Football coach (1869–1936) who helped legalize the forward pass, reputedly invented the scoreboard, and once led Georgia Tech on a 32-game undefeated streak. The prestigious Heisman trophy was named for him in 1936. TLS signed “J. W. Heisman,” one page, 7 x 10, Downtown Athletic Club letterhead, May 12, 1936. Letter to an admirer answering several football questions. In part: “Hinkey was the best end to get through interference of any man of his day and was also as fine and hard a tackler as football has known. Shevlin was a much larger and more powerful man than Hinkey and depended, of course, more on his strength than did Hinkey. Most old time experts would chose Hinkey over Shevlin. Brown was probably not a better guard than Glass if we take Glass’ game the year he made All-America. But Brown was one of the four men to make A-A four years, for which his whole playing is, naturally, superior to that of Glass. It is doubtful whether Booth was a more valuable player…He was so small that his work stood out more brilliantly. Of course he was brilliant as an open field runner and in that respect was perhaps superior to Chadwick. But it must not be over looked that Booth was also a fine kicker and passer, in which respects he probably made up in value to his team what he lacked in other ways. George Owen not a half back but a full back. In that position he made the All-America, from which we may safely say that he was quite as good a full back as any other of his day. I enclose you an All-Heisman team, as you request.” Trimmed edges, moderate toning, ink notations to text by the recipient identifying players and colleges, missing top right corner tip, and small mounting remnant to top left, otherwise very good condition. Accompanied by the enclosure he refers to in the letter, a 4.25 x 5.5 memo sheet with a roster written in pencil.
The enclosed "All-Heisman" list is a starting roster of the best football players he ever coached. Included are five who played under him on the 1916 Georgia Tech team—Phillips, Carpenter, Fincher, Hill, and Strupper—which made history when it shut out Cumberland College 222-0, the highest score ever recorded. It is an extraordinary cast of characters—Strupper was a deaf halfback who scored eight touchdowns against Cumberland, and Fincher a one-eyed lineman who removed his porcelain eye before each game. They went on to win the national championship in 1917. The tremendous success of Heisman's Georgia Tech squad is a testament to his inventiveness and coaching ability.
After retiring from coaching, Heisman became the athletic director of the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC) and established the DAC Trophy, to be awarded to the most outstanding college football player each year. However, the 'DAC Trophy' was only awarded once—Heisman died in 1936, and the trophy was renamed in his honor. Just as the Heisman Trophy is one of the most sought after awards in sports, Heisman's autograph represents a pinnacle of collecting—exceedingly rare, this is the first we have offered since 1999. Pre-certified Steve Grad/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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