Here is another "Ziggie story" from Notre Dame's "comic laureate" of the late 40's, Ziggie Czarobski.

One time Frank Leahy found Ziggie taking a shower before practice. "Zygmont Czarobski, what in the world are you doing?"  he asked.

"Coach, it just gets too crowded afterword, " Ziggie said.

This one is from Weaver and Bonifer's "Out of Bounds."

Notre Dame and Southern Cal have been settling some sort of grudge since pigs were used for footballs. And never were the Irish in a more vengeful mood than when USC came to town in 1965. The year before, Notre Dame's national championship dreams had gone up in a puff of Los Angeles smog when the Trojans stole the game in the final seconds. Irish fans rushed to their calendars to mark the ten months, twenty-five days, and eighteen hours until the teams met again.

The day of the 1965 meeting was misty, wind- swept and altogether grey. Southern Cal Coach John McKay had seen that kind of South Bend weather before. But he had never weathered a crowd like that one. "Remember" and "Revenge!" buttons dotted the stadium like a mad mosaic. Even before the game began, the crowd was on its feet, howling. Noise cascaded from all sides, making the field the eye of a hurricane of sound.

The roar peaked as Ken Ivan kicked off for the Irish. USC's Mike Hunter waited to receive the kick. He caught the ball - then fell flat on his face. John McKay looked on in consternation. "My God," he shouted, eyeing the frenzied partisans in the stands, "they've shot him!" When you're a Hatfield you come to expect anything from the McCoys.

Eric Penick, recounting his mental state for the 1973 victory over Southern Cal: "I was psyched up when I went on the field and I'm still psyched. I'll probably be psyched till the day I die."

WALTER WINCHELL

"Football is a blessed event."

AL CAPONE

"I have many football players in my organization. They aren't so smart but they are husky."

To read previous versions of Shenanigans click below:

September 1998