Who Was John Heisman and What’s the Origin of His Trophy?

Before anyone claims the prestigious award, let’s explore the story of John Heisman and the legendary trophy that bears his name.

Who Was John Heisman, Really?

John Heisman is now predominantly remembered for the iconic trophy, but he was also a player, coach, and a groundbreaking figure in football’s early years. After playing for Brown and Penn from 1887 to 1891, he went on to coach at various institutions, including Oberlin, Buchtel, Auburn, Clemson, Penn, Washington & Jefferson, Rice, and most famously, Georgia Tech.

What Football Innovations Is Heisman Known For?

Heisman’s contributions were far from trivial—he revolutionized the game. Centers used to roll the ball back to the quarterback, but while coaching at Buchtel (now the University of Akron), Heisman had a 6’4” QB, Harry Clark. Due to Clark’s height, picking the ball off the ground was inefficient, so Heisman created the center snap to make it easier for Clark to handle the ball. Heisman also pioneered the use of pulling guards in running plays and was behind the famous hidden-ball trick.

Did Heisman Have Any Other Interesting Moments?

Absolutely. Heisman was always looking for ways to gain an advantage, even if they seemed outlandish. While coaching Clemson in 1902, his team traveled to Atlanta for a game against Georgia Tech. Known for his strict discipline, Heisman’s squad went straight into celebration mode upon arrival, ignoring the game entirely.

When Georgia Tech players and fans caught wind of Clemson’s pre-game revelry, they assumed victory was guaranteed. However, when the game began, Clemson came out with relentless intensity and triumphed in a commanding 44-5 victory.

How did Clemson manage to dominate Tech, especially considering how badly they should have been affected by their hangovers? The 'team' seen celebrating the night before wasn't truly the elite Clemson squad. In reality, Heisman had dispatched his junior players to Atlanta the night prior to serve as a distraction, while quietly slipping in his varsity team on a morning train just before the game began.

What kind of coach was Heisman?

During the summers, Heisman worked as an actor in local community theater, often receiving harsh reviews, and was known for his direct yet oddly pompous speaking style. A tale shared on Georgia Tech's website recalls one of his speeches on the first day of practice when he explained a football: 'What is this? It is a prolate spheroid, an elongated sphere—in which the outer leather casing is drawn tightly over a somewhat smaller rubber tubing. Better to have died as a small boy than to fumble this football.'

How did Heisman's name come to be associated with the trophy?

After stepping down from his head coaching position at Rice in 1927, Heisman took on the role of athletic director at New York’s Downtown Athletic Club. In 1935, the club introduced the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy, awarded to the top college football player in the nation. The first trophy went to Chicago's Jay Berwanger. Heisman passed away from pneumonia the following fall, just before the second award was to be presented, and the club decided to rename the trophy in his honor as the Heisman Memorial Trophy.

Did Heisman ever truly execute that iconic stiff-arm maneuver?

Possibly, though Heisman didn't often have the ball in his hands. Despite being relatively small, standing at just 5’8” and weighing 158 pounds, he played as a lineman for the entirety of his college football career.

The iconic 'Heisman pose' is actually inspired by Ed Smith, a former NYU running back who served as the model for the trophy's sculptor in 1934. Interestingly, Smith was unaware for many years that he had modeled for the legendary trophy. His sculptor friend, Frank Eliscu, simply needed a football player to pose for a project, and Smith volunteered.

Smith didn't realize he had a place in football history until 48 years later. In 1982, a documentary filmmaker contacted Smith to interview him about the Heisman. At first, Smith was puzzled by the inquiry, but eventually, he recalled his modeling experience. In 1985, the Downtown Athletic Club awarded Smith with his own replica of the Heisman, and in 1986, he received recognition during the televised ceremony. Looking at the four finalists—Vinny Testaverde won that year—Smith joked, 'Whoever wins the award, I feel sorry for you, because you're going to be looking at my ugly face for a long time.'

How much is a Heisman Trophy worth on the open market?

Quite a lot. Many Heisman winners have sold their trophies over the years, and these prized awards can bring in substantial sums. O.J. Simpson sold his for $230,000, and several others have fetched six-figure amounts. The highest price ever paid for a Heisman trophy was for Minnesota's Bruce Smith’s 1941 award, which went for a whopping $395,240.

How did Steve Spurrier alter the Heisman process?

SEC fans might be shocked by this, but Steve Spurrier did something remarkably generous when he won the Heisman in 1966. Instead of keeping the trophy for himself, he gave it to the University of Florida to display for the enjoyment of the student body. The university's student government was so impressed by Spurrier's selflessness that they decided to fund a replica for him so he could have a trophy of his own. Since then, both the university and the player have received their own copies of the prestigious award.

So, Heisman must have been the greatest sportsman in the world, right?

Not exactly. Heisman was on the winning side of what is arguably the most one-sided score in sports history. In 1916, tiny Cumberland College had canceled its football program and disbanded its team, but they had already signed a contract to travel to Atlanta to play Heisman's Georgia Tech squad. If they failed to show up, Cumberland would have to pay a $3000 penalty, which was a hefty sum back then.

Rather than forfeit the money, Cumberland managed to assemble a team of 16 players and made the trip to take their inevitable beating from Heisman's team. The reasons behind the ruthless score are still debated—some say it was to settle a previous baseball loss to Cumberland, while others argue Heisman wanted to make a statement about the absurdity of using total points scored to determine the national champion. Regardless, Heisman showed no mercy, and Georgia Tech led 63-0 by the end of the first quarter, continuing to pile on points until the final score of 222-0. The stats from that game are outrageous, but the funniest is Georgia Tech rushing for 1620 yards while Cumberland managed to rack up a negative 96 yards on 27 carries.

This article originally appeared in 2010.