Synopses & Reviews
The first authorized and definitive biography of the man whose life has been memorialized by the eponymous Heisman Trophy, written by his great-nephew.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;To the select fraternity of men who have won the Heisman Trophy since its inception in 1935, the award is so much more than just a football trophy. The Heisman is a national symbol of collegiate football experience and competitiveness. Over time, it has become the single most celebrated individual award in all of American sports.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Although the Heisman Trophy is old, it does not age. If anything, its impact gets stronger every year. No other individual award captures the countryand#8217;s imagination like the Heisman does. From the very first time toe meets leather to kick off a college football season, fans across the country begin debating which players will be the top Heisman Trophy candidates.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;While the Heisman Trophy is the most famous individual award in sports, very little is known about John W. Heisman, the man the Downtown Athletic Club of New York chose to honor in 1936 by naming its national player of the year award for him.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;In andlt;iandgt;Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophyandlt;/iandgt;, John M. Heisman, the legendary coachand#8217;s great-nephew, and andlt;iandgt;New York Times andlt;/iandgt;bestselling author Mark Schlabach offer college football fans across the country the first authorized and definitive biography of the man whose life has been memorialized by the Heisman Trophy.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;After combing through thousands of pages of Heismanand#8217;s personal documents, writings, playbooks, and never-before-published correspondence with some of college footballand#8217;s most famous coaches, the authors have chronicled Heismanand#8217;s life from a young boy growing up on the oil fields of northwest Pennsylvania to eventually becoming one of the sportand#8217;s most innovative and successful coaches.
Review
and#8220;I didnand#8217;t get the chance to know Coach Heisman, but having an opportunity to win the award has allowed me to learn about him. Probably the first thing you learn about is his integrity and the way he conducted his life. I have been impressed with the men who have won this award and hope that I live up to the name Heisman as they do. It has been an honor to be a part of an award that stands for integrity and excellence!and#8221;
Review
and#8220;My greatest honor has been to win the single greatest award in all of amateur sportsand#8212;the Heisman Trophy. This trophy is named for one of the best college football coaches ever to pace the sidelines, John W. Heisman. As I am one of the few Heisman winners to become a coach, I consider it a huge privilege to represent the coaching profession and the Heisman Trophy.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;I am honored to be the recipient of the 1969 Heisman Trophy, which is named after a true coaching legend. John Heisman was dedicated to the game of football and the athletes who played it with passion and integrity. He was a man of excellence, principles, and sportsmanship. This book is a tribute to his enduring legacy.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;In this book we finally find out the history of John Heisman and why the most prestigious trophy in America is named in his honor.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Winning the Heisman Trophy was one of the most memorable events of my life. And to this day the December announcement of the winner captures the attention of the entire nation. Since 1935 the Heisman Trophy has been awarded to the most outstanding college football player in the country. Most people easily identify with the name Heisman because of the award but donand#8217;t know much about the history of the man it was named after. This book tells the story of the incredible life and accomplishments of the man and the coach John W. Heisman.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;When I won the Heisman Trophy in 1959, I didnand#8217;t know anything about John Heisman or the Heisman Trophy. I knew Heisman was involved with the Downtown Athletic Club of New York at one point in his career and had been an accomplished and successful college football coach. If itand#8217;s not the most important trophy in sports, it has become the most recognized trophy over time. When youand#8217;re playing football, youand#8217;re playing for the moment. To be recognized as the most outstanding player of an era was a wonderful experience. Looking back fifty years later, it was a wonderful experience to be recognized for your efforts and your teamand#8217;s efforts. I canand#8217;t wait to learn more about John Heisman.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;To be a member of the most prestigious fraternity in sports is a supreme honor. As a new name is added to the trophy each year, winning the Heisman becomes more important to each past winner. All of us are grateful to John W. Heisman; this book outlines the remarkable history of the man and the trophy that carries his name.