Free Republic

John W. Heisman, for whom the most famous trophy in American sports is named, never wanted his name associated with the award. Heisman was one of the most accomplished college football coaches of the early 20th century and he abhorred the notion of an individual award in what he considered the ultimate team game. "Is it not meant to exemplify the grandeur of a thousand men?" Heisman told members of the Downtown Athletic Club when they approached him about the award in early 1935. It was a rhetorical question, but Heisman, who spent summers as a Shakespearean actor, knew how...

<p>"They say I've shown courage on the football field, but for me it's only on the field, and only in the fall. Joey lives with pain all the time. His courage is 'round the clock."</p> <p>With those simple words, and a few more from the heart, John Cappelletti became revered not only for winning the Heisman Trophy, but also for embodying the essence of it. Always, there has been a durable quality to the rugged 25-pound bronze sculpture, but it was the message that Cappelletti delivered that December evening 30 years ago that proved to be indestructible.</p>