30 Days of Me-Day 19

Day nineteen: a photo of your favorite thing from school.

If you don't already know this, I am a student at Clemson University (& graduating in May!).  Being a school in the South, we,of course, have a very rich school history.  The photos above are pictures of Howard's Rock, so named for legendary football coach Frank Howard who coached here for 39 years (in the 2nd photo)!  This rock started as just a door stopper in Coach Howard's office after a friend gave it to him & said "Here's a rock from Death Valley, California to Death, Valley, South Carolina."  Ten, one day when Coach Howard was cleaning out his office, he gave the rock to an assistant and told him to throw it over a fence or something but the assistant instead placed in on a pedestal at the top of the Hill that the players run down before each game.  Clemson beat Virginia 40-35 so Coach Howard "seized the moment" and used the rock as a good luck charm.  He told the players "Give me 110% or keep your filthy hands off of my rock." This phrase is repeated at every home game and every player and coach rub the Rock before each game.  Also, the Rock is protected by the ROTC in the 24 hours preceding our in-state rivalry game against the South Carolina Gamecocks (& yes it's that serious because they've tried to steal it once before!).  I have the privilege to rub the Rock and run down the Hill at the end of this semester as a graduating senior!!!


Side note: The inscription on the Rock says: 
"From 
Death Valley, CA
To
Death Valley
Clemson, SC
Presented to
Coach Frank Howard 
And The 
Clemson Football Team 
By 
S.C. Jones '19
September 1966"