An Athelete Giant- Ernie Davis

An Athelete Giant- Ernie Davis Ernie Davis was once a Syracuse University student. As an Afriacan-Amierican, he is known mainly because of his great achievement in football career in 1950s to 1960s. Ernie contributed a lot not only because he did a outstanding job in his football career life, but also becasuse he made a profound and positive impact on American society. People speak highly of him not only because he was a remarkable football player, but also because he had a great personality such as humility, kindness and braveness which we should learn and imitate. I think these are the reasons why SU(Syracuse University) erected the statue of Ernie Davis. Ernie Davis was born in 1939 in Salen, PA. He was sent to his maternal grandparents when he was 14 months old. Ernie was fond of playing sports with his uncles when he was young. In high school he played basketball at first, and then he played both football and basketball and won many champions. At SU, he led the team won the Cotton Bowl. Besides, he was the first African-American athlete to be awarded the Heisman Trophy and he was requested to be met by President John F. Kennedy. However, Davis never played a game as professional, and unfortunately he died for Leukemia in 1963 in Cleveland when he was 23. Besides his amazing work in football career, Ernie was also speaken highly of due to his good characters such as kindness, braveness, selfless and humility. Ernie’s coach at SU Ben commended him as a “puppy dog”, “friendly, warm and kind”. He said that he would knock you down, yet then he would run back and pick you up. He never knew a kid was so thoughtful and polite like him. Further more, once Ernie’s teammate John Mackey complained that he had no money to take a girl out on a date. Davis just gave him his five dollars and his car keys. The girl Mackey took out that night final became his wife. In addition, Ernie was fairly a brave man. His friend John Wooten remembered that Ernie never complain