Ziggie Czarobski was an All American tackle for Frank Leahy’s great teams in the late forties. He was also celebrated as the “comic laureate” of Notre Dame for many years.

Some of Ziggie’s stories are legend. When an exasperated Frank Leahy felt that the squad needed to return to basics, he held up a football for all to see and explained, “Gentleman, this is a football.” “Hold it,” Ziggie protested, “Not so fast coach.”

Ray Miller, one of the famous Notre Dame football brothers, (Don Miller was one of the Four Horseman) returned to Notre Dame for a class reunion and served Mass for the first time in many years.

Naturally Ray was out of practice. He spilled the wine and the water on the priest, rand the bell at the wrong times, and carried the book from the Epistle to the Gospel side of the alter like a wingback with St. Vitus’s Dance. He almost tripped himself twice, and three times inadvertently dug a sharp elbow into the celebrant. Despite such distractions, the priest and server both retained admirable poise. In the sacristy afterward the priest tendered thanks and then inquired gracefully:

“By the way, Mr. Miller, are you a Catholic?”