Gaius Shaver Gaius Ray " Gus " Shaver ( August 14 , 1910 – October 11 , 1998 ) 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 . Biography . Early years . Born in Covina , California , 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 . University of Southern California . Shaver enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1928 and played on coach Howard Jones “ Thundering Herd ” football teams from 1929 to 1931 . 1929 season . As a sophomore in 1929 , Shaver played for the USC team that beat Pitt 47 – 14 in the 1930 Rose Bowl 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 Dame 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 . Olympic Games . When the Summer Olympic Games came to Los Angeles in 1932 , the organizers chose American football 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 . 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 , California , to a ranch north of Fallbrook , California , in San Diego County . Shaver and his wife , Stella , began raising oranges and tangerines on the 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 .