This Week in Michigan Football History continues Season 13 this Saturday in the glorious new Bud Light Victors Lounge, as part of the WTKA 1050AM Countdown To Kickoff. Again we’ll double dip, first to 1944 to note the first Michigan night game, then we take a trip to 1994 where a gent named Remy Martin Hamilton left the game in Notre Dame, IN never having to buy a drink again.
Audio:
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Check out all of the This Week… clips here and MVictors History Show on YouTube. Full script:
Tonight we play another game Under the Lights at Michigan stadium, a relatively new phenomenon at home. Did you know Michigan’s tradition of playing at night started on the road in Marquette way back during World War 2. On that day in 1944 Fritz Crisler’s men defeated Hilltoppers 14-0. The game even featured a yellow-painted pigskin to help everyone see the ball at night.
Tonight’s game will have a hard time living up to what happened on this day in Michigan Football History exactly 28 years ago. I’m talking about September 10, 1994 when Coach Gary Moeller and his 6th-ranked Wolverines visited South Bend to face the 3rd-ranked Irish.
The game was billed as Act 2 for Notre Dame’s freshman WONDERBOY – quarterback Ron Powlus. After Powlus tossed four TDs in the season opener against Northwestern, the media hype meter was set to LUDICROUS . ESPN’s crusty analyst Beano Cook couldn’t contain himself, declaring <quote> “Ron Powlus will be the greatest quarterback in Notre Dame history” and predicted TWO HEISMANS for the kid, ahem, just 1 game into his career. NBC’s Cris Collinsworth joined right in, adding, “Move over Joe Montana.”
Sorry Cris and Beano but September 10, 1994 would be remembered, but not for Mr. Powlus. It would be reserved for a Michigan man, namely our kicker named Remy Martin Hamilton.
The 1994 match-up would be settled in the final moments. After driving the Irish down the field, Powlus connected with Derrick Mayes to give Notre Dame a 24-23 lead. With just 46 ticks left, Michigan’s Todd Collins scrambled 15 yards for a first down & then found Jay Riemersma over the middle at the Irish 42. Collins connected on two more passes to Seth Smith to set the stage for Hamilton, who trotted out with just seven seconds to go. From the coast of Lake Michigan to the coast of Lake Erie, it sounded like this:
[AUDIO]
Almost immediately after the ball left his foot, Hamilton rejoiced – certain that the kick was perfect. As the ball sailed through to seal the GLORIOUS 26-24 victory on this day 28 years ago, Remy secured a seat in MEECHIGAN FOOTBALL VALHALLA and fans everywhere uttered ‘TO HELL WITH NOTRE DAME’.
For those wondering, Hamilton’s parents owned a bar in New Jersey, and indeed christened their child “Remy Martin” after the popular cognac. Little did they know Michigan fans would be toasting their child’s name for decades to come.
