William Shatner donates rare rock to GameCock Football

Dec 16, 2011, 5:30 PM

C&P Los Angeles Times
December 16th, 2011

William Shatner was in Columbia SC as part of a book signing tour to promote his self title Autobiography, William Shatner, Behind the Legend. which hit the shelves last month. Amidst the small crowd of "Trekies" at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, there was another fan waiting patiently in the back as the crowd past to and fro, Steve Spurrier was also in attendance. Most were oblivious to his presence, as today was Shatner's day, and he had a heart felt gift for the "Ole Ball Coach", a prop from his last taping of the hit show Star Trek.

What few people know is that William Shatner and Steve Spurrier have been lifelong friends. Shatner and Spurrier first met in the green room of the Ed Sullivan show in 1969 after Spurrier had been awarded the first Heisman Trophy at the University of Florida, and Shatner was winding down his last season on the hit television drama, Star Trek, which had just wrapped up its last day of filming at Paramount Studios.

A life long friendship endured as both are avid golphers, and Shatner a fan of College football. Although born in Montreal Quebec Candada, Shatner had at one point entertained the idea of rising to prominence in the US as a collegiate football player. Sidelined with a career ending knee injury his Junior year at Vieux de' Fromage Boys Prepatory Academy, Shatner poured his time into Drama, later to appear on Broadway, and eventually the lead in the cult series Star Trek. The rest would be history.

After the crowds had cleared, then two were seen in sharing a warm embrace and Shatner presented Spurrier with his gift. The gift was nothing more than prop Shatner was seen carrying in the last epesiode of Star Trek, so the value to some could be unimaginable. The prop was a rock one of the stage grips had found in the Mojave Desert that year because it resembled something that one would see, "on an alien Planet" It was noted for its unusual shape and rather heavy for one of its size.

It did not Take Steve Spurrier long to flash his patented smile and proclaim that the rock would now be a part of gamecock hisory. "From this point forward", Spurrier boasted, "this rock will sit at the entrance of the tunnel at Willams Brice Stadium, and our players will rub it for good luck." Shatner could not have felt more appreciated as the two were seen leaving the auditorium holding hands and whispering in each others ears softly.

As the two legends moved on in the twilight of their careers, a new college football tradition was born from this life long marriage in friendship.

Below, Shatner holds the rock that would be later given to his friend Steve Spurrier, 32 years later.

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William Shatner donates rare rock to GameCock Football

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