World War II vet Lawrence McCauley, 99, must chose between beloved Ohio State or Notre Dame

Some people want to live forever. Lawrence McCauley just wanted at least eight more years, long enough to witness his Ohio State Buckeyes play his beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Horseshoe.

The 99-year-old will get his wish Saturday when the two schools lock horns in a top-five showdown at Ohio Stadium, one day before McCauley turns 100.

“When the game was scheduled (in 2014), Pop wanted to live long enough to see it,” said McCauley’s son, Tom, who eight months ago contacted Ohio State to see if something could be worked out for his father to be honored during the game for his World War II military service. “He wanted to make it to 100 years old, and here we are.”

And there they’ll be, in section 23 AA, row 11, seats 1-4: father and son, Tom’s wife, Heather, and Larry’s niece, Mary Jo Peterson, who flew in from Seattle to attend her first game at the stadium. Feel free to send a well-earned salute McCauley’s way, as the French did in 2020 by honoring him with its Legion of Honour, the nation’s highest order of merit. The veteran also counts five bronze stars, one silver star and the WWII Victory Medal among his awards.

Fighting at Normandy and Battle of the Bulge

The almost-a-centenarian asks that you also say a prayer for Mary Jo as she deals with brain cancer.

Larry does a lot of praying. With the rosary every day and at mass as often as possible. When you live through what he has, including having been ordered to shoot an Army deserter and watching a friend shot between the eyes while exiting a landing craft on D-Day, you count your blessings that it wasn't you taking a bullet. He also was among the first troops to reach and liberate an estimated 21,000 emaciated prisoners at Buchenwald on April 11, 1945.

No wonder the Lancaster native keeps his sports fandom in perspective. He has experienced actual live-and-die situations during the Normandy invasion, in the frozen Hurtgen Forest and at the Battle of the Bulge, where his 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion spent 18 days behind enemy lines.

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Allegiances to Ohio State and Notre Dame

Ohio State vs. Notre Dame? Kids play. But that doesn’t mean McCauley doesn’t enjoy watching those kids play. He loves it, even if his rooting interest will be tested.

Growing up one of seven children in a Catholic family, McCauley automatically felt allegiance to Notre Dame, but close proximity to Columbus also meant cheering for Ohio State.

Which side won out? In the teen years it was Notre Dame, not so much out of religious affinity but because of the fun and camaraderie found during yearly train rides from Columbus to South Bend, Indiana, to watch the Fighting Irish.

“We got on that train full of Notre Dame fans and spent a real good time,” he said.

McCauley was in awe of Knute Rockne and counts George “The Gipper” Gipp as his favorite Notre Dame player.

Friends with Ohio State legends

On the Ohio State side, he was friends with Heisman Trophy winner Hopalong Cassady – the two were trout-fishing buddies – and loved listening on radio as Archie Griffin gained his yards.

Woody Hayes was a friend, too. McCauley chuckled when describing how one of his eight children, Jimmy, shook hands with Hayes while eating a sticky cone at Isaly’s ice cream shop.

“Woody said, ‘Nice to meet you, Jimmy,’ then walked away wiping his hand on his trousers,” McCauley recalled, smiling. “Woody was great. His wife (Anne) was better. She and my wife (Mary Ann, who died in 2003) were very close.”

How did Woody’s no-nonsense persona compare with the take-no-prisoners approach of General George S. Patton, under whom McCauley served.

Answer: “Woody was mild compared to George Jr.”

Returning from Europe, McCauley attended Ohio University on the G.I. Bill, where he met Mary Ann, then soon after graduating in 1949 moved to Upper Arlington and went to work for Ohio National Bank (later Banc Ohio, then National City and now PNC). He also oversaw financials for concessions during Ohio State games, but stopped attending games in the late 1950s.

“With eight kids, I dumped enough on my wife as it is,” he said, adding that he exchanged attending Ohio State games for helping with kids’ bath time every night.

“Two back here, two over there. Drying one, bathing another,” he said.

“All in the same bath water, too,” Tom added, shaking his head.

McCauley likes to tell how in 1955 he loaned John McConnell $650 to start Worthington Industries, and how he turned down Dave Thomas for a loan when the Wendy’s founder was just getting started. Years later, McCauley delivered a fruit basket to a Wendy’s board meeting, only to have Thomas kiddingly exclaim, “Gentlemen, this is the only guy who ever turned me down for a loan.”

“The board applauded me,” McCauley said, laughing.

Cheering for Ohio State or Notre Dame on Saturday night?

Who will McCauley be clapping for Saturday? His son diplomatically instructed him to cheer for the Buckeyes this year, then for the Fighting Irish next season when the teams play in South Bend.

But when Tom left the room briefly during our Tuesday interview, his father leaned in and whispered, “It’s a 50-50 thing. I’ll go Ohio State the first half and Notre Dame the second half.”

“Pop” moved into the Lewis Center home of Tom and Heather in 2017. That gave the couple an even closer look at the man who marches to his own drummer, because marching was drummed into him during the Army, when he had no choice.

He does now. And nobody can take that from him, whether it means rooting for both the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish or refusing to follow doctors' orders.

Tom shared how after taking a nasty spill on a bicycle a few years ago, his father was questioned by the doctor who treated the hematoma on his head.

“The doctor kept asking, ‘Were you wearing a helmet? Were you wearing a helmet?’ ” Tom said. “Finally, Pop looks up at him and says, ‘I wore a helmet for 3½ years (in the Army.) I’m not wearing another one.’ ”

Cheering for helmets is a different story. Just don’t force this fine man to choose between silver and gold ones.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame or Ohio State? World War II veteran has split allegiances