Gaius Shaver
Encyclopedia
Gaius Ray "Gus" Shaver was an All-American football
player. He played at the quarterback
and fullback
positions for the University of Southern California
Trojans football teams from 1929–1931. He was a consensus All-American in 1931 and led the Trojans that year to a national championship. Shaver was also captain of the winning team and the leading rusher in American football
at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games.
, Shaver played three seasons at quarterback for the Covina High School football teams. He helped lead the Colts to state football championships in 1925 and 1926 and also held the school pole vault record at 12 in 6 in (3.81 m).
in 1928 and played on coach Howard Jones
“Thundering Herd” football teams from 1929 to 1931.
47–14 in the 1930 Rose Bowl
to finish the season with a record of 10–2.
in 1931, Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in the country and had won 26 consecutive games. Shaver scored two touchdown
s, both in the fourth quarter, to lead USC to a 16–14 come-from-behind win in South Bend, Indiana
. The game was the Trojans’ first win on Notre Dame’s home field. Shaver later recalled that, after the game in South Bend, the USC team visited the grave of Notre Dame's former coach Knute Rockne
(who had died earlier in the year) to pay their respects. When the team returned to Los Angeles, the city conducted a parade from Los Angeles City Hall
to the USC campus in the team's honor. At the time, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "No conquering army of ancient Rome ever received a more tumultuous welcome."
The Trojans advanced the 1932 Rose Bowl
, defeating Tulane
21–12. Shaver led the Trojans in rushing for the 1931 season with 936 yards.
as the "demonstration sport." All-Stars from Eastern universities were matched against All-Stars from the universities of the Pacific Coast. The game was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
in August 1932, and the West team won by a score of 7–6. The game was attended by 60,000 spectators. Shaver was the captain of the West team and the game's leading rusher with 145 yards on 16 attempts. After the game, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "It remained for a spectacle listed on the program as 'American Football' to provide the Tenth Olympiad with its greatest thrill to date. Chances are the game will become an international pastime before the memory of this night game dies away." American football has not been included in any Olympic games since the 1932 games in Los Angeles.
, to a ranch north of Fallbrook, California
, in San Diego County
. Shaver and his wife, Stella, began raising oranges and tangerines on the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) ranch in the 1950s.
Shaver was married to Stella Marie Chrisman. They had two children, Karen Shaver and Gaius John Shaver. In 1998, Shaver died of natural causes at his home in Fallbrook. He was age 88 and had been in failing health since suffering cardiac arrest in 1991.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played at the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
positions for the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Trojans football teams from 1929–1931. He was a consensus All-American in 1931 and led the Trojans that year to a national championship. Shaver was also captain of the winning team and the leading rusher in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games.
Early years
Born in Covina, CaliforniaCovina, California
Covina is a small city in Los Angeles County, California about east of downtown Los Angeles, in the San Gabriel Valley region. The population was 47,796 at the 2010 census, up from 46,837 at the 2000 census...
, Shaver played three seasons at quarterback for the Covina High School football teams. He helped lead the Colts to state football championships in 1925 and 1926 and also held the school pole vault record at 12 in 6 in (3.81 m).
University of Southern California
Shaver enrolled at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in 1928 and played on coach Howard Jones
Howard Jones (football coach)
Howard Harding Jones was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Syracuse University , Yale University , Ohio State University , the University of Iowa , Duke University , and the University of Southern California , compiling a career record of...
“Thundering Herd” football teams from 1929 to 1931.
1929 season
As a sophomore in 1929, Shaver played for the USC team that beat PittPittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
47–14 in the 1930 Rose Bowl
1930 Rose Bowl
The 1930 Rose Bowl was the 16th Rose Bowl game, an American post-season college football game that was played on New Year's Day 1930 in Pasadena, California. It featured the against the USC Trojans...
to finish the season with a record of 10–2.
1931 season
In 1931, he was selected as a consensus All-American, as he led the Trojans to a 10–1 record and a national championship. The 1931 Trojans lost their opening game to St. Mary’s College, but won the remaining ten games. When USC faced Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
in 1931, Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in the country and had won 26 consecutive games. Shaver scored two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, both in the fourth quarter, to lead USC to a 16–14 come-from-behind win in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. The game was the Trojans’ first win on Notre Dame’s home field. Shaver later recalled that, after the game in South Bend, the USC team visited the grave of Notre Dame's former coach Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
(who had died earlier in the year) to pay their respects. When the team returned to Los Angeles, the city conducted a parade from Los Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall, completed 1928, is the center of the government of the city of Los Angeles, California, and houses the mayor's office and the meeting chambers and offices of the Los Angeles City Council...
to the USC campus in the team's honor. At the time, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "No conquering army of ancient Rome ever received a more tumultuous welcome."
The Trojans advanced the 1932 Rose Bowl
1932 Rose Bowl
The 1932 Rose Bowl was the 18th Rose Bowl game, an American post-season college football game that was played on New Year's Day 1932 in Pasadena, California. It featured the against the USC Trojans...
, defeating Tulane
Tulane Green Wave football
The Tulane Green Wave football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents Tulane University in New Orleans. The team is a member of Conference USA and is led by interim head coach Mark Hutson, who took over on October 18, 2011, when fifth-year head coach Bob Toledo resigned...
21–12. Shaver led the Trojans in rushing for the 1931 season with 936 yards.
Olympic Games
When the Summer Olympic Games came to Los Angeles in 1932, the organizers chose American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as the "demonstration sport." All-Stars from Eastern universities were matched against All-Stars from the universities of the Pacific Coast. The game was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
in August 1932, and the West team won by a score of 7–6. The game was attended by 60,000 spectators. Shaver was the captain of the West team and the game's leading rusher with 145 yards on 16 attempts. After the game, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "It remained for a spectacle listed on the program as 'American Football' to provide the Tenth Olympiad with its greatest thrill to date. Chances are the game will become an international pastime before the memory of this night game dies away." American football has not been included in any Olympic games since the 1932 games in Los Angeles.
Later years and family
Shaver returned to USC as an assistant football coach from 1940–1945. He later worked as a salesman of construction equipment. In 1975, Shaver retired and moved from his home in Irvine, CaliforniaIrvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
, to a ranch north of Fallbrook, California
Fallbrook, California
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. The Fallbrook census-designated place population was 30,534 at the 2010 census, up from 29,100 at the 2000 census....
, in San Diego County
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
. Shaver and his wife, Stella, began raising oranges and tangerines on the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) ranch in the 1950s.
Shaver was married to Stella Marie Chrisman. They had two children, Karen Shaver and Gaius John Shaver. In 1998, Shaver died of natural causes at his home in Fallbrook. He was age 88 and had been in failing health since suffering cardiac arrest in 1991.