A two-time All-American and 2022 Notre Dame Ring of Honor inductee
With the recent passing of John Shumate, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on his legacy and share a few stories about the impact he had both on and off the court. A dominant force for Notre Dame basketball, Shumate’s leadership, resilience, and talent left a lasting mark on the program. From overcoming health setbacks to leading the Irish with skill and determination, he embodied what it meant to be a competitor.
One story that captures his character comes from The Observer, in which “Big Shue” showed his leadership beyond basketball—taking charge of a stranded group of ND students at an airport and making sure they all got meals. Another comes from The New York Times in 1974, when Shumate made the difficult decision to leave Notre Dame early to help his family, signing with the Phoenix Suns as a first-round draft pick.
Here’s a look back at those moments—stories that remind us why John Shumate will always be remembered as a true Notre Dame great.
The first snippet is from a story in the January 31st, 1974 issue of The Observer:
‘Big Shue’ knows what he wants
by Vic Dorr
Last spring, just after the close of the school year, John Shumate was one of 15 Notre Dame students who were stranded in the lobby of Cleveland’s municipal airport. The group had missed their eastbound connections, and had been Ieft temporarily without a flight or a mid-day meal.
Most of the students were befuddled and annoyed, but Shumate was the exception. The 6-foot-9, 230-pounder from Elizabeth, N.J., ironed out his own schedule difficulties and then proceeded to arrange complimentary lunches for himself and the entire group of ND students. “Shue” knew what he wanted and he had little difficulty getting it.
In like fashion, John Shumate knows what he wants from his basketball career at Notre Dame, and he knows how he wants to go about it.
“I can forsee,” he said, “with the job the coaches are doing now, where next year we could be in contention for the National Championship. That’ll be with good luck, and if everything works out for us. The year after that which will be the 1974-75 season, Shumate’s senior campaign, I think we’ll definitely be one of the teams to knock off for the title.
This year? Well, this year I’d like to see us pull 11 more games out and then get a shot at the NIT in New York. But to do that we’ve got to establish at least a 14 or 15-game win column.”
Despite the ambition in his goals, Shumate does have a bright basketball future ahead of him. He is averaging 19.3 points and 10.1 rebounds a game in his first season of varsity competition, and he is hailed by ND’s basketball guide as being “a vital key in Notre Dame’s return to national prominence.”
But last year, particularly, things did not go so well for Shumate. After pacing the 1970-71 freshman squad in scoring and rebounding, “Shue” was forced by a blood disorder to sit out his sophomore season. and wasn’t able to resume workouts until February of last year. But last fall, when Shumate reported for coach Digger Phelps’ first practice sessions, he was healthy and had an added year of eligibility to show for his inconvenience. The long layoff did have an effect, though.
“My biggest problem,” he admitted, “was my stamina. It wasn’t what it should have been, and a couple of times coach Phelps got on me for it. But I didn’t go all-out because I knew how easily I’d get tired. I didn’t have my smoothness back then, and my timing was off too. But as the season goes on, my confidence and timing are improving.
“Now, when I get the ball, I feel like I can just go ahead with it. I’m able to go all out now, and I can play the physical game I’m used to. I think the extra year has helped me physically more than anything else. I think I’m more physically mature than the average sophomore.”
Shumate, who appreciates a physical game, was involved in just such a contest on Saturday afternoon when the Irish were defeated by UCLA’s powerful Bruins.
“I do prefer the physical game,” said “Shue,” “and certain incidents do happen in a game like that. But it’s up to the authorities in charge to determine exactly what has happened. Basketball is a physical contact sport, and that game was everything I’d expected it to be. It was competitive, physical, and rough.” The game was also Notre Dame’s ninth loss of the season—and third in a row— and it leaves the Irish with a 6-9 mark heading into Thursday’s contest at Villanova.
“Everybody has the same attitude,” Shumate said, after the first practice following the UCLA game, “and coach Phelps was the same coach Phelps—getting on us whenever we did anything wrong. A morale problem? No, I don’t think so. If you’ve got strong individuals, you can survive something like this. Basketball is like anything. If you just give up, you’re not gonna be anything but a bum. You’ve got to strive under any circumstances, and then you’re bound to be successful. If the individual man is what he’s supposed to be, if he’s competitive in everyday life and on the court, too then he’ll bounce back.”
John Shumate takes such talk about competition seriously, and as one of Digger Phelps’ two regular “game captains,” he is in a position to communicate that seriousness to the rest of the ND cagers.
“I look on that as a title,” he said, “as just a label. In my estimation, each individual player is a captain—and must produce his own winning spirit, his own motivating attitude. Coach Phelps hasn’t committed himself to naming a captain. We’re one unit, and he relies on each of the players as being captains. You can’t just designate a leader. Leadership is something that has to come from performance, from attitude.”
And that, very possibly, explains why John Shumate is one of Digger Phelps’ game captains.
The second snippet is from a story in the New York Times, written by Deane McGowen, June 15, 1974
People in Sports
by Deane McGowen
John Shumate, the 6‐foot 9‐inch all‐America center from Notre Dame, signed a multiyear contract yesterday to play for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association. Shumate was the Sun’s first‐round draft choice.
“I like the team, the town and the people, and I’m anxious to get going,” Shumate said from Phoenix. “Signing John Shumate is indicative of our willingness to compete in the market place for first‐class talent,” said Jerry Colangelo, Phoenix general manager.
Shumate had a year of eligibility remaining at Notre Dame. Of his decision to turn pro, Shumate said, “Being able to help my family was my biggest factor in not prolonging my college career.”
John Shumate’s legacy extends far beyond the basketball court. His leadership, resilience, and selflessness defined him as both an athlete and a person. Whether it was ensuring stranded classmates were taken care of or making the difficult choice to leave Notre Dame early to support his family, Shumate always put others before himself. His impact on Notre Dame basketball, as well as the lives he touched along the way, will never be forgotten. As we remember “Big Shue,” we celebrate not only his achievements but also the character and heart that made him a true Notre Dame great.