Nick Pappas (1997) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Nick Pappas

Induction:
1997
Class:
1937

Perhaps nobody had a longer or more valued association with USC athletics than Nick Pappas, known as "Mr. Trojan." He served as a player, coach and athletic department administrator at Troy for 59 years. A 3-year (1935-37) tailback for coach Howard Jones' Trojans (he led the squad in rushing in 1935), Pappas played professionally with the Hollywood Bears in 1938 and 1939. He returned to Troy to coach the freshmen teams in 1939 and 1940. He scouted for pro teams for 6 seasons and for USC for 2 years, then was a Trojan assistant varsity football coach from 1953 to 1956 under Jess Hill. After that, he built USC's Trojan Club booster group into the most successful organization of its type in the nation. He rose to the position of associate athletic director in charge of athletic development. Although he retired from his fulltime position in 1981, he remained active in the department until 2004, working on the endowment fund through wills and estates. He died on Oct. 23, 2015, at age 99.