A lot of people are familiar with the amazing running back Jim Brown who attended Syracuse University before being drafted by the Cleveland Browns where he shattered NFL rushing records but a lot of people aren't as familiar with the young athlete who filled his shoes at Syracuse by the name of Ernie Davis. Not only did Ernie lead Syracuse to their first national championship over the University of Texas he was also the first African America to win a Heisman.
The Redskins had the first shot at Ernie in the draft but they passed because their GM didn't want a black athlete so Cleveland snagged him up. Could you imagine Jim Brown and Ernie Davis in the same backfield?!
Unfortunately, Ernie never got to play as he became extremely ill in training camp and doctors figured out he had leukemia. He died at the age of 23. From what I've read he was such an outstanding young man. I wrote this so his story would live on; he deserves it.
The Redskins had the first shot at Ernie in the draft but they passed because their GM didn't want a black athlete so Cleveland snagged him up. Could you imagine Jim Brown and Ernie Davis in the same backfield?!
Unfortunately, Ernie never got to play as he became extremely ill in training camp and doctors figured out he had leukemia. He died at the age of 23. From what I've read he was such an outstanding young man. I wrote this so his story would live on; he deserves it.
RSS Feed