was a ND football player and Head Coach...
He has been called the “Founder of Notre Dame Football”. He was one of the people given credit for the creation of Mother’s Day. He was a leader in the South Bend community. He created the Hering House, to help members of the African American community. He was also a fine poet. Here’s an example of his writing:
NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, MARCH 13, 1897. SCHOLASTIC, No. 23.
The Lakes at Notre Dame
FRANK EARLE HERING {Belles Lettres).
When the sun shines in the morning on the lakes at Notre Dame,
And the meadow-land is ringing
With the lark's ecstatic singing
And the elves leave off from dancing and the lake nymphs disappear;
When the pink light tints the water
Tints the deep green of the water,
And the dew-drop on the daffodil is gleaming like a tear;
Then I wander by the lake-side.
In the glory of the sun-tide
When the sun shines in the morning on the lakes at Notre Dame,
When the moon drifts in the evening on the lakes at Notre Dame,
And the chime-peals rush forth streaming
Over waters that are gleaming
With the bands of swift light 'darting from the vestal oriflamme;
When the wavelets rock the marsh-grass
Rock to sleep the spiny marsh-grass
And a halo girds the Virgin watching over Notre Dame,
Then I wander by the lake-side,
Bathing in the mellow moon-tide
When the moon shines in the evening on the lakes at Notre Dame
When the stars blink in the night-time in the lakes at Notre Dame,
Every spar of star-light showing
In the clear deep, glinting, glowing,
As if many a gem were blazing in the bosom of the lake;
When faint music sways the grass-blades
Sways the slender, dew-gemmed grass-blades
With the melodies undreamed of that the elves and fairies make,
Then I wander by the lake-side;
At the coming of the star-tide,
When the stars shine in the night-time on the lakes at Notre Dame.