baker said allowed Notre Dame Football to gain rise in fame and popularity across the United States.

I don’t believe that this stand is still warranted by Notre Dame Football. In my opinion, the Ntre Dame Football team was highly appreciated long before its rivalry with the KKK began. In the late 19^th century, the Notre Dame University’s team may not have been as popular as it became in the early 1920s. However, this had nothing to do with the Ku Klux Klan, but it had all to do with the university’s Notre Dame Football team playing outstandingly. The team had a stretch of 5 undefeated seasons without a single tie and they had also gained three national league cups in the 1920s. Along with such achievements, the Notre dame Football team had also played and defeated leading football teams from protestant institutes such as Army, Yale, and Harvard University. In light of such facts, it became more than clear that the Notre Dame Football team had been popular long before they came into contact and clashes with the Ku Klux Klan. In fact, if the Ku Klux Klan had not become involved with the Notre Dame Football, the latter would still reach levels of popularity and fame and would gradually rise to their present value since they were already winning their focused games and their religion was still known before it became targeted by another religion.