View source for Chuck Zapiec

{{Short description|American football player (born 1949)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = 
| image = Chuck Zapiec.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1949|7|1}}
| birth_place = [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| number = 
| position1 = Linebacker
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lb = 216
| high_school = [[La Salle College High School|La Salle College]]<br>([[Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania]])
| college = [[Penn State University|Penn State]]
| NFLDraftedYear = 1972
| NFLDraftedRound = 4
| NFLDraftedPick = 93
| NFLDraftedTeam = [[Dallas Cowboys]]
| playing_years1 = {{NFL Year|1972}}
| playing_team1 = [[Dallas Cowboys]]*
| playing_years2 = {{NFL Year|1972}}
| playing_team2 = [[Miami Dolphins]]*
| playing_years3 = {{CFL Year|1972}}–{{CFL Year|1973}}
| playing_team3 = [[Ottawa Rough Riders]]
| playing_years4 = {{CFL Year|1974}}–{{CFL Year|1978}}
| playing_team4 = [[Montreal Alouettes]]
| career_highlights = 
* 3× [[Grey Cup]] champion ([[61st Grey Cup|1973]], [[62nd Grey Cup|1974]], [[65th Grey Cup|1977]])
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1971 College Football All-America Team|1971]])
* 2× First-team All-East ([[1969 All-East football team|1969]], [[1971 All-East football team|1971]])
| CFLAllStar = {{CFL Year|1977}}, {{CFL Year|1978}}
| CFLEastAllStar = {{CFL Year|1974}}, {{CFL Year|1976}}, {{CFL Year|1977}}, {{CFL Year|1978}}
}}

'''Charles Zapiec''' (born July 1, 1949) is an American former professional [[gridiron football|football]] player who was a [[linebacker]] in the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL) for the [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] and [[Montreal Alouettes]]. He earned his [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] status as a [[linebacker]] in the only year that he played linebacker at "Linebacker U". Prior to his senior year, he also started two seasons as an offensive guard and helped his team to undefeated seasons in 1968 and 1969. He was selected in the fourth round of the [[1972 NFL draft]] by the [[Dallas Cowboys]].

==Early life==
Zapiec started every game at Penn State that he was eligible for and graduated with the best record of any Penn State Player ever, 34 and 1, winning two [[Orange Bowl]]s, defeating [[Kansas]] and [[Missouri]], and one [[Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl]], a win over Texas.

"Big Daddy Z", as he was known by his friends and coach [[Jay Paterno|Paterno]], started as an [[offensive guard]] his [[Sophomore year|sophomore]] and junior years when the Nittany Lions went undefeated in 1968 and 1969. "Big Z" was named to the All-America Blocking Team selected by Wirt Gammon of the [[Chattanooga Times]] in 1969. As an Offensive Guard he earned All-East Honors each Year and was a Honorable Mention All American selection in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2202&dat=19691205&id=Vk5AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tfIFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1605,2452318|title=Penn State Places Two On All-American College Football Team, Dennis Onkotz and Mike Reid: Ohio State Has Three|publisher=Gettysburg Times|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref>

He is best remembered in Penn State annals as the lead blocker that took out Kansas All-American [[John Zook]] at the goal line that allowed [[Bob Campbell (American football player)|Bobby Campbell]] to score a 2-point conversion that lead to a [[Nittany Lion]] 15-14 Orange Bowl Victory with no time on the clock.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Article/Miami-Memories-Orange-Bowl-104278177|title=Miami Memories: Orange Bowl|website=247sports.com|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> This successful try followed an errant pass on the first 2-point attempt when Kansas was penalized for having 12 men on the field. [[George Plimpton]], author of the book and movie ''[[Paper Lion]]'', went on to characterize Zapiec's block on Zook as the most important block in college football, equivalent to [[Jerry Kramer]] taking out [[Jethro Pugh]] at the goal line to allow [[Bart Starr]] to score in the 1967 [[NFL Championship]]. Fourteen years later, NBC voted the Penn State - Kansas finish as the most exciting game in the first 40&nbsp;years of televising college football.

Switching to defense for the 1970 Season, Big Z was moved from guard to [[middle linebacker]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19700914&id=vVIqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vFAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7528,5244772|title=Zapiec Switch Bolsters Lions|publisher=The Pittsburgh Press|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> a position he was destined to play after idolizing his boyhood hero [[Chuck Bednarik]], aka, "Concrete Charlie". Bednarik was the last of the two-way performers in the NFL leading the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] to the 1960 championship over Vince Lombardi's Packers when he played Center and Middle Linebacker for 60&nbsp;minutes.

