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Countdown to Kickoff: Heisman Trophy Winner Ernie Davis
8/22/2003 7:05:19 AM | Football
Davis holds a special place in college football history. When he beat out Ohio State’s Bill Ferguson for the 1961 Heisman, he became the first African-American player to ever win the award. Davis, who wore the legendary #44, rushed for 2,386 yards in his three-year career. He is still in Syracuse’s top ten for both rushing and all-purpose yards.
After leading the Orangemen to a national championship in 1959 and breaking Jim Brown’s school rushing record, Davis was the first player chosen in the 1962 draft by the Washington Redskins. He was traded to the Cleveland Browns to team up with the player whose footsteps he followed, Jim Brown.
Cleveland’s dream backfield of former Syracuse stars never came to be. Ernie Davis died of leukemia in 1963, but his legacy still lives …
The Leukemia Foundation annually presents the Ernie Davis Award to a football player, past or present, who exemplifies Davis’ qualities – “excellence of character and integrity, and service to mankind.”
Davis’ Heisman Trophy is displayed at the Carrier Dome in the Ernie Davis room. Despite the fact that he never played a down in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns honored Davis by retiring his jersey number “45.”
Syracuse begins the 2003 season on Saturday, September 6 at North Carolina. Game time is 1:30 p.m. The Orangemen will kickoff a seven-game home schedule on September 13 when they host Louisville at 1:30 p.m. SU will then host Central Florida on September 20 at Noon in a game that will be televised by ESPN Regional, followed by a game against Toledo at 6:30 p.m. on September 27.
For ticket information and prices, call the Carrier Dome box office at 1-888-DOMETIX. Tickets are available at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B), by telephone (888-DOMETIX) or on the Internetwww.dometix.com
