Ernie Davis was an American football player who excelled as a running back in the 1960s. He was the first Black player to receive the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best college football player. His career was cut short due to a fatal illness, which made him a sports icon and an example of resilience and determination. In this biography, we will explore the life and career of Ernie Davis, his influence on the sport, and his lasting legacy.
What was the illness that affected Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman?
Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, was diagnosed with leukemia , a form of cancer that affects blood cells. Sadly, the disease claimed Davis's life at the age of 23 in 1963. Despite his promising football career, leukemia cut short his dreams and left a legacy of fighting the disease.
Ernie Davis: Biography
Ernest “Ernie” Davis (1939-1963) was a young African-American who, in just two decades, made a difference in American sports. Originally from Pennsylvania, he became a star of American football and, simultaneously, a driving force behind the anti-segregation movement in the United States.
The 44-year-olds who proudly carried their flannel became a symbol, as their performance was framed in a complicated context, as the United States of the 50s knew a complex South, with marked racial conflicts. Ernie made a career out of his good grades and athletic performance; he won trophies and hearts.
During his life, he battled leukemia. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame without ever having played a professional game and became immortalized as the Elmira Express, bringing the city to prominence.
Biography
Pennsylvania is a state in the northern United States. It sits above Washington and adjacent to New Jersey, where New York is located. Its population is 97 percent white.
There, in a small town called New Salem, Ernest "Ernie" Davis was born on December 14, 1939. A few months after his birth, his father died in a car accident. His mother, Avis Marie Davis Fleming, left him to his grandparents, Willy and Elizabeth Davis. He was only 14 months old.
First studies
His grandparents lived in Uniontown, a town in the southern part of the state with fewer than 250 people. There, he began his early education, until his mother and stepfather took him with them. He was already 12 years old.
He had to get used to Elmira, New York, the largest city he'd ever seen, with a population of about 30.000. Ernie excelled in his studies and also excelled in sports. He was tall and had played baseball, football, and basketball since elementary school.
He played in the Elmira minor football league. He received two All-America honors, a national distinction among the nation's top players. This was in 1952 and 1953.
He then entered Elmira Free Academy. His soccer skills were immediately recognized: he excelled as a running back, a position he held for the rest of his life.
Context
Since the mid-19th century, so-called Jim Crow laws promoted racism and segregation in the United States. Artistic expressions, entertainment, and sports were areas where prejudice was highly prevalent.
During the 50s and 60s, the United States experienced great economic prosperity, but racial separation also became more pronounced. Racial movements led by figures like Martin Luther King Jr. brought the issue to the public.
University time
When Ernie finished high school, she began considering college. Her grades were excellent, and her athletic performance earned her awards and recognition. Even so, many universities closed their doors.
Finally, Syracuse University, just north of Elmira, accepted. As a sophomore, he led the team to a national championship. That was in 1959, and the story concluded with a triumph over the University of Texas Longhorns.
The following year, he went to Cotton Tazon, where he was named the season's most valuable player. A newspaper in his hometown called the Elmira Star Gazette , under the pen of sports journalist Al Mallette, dubbed him the Elmira Express.
Ernie Davis was an unstoppable runner, like a locomotive. In his freshman year, he set a record with 7,8 yards per rush. He was the third-leading rusher in the country, rushing for 100 yards in six of nine games.
1960 marked the Syracuse team's triumph, with a 7-2 record. The following year, in his final year as a Syracuse Orange, he finished with an 8-3 record. He defeated the Miami Hurricanes in the Liberty Bowl.
Awarded in the south
In the North, the boy was admired and much loved, but in the South, the situation was much more complex. During the 1961 Cotton Bowl, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy, the first Black athlete to receive it.
The event was held in Dallas, Texas, in the southern part of the country. The organizing committee made an unusual request: they demanded that, once the award was received, the winner be removed to a segregated dining room, separate from the event. Ernie and two other African-American teammates were removed, despite protests from the rest of the team.
In 1962, when he was just 23 years old, the National Football League (NFL) named him number one on its list of most valuable players. It was the first time an African-American had been selected in that position; they subsequently made him available to all teams in the country.
The Washington Redskins quickly drafted him. However, racist pressure against the team forced them to withdraw.
Hired by Cleveland
This racist view in the early 1960s was intense and manifested itself in the rejection of Davis. That's when the Cleveland Browns added him to their payroll. Ernie signed a three-year contract for $200, plus special clauses. He became the highest-paid rookie in history.
He played a few friendlies, but never made it to his first professional game because he died in 1962.
Death
During a game, while twirling around the stadium to receive applause, Ernie Davis fell to the ground unconscious. He was taken to the hospital and discovered he had acute hemorrhagic leukemia. He died on May 18, 1962.
After his death, the Syracuse University team retired the number 44 from all games in honor of the young man. The following year, U.S. President John F. Kennedy himself described him as an exceptional citizen and a worthy example for young people.
In 1979, he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Even the Telegraph postal agency changed the zip code for Syracuse University, assigning it 12344 in honor of Ernie Davis.
In 2018, the film The Express , directed by Gary Fleder, was released. The film was based on the book about real events called Elmira's Express: The Story of Ernie Davis , written by Robert C. Gallagher.
References
- Blanco, Jordi (2013) Redskins, Operetta Racism. Retrieved from: am14.net
- Lemus Legaspi, Guillermo (2009) Ernie Davis: The Legend of Syracuse. Sports journalism blog. Retrieved from: journalismodeportivoanahuac.blogspot.com
- (S/D) (2016) Ernie Davis, Biography. Retrieved from: biography.com
- Walker, Rhianon (2016). Ernie Davis became the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. Retrieved from: theundefeated.com
- Ruffin II, Herbert G. Davis, Ernie (1940-1963) Retrieved from: blackpast.com