Webernie threw him the keys to the edsel, handed him $5 and told him to take sylvia to a club where another orange player would be tending bar. Webdiscrimination was prevalent in the american south and during davis' cotton bowl visit to host city dallas, texas. Author jocelyn selim writes that at the banquet following the. Webernie overcame tremendous adversity at a time when the united states was in the midst of the civil rights movement. In 1962, ernie was the first overall nfl draft pick, chosen by. Best of the best, more humble than the rest. It was supposed to be something of a celebration. Helen gott was just a month from graduation. ‘ the express,’ the story of the first african american heisman trophy winner, ernie davis,’’ has a. Webernie davis became the first african american to win the heisman trophy before his life was tragically cut short by leukemia at the age of 23. Webernie davis, wearing 44, against boston university, 1959: At the same time he was accomplishing these exploits on the field, he was quietly helping some friends. Webernie davis, the “elmira express” who was the first black player to win the heisman trophy in 1961, came from humble beginnings, but persevered into. Webhow davis would have played off jim brown in that cleveland backfield is only to be imagined. Ernie was an elusive jim brown, says former cleveland lineman.
