Catch 22 Table & Tap welcomes College Football Hall of Famer Rocket Ismail for meet and greet autograph session with the community

It’s not every day that a polished professional athlete comes to the Region to celebrate the sport and give back to the community. On Saturday, September 22, Catch 22 Table & Tap in Merrillville hosted a meet and greet autograph session to spend the afternoon with College Football Hall of Famer Rocket Ismail. The session was a ticketed event, although the restaurant was open to the public for all who wanted to see the fastest player to ever come from the University of Notre Dame.

“It’s such a great experience, because I grew up watching Rocket,” said Jason Evans, owner of Catch 22.  “We’re around the same age, so I played when he played. He’s such a nice guy, and he brings back a lot of memories. It’s fun to see him come back to the community.”

Ismail played for the University of Notre Dame from 1988-1990. Along with being the fastest player from the university with a 4.28 second 40-yard dash time, he holds the school record for a 22.0 yards per reception average. He’s tied for the school record of six career returns for touchdowns and ranks sixth in Notre Dame history with 4,187 career yards. Other achievements that Ismail earned as a member of the Fighting Irish includes being First-Team All-American in 1989, Unanimous All-American in 1990, Sporting News Player of the Year in 1990, and the Walter Camp Award in 1990.

With his generational speed, Ismail was also a track star at the University of Notre Dame. He ran 100 meters in 10.2 seconds, notched a time of 6.07 seconds for the 55 meter sprint, and finished in second place for the 55 meter sprint at the 1991 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships. 

The meet and greet autograph session not only gave the community a chance to interact and take pictures with Ismail, but it was also a chance for many Region natives to support their favorite team. 

The event ran from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. so it could coincide with the same time slot as the Notre Dame football game. While many in attendance came to meet Ismail and support his alma mater, there were plenty of Purdue fans scattered throughout Catch 22 as well.

“For us, sports are everything,” said Evans. “I grew up in the region, so we try to do as much as we can with the community, especially the Merrillville football team. The Merrillville football coaches are actually here today after their big win last night. When we have these players in Northwest Indiana that come out of high school and go on to play at these big schools as pros, it’s fun to watch the development of the players who make it there.”

Catch 22 is a locally owned sports-themed restaurant that prioritizes giving back to the community. Bringing in a talent like Ismail is one way the Catch 22 team is striving to fulfill this goal.

“It helps to build brand awareness and lets people understand what we do here,” said Evans. “Obviously, the better we do, the more we can be a part of the community in other ways besides sports. We also work with the Merrillville police department. We try to work with all the local teams as much as possible.”

Ismail drew an impressive crowd for the meet and greet. There was a healthy mix of Fighting Irish fans who remember the days he repped the shamrock, along with the younger generation who have supported him despite not watching him live.

Events of this magnitude are only possible for Catch 22 because of its partnerships and relationships with the community. The Rocket Ismail autograph session was put on by The Collectors Cave, a one-stop shop for authentic sports memorabilia and sports collectibles. Catch 22 is also excited to announce the kick-off to its partnership with GreatNews.Life, a news outlet that takes a positive approach to spread good news in the Region.

“I’ve known Chris for a very long time, and when he got started, people were telling him it wasn’t gonna work,” said Evans. “It’s really cool to see how far he’s come, and it’s such a neat thing to see that they are actually spreading the good news. We chose this partnership because we want to grow this community, and we want to give back to this community.”

For Ismail, it means everything to come back to a community that has supported him for so long. Northwest Indiana will always have a special place in his heart.

“It feels most excellent, and I love being around all the love,” Ismail said. “I love Northwest Indiana for the gigantic squirrels compared to the East Coast, the people, the genuineness, and the proximity to Notre Dame.”

This event was an all-around success for Catch 22. The community appreciates the effort that the restaurant is making to bring creative ideas to life in its facility. 

Be sure to follow Catch 22 Table & Tap on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on upcoming promotions and events. For more information, please visit catch22nwi.com.