Welcome back to Peculiar Side of Sports. Every so often something in sports perplexes me, so I do what any normal, sane sports fan does – I search ad nauseam for the answer by any means necessary. The good news is that I take all my hard work and relay the results to you. If you are a fan of sports history, check out the other articles I have written covering virtually all major sports – Peculiar Side of Sports.
In this series, I attempt to highlight the accomplishments of the namesakes for some of sports’ most important trophies, and to determine the series of events leading to the naming of each respective trophy.
Who was Heisman?
Career
The legendary coach, John Heisman, is best known for his career coaching college football, but few credit him for his stint coaching basketball and his even more impressive run as a coach in the college baseball game.
Heisman’s college basketball career lasted three seasons, all spent at Georgia Tech. While he adopted some weak teams and managed an underwhelming 9-14 record, he was much more successful in his baseball and football careers. After a single season at Buchtel College, he had longer stints at Clemson (1899-1904) and his more familiar Georgia Tech (1904-1917). His baseball record was a much stronger 219-119-7.
Of course, Heisman is more synonymous with college football coaching—and for good reason. His 186-70-18 record was spread out over 35 years and eight teams from 1892-1927, including some of the most storied programs in football: Auburn, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Penn, Washington & Jefferson and Rice.
Legacy
To have a trophy named after him must mean he has done something meaningful to the sport, right? John Heisman is truly a pioneer, starting with his second season as a coach, at Buchtel College, through his many seasons in college football. Here are a few of his contributions to the sport we all love:
During his one-year stint at Buchtel College, Heisman made his first real contribution to the sport. Having a very tall quarterback posed a problem. Before Heisman arrived on scene, the ball was exchanged from center to quarterback by rolling it along the ground. With the height of his quarterback, it posed a problem as he had to bend so far down to scoop the ball. Heisman altered this pass-back by having the center toss the ball, which eventually evolved into the current snap.
The Heisman shift, or jump shift as it’s also referred, was developed by Heisman during his time at Georgia Tech. The formation would have an I-formation, with the backfield shifting to one side before the ball was snapped. As Heisman used it, the ball could be directly snapped to one of the other backs directly. Heisman himself explains the play in a 1918 Washington Herald article.
Heisman is also credited with coining “hike” and was a strong proponent in the decision to play four quarters as opposed to the two halves they played before his time.
Because of his long, successful tenure as as college coach, and as a result of his contributions to football, the top player in collegiate football each year is awarded the trophy named after John Heisman— the Heisman Trophy.
Who was John Heisman? He was a player, coach, a pioneer and a legend.
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Main Photo:
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 13: The Heisman Trophy sits on a stand before a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis on December 13, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
