Football star ernie davis. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by charles leavitt from a 1983 book ernie davis. Ernest ernie davis december 14 1939 may 18 1963 was an american football running back and the first african american athlete to win the heisman trophy. Who was ernie davis.
Davis played college football for syracuse university and was the first pick in the 1962 nfl draft photo is dated. The record book shows davis a sophomore had a breakout game in 1959 against the mountaineers rushing for 141 yards. Davis popularly known as ernie was an american football player who was the first african american to win the heisman trophy.
Ernies father passed in an auto accident away before he was born and he spent his early childhood with his maternal grandparents. Davis also called the elmira express born dec. Wearing number 44 davis competed collegiately for syracuse university before being drafted by the washington redskins then almost immediately traded to the cleveland browns in december 1961 when he was issued number 45.
But the game took place in syracuse. The teams did play in morgantown wva. Davis played college football for syracuse university and was the first pick in the 1962 nfl draft.
A three time all american halfback and 1961 heisman trophy winner ernie davis led syracuse university to the national championship as a sophomore and was inducted into the. 14 1939 new salem pa usdied may 18 1963 cleveland ohio american collegiate gridiron football player who was the first african american to win the heisman trophy. Ernie davis byname of ernest r.
Ernest davis was an american football player a halfback who won the heisman trophy in 1961 and was its first african american recipient. This is an authentic photo not a copy or scans. The elmira express authored by robert c.
Ernie davis only real nfl footnote was that as part of a trade between washington and cleveland in 1962 he became the first black player drafted first overall.