Man who gave Notre Dame safety puns for 55 years retiring

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – A retired state police sergeant who has been delivering safe-driving messages in the form of puns at Notre Dame football games for 55 years is retiring.

The university announced the retirement of Tim McCarthy on Wednesday. McCarthy became well-known for his announcements at Notre Dame Stadium at the end of the third quarter. They included quips such as: “You won’t be taken to the cleaners . . . if your driving is spotless.”

McCarthy says he delivered a serious message at the first two games he worked in 1960. But the next season, he began adding quips in hopes of increasing the effectiveness of the messages.

McCarthy also helped direct traffic at Notre Dame games for many years until his retirement from that job in 1979.