After only playing one game as a middle linebacker that year against Navy in 1970, he suffered an appendectomy flying out to [[Colorado]] to play the Buffaloes who went on the next day to defeat the Nittany Lions and bring their 31-game winning streak to a halt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19700930&id=L7MiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cbMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3937,8592368|title=Zapiec Lost For Season|publisher=Beaver County Times|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> The next year, he returned to the defensive side of the ball moving to outside linebacker, captaining the team and earning First-team All-American honors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19711125&id=ZwcdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GZwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6541,4598825|title=1971 NEA All-America|publisher=The Tuscaloosa News|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> Additionally, he was awarded the Chevrolet Defensive Player of the Game Award (1971 was the first year that Chevrolet gave the game award) against [[Iowa]] that year when he made 18 solo tackles in a victory over the [[Hawkeyes]] at [[Kinnick Stadium]] - still a one-game record for Penn State Linebackers.

==Professional career==

===Dallas Cowboys===
Zapiec was selected by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the [[1972 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1972 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1972/draft.htm |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> He faced a difficult challenge in making the team, after the Cowboys selected five [[linebacker]]s and had one of the best linebacking corps in [[NFL]] history already in place. He was waived on August 16.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19720817&id=-MkyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xA4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=923,4639473|title=Cowboys Waive Zapiec|publisher=Lakeland Ledger|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref>

===Miami Dolphins===
On August 16, [[1972 NFL season|1972]], he was claimed off waivers by the [[Miami Dolphins]] as a backup to [[middle linebacker]] [[Nick Buoniconti]]. He was released on September 12.

===Ottawa Rough Riders===
In [[1972 CFL season|1972]], he signed to play [[linebacker]] for the [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] in the [[Canadian Football League]]. The next year, he was placed on recall waivers in mid-season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19731109&id=1pcuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=968,2783960|title=Levy Rauch see defence as key |publisher=The Montreal Gazette|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref>

===Montreal Alouettes===
In [[1973 CFL season|1973]], Zapiec was claimed by the [[Montreal Alouettes]] who were coached by [[Marv Levy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19730924&id=jQgiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n2gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3517,3405037|title=In The Realm Of Sport|publisher=Lewiston Evening Journal|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> He was a CFL All-Star two times and was a part of two [[Grey Cup]] victories for the Alouettes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19771123&id=29YyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Bu4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1910,1259175|title=Eight Riders named eastern all-stars|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref> He left the team to sign with the [[Kansas City Chiefs]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19790207&id=45QuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7159,3234548|title=Veteran defenders Zapiec and Perry leaving Alouettes|publisher=The Montreal Gazette|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19790116&id=M5YuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=k6EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2014,6141119|title=Alouettes ready to cut Zapiec?|publisher=The Montreal Gazette|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref>

===Kansas City Chiefs===
On February 28, [[1979 NFL season|1979]], he was signed by the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], reuniting with Levy who was his head coach with the Alouettes. He was cut on August 7.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1338&dat=19790808&id=kwZMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JfkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7270,2373981|title=Scoreboard|publisher=Spokane Daily Chronicle|access-date=February 22, 2023}}</ref>

Zapiec has the distinction of playing for the [[winningest]] coach in college football, [[Joe Paterno]], and the winningest coach in professional football, [[Don Shula]]. He also played for two other [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] coaches, [[Tom Landry]] and Marv Levy.

==Personal life==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}After his football career, he became a [[venture capital]] and [[private equity]] professional. In the mid 1990s he left [[Merrill Lynch]] and formed his own venture capital company, Waterford Capital. Waterford invested in fast growing Internet companies, many of which are still operating today.

He later founded and became chief executive officer of an Internet company, {{proper name|appliedE}}, focused on "knowledge archival and recollection systems and methods", used by professionals to bill their clients for research done over the Internet. He registered five patents, which formed the basis of the company's software product, PartnerOnline.

A medical setback sent him on rest and recovery vacation to [[Hilton Head]] in 1997 where he started investing in real estate. Using his technology background, he was one of the first vacation rental companies to advertise on the Internet and he used that advantage to grow his real estate holdings over the next 10&nbsp;years.

Zapiec owned a vacation rental company, Hilton Head Hideaways. Additionally, he owns two other enterprises, a cleaning services company - A-1 Cleaning Services, and a maintenance company - A-1 Resort Services.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19750410&id=95MuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WqEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1175,2523685 Belles ringing out for Chuck, his gal]

{{Cowboys1972DraftPicks}}
{{61st Grey Cup}}
{{62nd Grey Cup}}
{{65th Grey Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zapiec, Chuck}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American football offensive guards]]
[[Category:American football linebackers]]
[[Category:Canadian football linebackers]]
[[Category:Montreal Alouettes players]]
[[Category:Ottawa Rough Riders players]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football players]]
[[Category:Miami Dolphins players]]
[[Category:Kansas City Chiefs players]]
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Pennsylvania]]