SCP Auctions January 2009 Internet Auction

Typed signed letter from legendary coach John W. Heisman on Rice Institute letterhead written to Mr. Dean Hill dated April 11, 1927. After playing football for Brown and Pennsylvania from 1887 thru 1891, Heisman began his College Football Hall of Fame coaching career at Oberlin in 1892. For the next 36 years he would guide his teams to 185 wins, 70 losses and17 ties. 1892, 1894 Oberlin 8-0; 1893-4 Akron 6-2; 1895-99 Auburn 13-3-2; 1900-03 Clemson 19-3-2; 1904-1919 Georgia Tech 102-29-6 including a 32 game undefeated streak; 1920-22 Penn 16-10-2; and 1924-27 Rice 14-18-3. As a coach he was an innovator - pulling guards out to block, using shifts, having the center hike the ball rather than roll it on the ground, etc. He was also a very big backer of legalizing the forward pass. He retired from coaching in 1927 to take over the position of Athletics Director of the Downtown Athletic Club of New York and remained so until his death in 1936. Two months after his death the Club named their award for the best college football player in the country the Heisman Trophy. After answering Hill's request about any reference material he might have for a proposed library of athletic literature, Heisman goes into a long and detailed explanation of his present situation at Rice. Admitting he came to Rice for the money, he doubts that he will finish out the final two years of his contract. After telling how wonderful the school and people are, he then gets into specifics on what he finds wrong with the place. To paraphrase - Limited enrollment, too many girls, impossible climate for playing football, few traditions, few alumni to help create spirit, Texas high shools unable to prepare athletes for the difficult Rice curriculum, isolated school location, too "fast" a league, and more. He ends by saying "the climate is bad on the health of my wife, and I am, confidentially, on the lookout for a change, even before my two more years expire". Great insight into the thoughts of this great coach as he considers moving on. Large 4 1/4" vintage blue ink "Coach Heisman" signature at the bottom rates about a 8/10. Letter in great shape with the only distraction the original lines from the way it way folded. LOA from PSA/DNA.