College Football Ghost Stories: Haunting Legends

From restless spirits of an era gone by to spirits of former players, fans and personnel that just refuse to leave where they called home, mysterious and frightening supernatural encounters are far from a rarity in this sport.

Ghosts at Camp Randall

When thinking of haunted sites pertaining to the American Civil War, many people do not think of the city of Madison, Wis. An unassuming site for this brand of ghostly encounters, when you learn of Camp Randall Stadium’s history before it became home to the Wisconsin Badgers football team, you will understand why apparitions of soldiers are said to haunt the grounds.

Camp Randall was first the site for the Wisconsin State Fair. In 1861, the namesake of the camp and Governor of Wisconsin, Alexander Randall, designated the grounds as a training site for Union soldiers. Over 70,000 Union soldiers were trained at the camp throughout the war; however, this is not the reason the grounds were haunted. In April 1862, around 1,200 Confederate prisoners of war were sent to Camp Randall to be housed. Makeshift barracks and stockades were made for the prisoners to facilitate the prisoner transfer.

The conditions of the camp turned ugly due to the rushed nature of the project, with skimpy rations, incomplete structures and a lack of staff. Many prisoners were sick or injured already, so prisoners died at an exponential rate at the camp due to this. By the end of May, 140 of the 1,200 prisoners were dead and the camp was officially declared unfit to house prisoners of war. The survivors were moved to Camp Douglas in Chicago, and the camp went back to being primarily a Union soldier training ground. The dead were buried in a mass grave at Forest Hill Cemetery marked by a stone now housed at the Wisconsin Veterans’ Museum.

Now, years later, Camp Randall is home to the Wisconsin football program. Yet, some tenants of the grounds have reportedly never left, those tenants being the Confederate soldiers who died during those fateful few months, as well as the ghosts of Native Americans and a mysterious woman dressed in white. It is said that the ghosts mostly come out during chilly game day mornings, when early bird tailgaters have reported seeing them.

Those curious about the supernatural happenings at Camp Randall can take ghost tours of the stadium, where patrons can discover the stories of these Confederate soldiers, happenings at the stadium said to have been catalyzed by the restless spirits and the other mysterious figures that have appeared throughout the years.

Eddie or Nick?

Bill Snyder Family Stadium is the current home of the Kansas State Wildcats. Before they made their home there, though, the Wildcats played at World War I Memorial Stadium right in the heart of campus. This stadium still stands today, with Kansas State club sports programs like rugby and lacrosse calling it home. Many Kansas State alumni are familiar with the haunting happenings at this old stadium. However, what’s debated is who exactly the ghost is.

It is believed that the ghost who haunts the grounds is of a former football player who had died at the old stadium cafeteria after being mortally wounded during a game. “Nick the Ghost,” as he is called, haunts the Purple Masque Theatre, directly adjacent to the stadium. Not much more is known about Nick’s story, with many believing it to be not much more than that. This being said, a white, shadowy figure is said to roam the halls during late-night rehearsals, interrupting students hard at work by knocking over equipment and slamming doors.

There is another story, though, of a former Wildcat athlete who perished during World War I. A story with a bit more meat to it than Nick’s, Edward “Eddie” Wells was an accomplished multisport student-athlete for Kansas State during the early 1910s. Wells enlisted in the United States Army when they entered World War I, being shipped off in early 1918. Unfortunately, Wells never made it home, being killed during the St. Mihiel Offensive on Sept. 12, 1918. The building of World War I Memorial Stadium is said to have enticed Wells to make his way back to campus, with many believing it is actually him that haunts the grounds.

Whichever story you believe, what can’t be denied is that the old stomping grounds of the Kansas State football program has some bizarre history to it. Eddie, Nick or both, the Wildcats have some specter spectators that are worth talking about.

‘The Gipper’

Perhaps the most famous scary story in all of college football, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish continue to add to college football’s history and traditions with their story of “The Gipper.” George Gipp, also known by his nickname “The Gipper,” played for the Irish in multiple positions, including quarterback, running back, punter and others. His versatility earned him Consensus All-American honors in 1920. He also set multiple school records that still stand today, including average yards per rush in a season at 8.1 yards per rush, career average yards per play of total offense at 9.4 yards per play and career average yards per game of total offense at 128.4 yards per game.

However, that 1920 season would end up being Gipp’s last season of football, as he contracted pneumonia after the last game of the season. Gipp succumbed to his illness on Dec. 14, 1920, being just 25-years-old. He inspired Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne to coin the famous “Win One for the Gipper” phrase in 1928, which future president Ronald Reagan would use during his election campaign. Reagan portrayed Gipp in a 1940 biopic.

Gipp never really left, though, that is, if you trust the reports of his ghost being sighted around Notre Dame’s campus. The “Ghost of the Gipper” most notably shows up around Washington Hall, which is where he succumbed to his pneumonia. The ghost is said to flicker lights on and off, play music, roll dice and smoke cigarettes. It is also said that you can hear his footsteps and smell his cigarette smoke, along with feeling a presence around you whenever he is around. Students who know of the apparition don’t fear him; however, it can come as a shock to newcomers and those who do not know of the legend whenever these mysterious things happen.

The Ghosts of College Football Past

It can only be a coincidence that the holiday celebrating the most superstitious aspects of our world and the worlds beyond it falls right at the climax of college football season, arguably the most superstitious sport. The curses, the traditions and the spirit of the game all contribute to the lore of the sport, with these stories of ghostly encounters being no different. Whether you believe or not, these stories add to an already deep-seated lexicon.

So tell me, do you believe in ghosts?