Īn early appearance of the term was in an Associated Press story about the upcoming 1941 Orange Bowl, appearing in several newspapers including the DecemDaytona Beach Morning Journal under the headline, 'Orange Bowl: Hoyas Put Faith in “Hail Mary” Pass'). Notre Dame head coach Elmer Layden (who had played in the 1922 Georgia Tech game) afterwards called it a “Hail Mary” play. On November 2, 1935, with 32 seconds left in the so-called ' Game of the Century' between Ohio State and Notre Dame, Irish halfback Bill Shakespeare found receiver Wayne Millner for a 19-yard, game-winning touchdown.

After the game, Kizer exclaimed to Crowley, “Say, that Hail Mary is the best play we’ve got.” Crowley related this story many times in public speeches beginning in the 1930s. This time Stuhldreher ran for a touchdown, which sealed the win for Notre Dame. The ritual was repeated before a third and goal play, again at Tech’s six, in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, another of the Horsemen, threw a quick pass over the middle to Paul Castner for the score. According to Crowley, it was one of the team’s linemen, Noble Kizer (a Presbyterian), who suggested praying before the first touchdown, which occurred on a fourth and goal play at the Tech 6-yard line during the second quarter. The former Notre Dame halfback Jim Crowley often told the story of an October 28, 1922, game between Notre Dame and Georgia Tech in which the Fighting Irish players said Hail Mary prayers together before scoring each of the touchdowns, winning the game 13 to 3. The term became widespread after Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach (a Roman Catholic) said about his game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson in a 1975 playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, 'I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary.' For more than forty years its use was largely confined to Notre Dame and other Catholic universities. Originally meaning any sort of desperation play, a 'Hail Mary' gradually came to denote a long, low-percentage pass. The expression goes back at least to the 1930s, being used publicly in that decade by two former members of Notre Dame's Four Horsemen, Elmer Layden and Jim Crowley. (January 2010)Ī Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary route in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half.

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Hail mary football meaning