John Heisman

Johann Wilhelm Heisman

• School University of Pennsylvania, Brown University

• Born October 23, 1869 in Cleveland, OH USA
• Died October 3, 1936 in New York, NY USA

Biographical Information

John Heisman coached college baseball for almost 20 years but is even more noted to the college football world.

Heisman played football in college. He coached the Georgia Tech football team to one national title and created both the center snap and hidden ball trick (football version). In baseball, he coached Buchtel College (1894), Clemson University (1901-1903) and Georgia Tech (1904-1917). He was the college coach for Del Pratt, Erskine Mayer, Tommy McMillan, Ed Lafitte, Cad Coles, Carl Sitton, Bill Calhoun, John McMakin and Scrappy Moore.

College football's top player is given the Heisman Trophy, named after John Heisman. Award winners have included major leaguers Bo Jackson and Vic Janowicz, minor leaguers Chris Weinke, Tim Tebow and Ricky Williams, minor league coach Howard Cassady and MLB draftees Kyler Murray, Jameis Winston and Charlie Ward. In 1954, Heisman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach.

Sources include Georgia Tech bio