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;I was born in the same year as the first award of the Heisman Memorial Trophy. Within that year, our first athletic director, John W. Heisman, passed away. In my position as athletic director at the Downtown Athletic Club, we annually met with and honored our nationand#8217;s best college football players. In 1971, I was fortunate to meet Coach Heismanand#8217;s family, William L. Heisman and his son, John, and became keenly aware of the great manand#8217;s reputation and some of his influential history. I am glad that Coach Heismanand#8217;s life story is now being told and Iand#8217;m glad for the Heisman family that tells it.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Leon never put a monetary value on the Heisman Trophy. He never felt comfortable trying to capitalize on receiving it. To him, that trophy represented the hard work of his teammates and his coaches. He felt there were a dozen guys on his 1949 team who were befitting of the honor. To him, the trophy stood for character,andlt;BRandgt; perseverance, and integrity, and it marked him for the rest of his life. He felt an obligation and a reverence to the tradition of the Heisman. To never disgrace what it stood for. To bring honor to those who came before him and to those who would come after him. He lived his life with that heavy responsibility and he instilled those values in his children and grandchildren.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Like many young boys, I dreamed of winning a Heisman Trophy. But I never once considered the impact it could have on oneand#8217;s life. Now I can almost imagine one of us winning something like the Nobel Peace Prize and still getting introduced as a former Heisman Trophy winner. Itand#8217;s an honor and a title that sticks, and it opens many doors in life. I pray I am a good steward of the platform Iand#8217;ve received from winning this prestigious award. I canand#8217;t wait to learn more about John Heisman, the man behind the trophy.and#8221;
Review
"Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman, draw on numerous media accounts as the basis for Heismanand#8217;s story. The result is a nostalgic look at a bygone era and the evolution of football through the life of one of its early innovators."
Review
and#8220;The Heisman is arguably the most iconic trophy in all of sports, and certainly one of my lifeand#8217;s proudest achievements. As recognizable as the statue is, many do not know the storied history of the man it was named after, Coach John Heisman. This book explores the life of a legend.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;The Heisman Trophy and its winners are forever a part of the history and lure of college football. This book provides readers with an excellent examination of the life of John Heisman, the trophyand#8217;s namesake. After reading andlt;iandgt;Heisman: The Man Behind the Trophy, andlt;/iandgt;you will know a lot more about the history of college football and learn why the Heisman Memorial Trophy is simply the greatest honor in all of American sports.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Winning the Heisman Trophy made me appreciate the importance of coaching and teamwork. You donand#8217;t win Heismans by yourself and you donand#8217;t win national championships by yourself; itand#8217;s always in conjunction with others that you make your greatest accomplishments and teamwork makes your dreams work! John W. Heisman taught us that success in athletics is more about finding a world-class coach and studying him like a scientist. Itand#8217;s not about being brilliant or bright, itand#8217;s about surrounding yourself with the right people. It worked for me.and#8221;
Review
"Journalist Mark Schlabach and John M. Heisman, great nephew of John W. Heisman, draw on numerous media accounts as the basis for Heisman’s story. The result is a nostalgic look at a bygone era and the evolution of football through the life of one of its early innovators." < -="" i="" -=""> - Publisher's Weekly - < -="" -="">
Review
“I didn’t get the chance to know Coach Heisman, but having an opportunity to win the award has allowed me to learn about him. Probably the first thing you learn about is his integrity and the way he conducted his life. I have been impressed with the men who have won this award and hope that I live up to the name Heisman as they do. It has been an honor to be a part of an award that stands for integrity and excellence!” & #8212;Ty Detmer, Brigham Young University Heisman winner, 1990
Review
“My greatest honor has been to win the single greatest award in all of amateur sports—the Heisman Trophy. This trophy is named for one of the best college football coaches ever to pace the sidelines, John W. Heisman. As I am one of the few Heisman winners to become a coach, I consider it a huge privilege to represent the coaching profession and the Heisman Trophy.”
