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Everybody knows that the Heisman trophy is associated with football. The history behind this wonderful memorial trophy however, is gradually fading into oblivion with the passing of time. Very few of the young champions of today would be able to speak eloquently on the origin of this trophy or the man who inspired it, John W. Heisman. Born on October 23, 1869, John spent his childhood in Titusville. His love for football started early, when at the age of 17 he joined the football club of Brown University. Two years later, in 1889 he left for Penn where he studied Law. He continued playing football for the next three years in different capacities, which included center, guard, end and tackle. John W. Heisman obtained his law degree in 1892 with great difficulty. A lightning accident had nearly blinded him, and he had to give all his exams orally. His love for football led him to accept the job of coach for Oberlin College in 1892. He led his team to success in all the seven games of that season, and this formidable performance was the first step towards establishing his fame as a coach. While he continued with his coaching career he never stopped developing and researching the game of football, whereby his team was always the ultimate trophy winner. His career took him to Auburn, Washington, Pennsylvania, Rice and Jefferson among others and his fame grew steadily with every passing year, along with the awards and trophies that his teams won. His best and most applauded coaching period was with Georgia Tech in 1904-19, where he led his football team, the Golden Tornado, to a unprecedented 33 straight victories. In 1919, he joined University of Pennsylvania as head coach. He spent a few years between Washington and Texas before retiring from his golden career in 1927, at the age of 62. Heisman continued to be actively involved with football even after his retirement, though in a different capacity. He wrote a number of articles and also persuaded the rule committee to legalize the forward pass, which was done in 1906. In 1935, he launched the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC) and instituted a cup trophy that celebrated not the winning team but the best collegiate football player of the season. Jay Berwanger was the first to receive this accolade. In 1936, Heisman succumbed to pneumonia. The DAC trophy was renamed the Heisman trophy, as a tribute to this legend. Heisman's life is an example of total dedication and single minded commitment to something he loved to do. His life revolved around football and the contributions he brought to it are seen through his passion for the game. Whether he was playing the game, coaching his team for trophies awards and glory or whether he suggested amendments for the rule book, John W. Heisman was always at his best. There can be no better memorial for him than the Heisman trophy. Visit Mike Selvon portal to learn more about the heisman trophy. Your feedback is much appreciated at our medals and trophies blog where a free gift awaits you.
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