John Heisman-Example of influence
December 8th, 2006
The 72nd Heisman Trophy will be awarded this Saturday. Who in the world is Heisman? He is the coach behind the trophy given annually to the top college football player in America. John Heisman was born two weeks before the first American football game was played between Princeton and Rutgers in 1869. He is often called a pioneer coach and the man who acted as the game’s soul and conscience. Heisman was an innovator and left his mark on many of the things we see in football today including the center snap, quarter breaks and the forward pass. While he is best known for his years at Georgia Tech, he also had several coaching stops including five years at Auburn.
After 36 years of coaching John Heisman retired in 1927 with a 190-70-16 record. He retired to New York where he was recruited to be the athletic director of the newly-opened Downtown Athletic Club. Five years later the club came up with the idea of an annual award recognizing the best college football player in the land. They wanted to name the trophy for Heisman, but he would not allow it. He did not like the idea of an award singling out just one player in a team sport. In 1935 the trophy was named the Downtown Athletic Club Award. Nevertheless after Heisman’s death in October 1936, the award that year was given his name.
In 1965 USC player Mike Garrett won the award. Garrett asked, “The award is wonderful, but who is Heisman?” It is easy for us to forget those who have gone before us. The New York Times says football would probably have died from disinterest or been abolished because of its fatal brutality without the influence of John Heisman. There are many wives today who wish John had allowed the game to die!
Influence in every area of life is essential. Some people may not remember who you are years after you are dead and gone. But those around you in your realm of influence will never forget. Andy Andrews spoke to us about the butterfly effect a couple of weeks ago. When a butterfly moves its wings a perpetual motion begins which causes movement of air all around the world. Your actions do the same. You may not have a trophy named after you but you are making an impact. So make sure your influence has positive eternal impact.
Pastor Ted Traylor