& #8212;Coach Steve Spurrier, University of Florida Heisman winner, 1966
Review
“I am honored to be the recipient of the 1969 Heisman Trophy, which is named after a true coaching legend. John Heisman was dedicated to the game of football and the athletes who played it with passion and integrity. He was a man of excellence, principles, and sportsmanship. This book is a tribute to his enduring legacy.”
& #8212;Steve Owens, University of Oklahoma Heisman winner, 1969
Review
“In this book we finally find out the history of John Heisman and why the most prestigious trophy in America is named in his honor.”
& #8212;Archie Griffin, Ohio State University Heisman winner, 1974 and 1975
Review
“Winning the Heisman Trophy was one of the most memorable events of my life. And to this day the December announcement of the winner captures the attention of the entire nation. Since 1935 the Heisman Trophy has been awarded to the most outstanding college football player in the country. Most people easily identify with the name Heisman because of the award but don’t know much about the history of the man it was named after. This book tells the story of the incredible life and accomplishments of the man and the coach John W. Heisman.”
& #8212;John Cappelletti, Pennsylvani a State University Heisman winner, 1973
Review
“When I won the Heisman Trophy in 1959, I didn’t know anything about John Heisman or the Heisman Trophy. I knew Heisman was involved with the Downtown Athletic Club of New York at one point in his career and had been an accomplished and successful college football coach. If it’s not the most important trophy in sports, it has become the most recognized trophy over time. When you’re playing football, you’re playing for the moment. To be recognized as the most outstanding player of an era was a wonderful experience. Looking back fifty years later, it was a wonderful experience to be recognized for your efforts and your team’s efforts. I can’t wait to learn more about John Heisman.”
& #8212;Billy Cannon, Louisiana State University Heisman winner, 1959
Review
“To be a member of the most prestigious fraternity in sports is a supreme honor. As a new name is added to the trophy each year, winning the Heisman becomes more important to each past winner. All of us are grateful to John W. Heisman; this book outlines the remarkable history of the man and the trophy that carries his name.”
& #8212;Joe Bellino, United States Naval Academy Heisman winner, 1960
Review
“I was born in the same year as the first award of the Heisman Memorial Trophy. Within that year, our first athletic director, John W. Heisman, passed away. In my position as athletic director at the Downtown Athletic Club, we annually met with and honored our nation’s best college football players. In 1971, I was fortunate to meet Coach Heisman’s family, William L. Heisman and his son, John, and became keenly aware of the great man’s reputation and some of his influential history. I am glad that Coach Heisman’s life story is now being told and I’m glad for the Heisman family that tells it.” & #8212;Rudy Risk a, Executive Director Emeritus of the Heisman Memorial Trophy and coauthor of 40 Years at the Home of the Heisman
Review
“Leon never put a monetary value on the Heisman Trophy. He never felt comfortable trying to capitalize on receiving it. To him, that trophy represented the hard work of his teammates and his coaches. He felt there were a dozen guys on his 1949 team who were befitting of the honor. To him, the trophy stood for character,
perseverance, and integrity, and it marked him for the rest of his life. He felt an obligation and a reverence to the tradition of the Heisman. To never disgrace what it stood for. To bring honor to those who came before him and to those who would come after him. He lived his life with that heavy responsibility and he instilled those values in his children and grandchildren.” & #8212;Kevin Hart, on behalf of Leon Hart, University of Notre Dame Heisman winner, 1949
About the Author
John M. Heisman is the founder of Heisman Group, Ltd., which was established to preserve the legacy and memory of John W. Heisman and the development of American football. Heisman is also vice president of sales and marketing for Harper Vance Web Developers. He is a graduate of Ohio State University and has done graduate work at Ashland Theological Seminary. Mark Schlabach is a national college football columnist for ESPN.com and is a regular guest on television programs on the ESPN platform. A former staff writer for the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Washington Post, Schlabach has covered college football for nearly two decades. A 1996 graduate of the University of Georgia, Schlabach and his wife, Heather, live with their three children in Madison, Georgia.