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Countdown to Kickoff: The Legend of #44
8/14/2004 11:05:41 PM | Football
Jim Brown wore 44 from 1954 to 1956 at SU. He was named an All-American in 1956 while leading the Orange to the Cotton Bowl. Among his accomplishments at SU was setting an NCAA single-game record of 43 points against Colgate in a 61-6 Syracuse victory. Brown, who is considered by many to be the greatest running back of all-time, made his mark in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. He led the league in rushing eight out of his nine years and became the league’s all-time leading rusher. Brown is a member of both the College and Pro Halls of Fame.
The next great running back at SU also donned the number 44. Ernie Davis wore the number from 1959 to 1961. He led the Orange to its only National Championship in 1959. In 1961, he became the first African-American and the only SU player to win the Heisman Trophy. Davis was signed by the Cleveland Browns but died of leukemia before he could ever play in an NFL game. Davis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
Floyd Little followed in the footsteps of Brown and Davis as another great running back to wear #44. Little was named an All-American in each of the three seasons he wore the number (1964-66). He broke nearly all of Brown and Davis’ rushing records during his career and he was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, in 1983.
In 1998, Rob Konrad finished his career as the latest player to don the number. The first-ever fullback to wear the number did not disappoint. He helped lead the Orange to three straight BIG EAST titles and was a second-round draft choice of the Miami Dolphins.
The number 44 means so much to Syracuse, that the university zip code was changed from 13210 to 13244 in the early 1990s. In addition, in 1988, when the University changed phone systems, the exchange was changed from 423 to 443.
Syracuse begins the season on Sunday, September 5 at Purdue. The game kicks off at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised nationally on ABC. SU then plays at Buffalo on September 11 at 6:00 p.m. The Orange kicks off the home portion of the schedule on Saturday, September 18 against Cincinnati at 12:00 p.m.. SU will also host Rutgers (Oct. 2 at 12:00 p.m.), Florida State (Oct. 9), Connecticut (Oct. 30) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 6).
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 Internet www.dometix.com
