The first authorized and definitive biography of the man behind the most famous individual award in sports, including never-before-published photos and correspondence. No other football trophy captures the country’s imagination like the Heisman does. Each September, as the college football season begins, every player has the same singular aspiration—to hold aloft the Heisman Trophy in New York come December. Yet very little is known about John W. Heisman, the man the Downtown Athletic Club of New York honored in 1936 when it named its national player of the year award for him. In this richly illustrated official biography, the legendary coach’s great-nephew joins with New York Times bestselling author Mark Schlabach to reveal the real story behind the iconic image. Drawing on thousands of pages of personal documents, writings, playbooks, and correspondence with some of college football’s most famous coaches, the authors chronicle Heisman’s life from a young boy growing up on the oil fields of northwest Pennsylvania to one of football’s most innovative and successful coaches. For football fans, this is a fascinating and insightful look at the man linked forever with one of sport’s most enduring symbols.

Teaches amateur chess players how to improve their chess skills so they can become better players.

A biography of Jay Berwanger (1914-2002), heralded as one of the greatest football players of the first half of the 20th Century. The modest son of an Iowa blacksmith, Berwanger starred at the University of Chicago (1933-35), then a member of the Big Ten Conference. He earned All-American honors in 1934 and 1935, including the captaincy of a 1934 All-American Team. In 1935, he received the first Heisman Trophy. Berwanger was the first player selected in the first-ever draft of the National Football League. However, he passed up the NFL and took a job in Chicago, where he eventually became a business owner and millionaire. His post-athletic years included stints as a sportswriter, coach, referee, and military pilot trainer. As the significance of the Heisman Trophy increased over time, so did Berwanger's standing as the first Heisman recipient.

Describes the life and accomplishments of the historic college football coach, from his youth in Pennsylvania to his rise to one of football's most innovative coaches, and provides insight into the creation of the Heisman Trophy award.

"In order that there will be no misunderstanding regarding the eligibility of a candidate, the recipient of the award must be a bona fide student of an accredited university. The recipient must be in compliance with the bylaws defining an NCAA student." -- From the ballot for the Heisman Trophy December 10, 2005: Amid a roaring ovation and media crush, with his family standing proudly by his side, Reginald Alfred Bush is named the year's Heisman Trophy winner. With his honest demeanor, effervescent smile and, of course, stunning talent displayed on the fields of the University of Southern California, Reggie Bush is, on that celebratory night, the portrait of a great American sportsman, and the pinnacle of everything the NCAA espouses in its athletes. What America didn't know about the acclaimed college star was that, in direct violation of NCAA policies, Bush and his family had allegedly taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gifts long before he ever laid his hands on the Heisman. The rumors first surfaced one week before the 2006 NFL draft: allegations of improper benefits that transformed Bush's final year at USC into a financial windfall. The resulting scandal from such charges could mark one of the darkest chapters in college football history. Now, drawn together for the first time in Tarnished Heisman, the facts are laid bare. Don Yaeger, a former Sports Illustrated investigative reporter who documented the Duke University lacrosse case in the shattering New York Times bestseller It's Not About the Truth, reveals the heated controversy behind Bush's high-flying rise before turning pro for the New Orleans Saints, going back to his first taste of fame, when Bush landed in the pages of Sports Illustrated and all eyes were watching to see what was next for the USC sophomore. What few eyes saw, however, were the ties between Bush and two San Diego men, cofounders of a fledgling sports agency, who claim to have paid Bush and his family in cash and gifts to ensure his endorsement -- benefits including a vintage car, lavish trips, and an upscale home where Bush's family lived rent-free. Don Yaeger exposes the NCAA-prohibited activity in which Bush allegedly engaged, and also shows how USC and its coaching staff appeared to have turned a blind eye to the increasingly luxurious lifestyle of their star athlete and his family. With the explosive information revealed in Tarnished Heisman, Bush stands to be ruled ineligible -- a decision that could cost his alma mater the 2004 national championship title, force the forfeit of every game Bush played in after losing his eligibility, and potentially strip Reggie Bush of the shining prize of his college career: the Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman Trophy covers the full history of the Heisman Trophy, from its first winner, Jay Berwanger, to Notre Dame’s dominating run, and everything in between, up through the 2015 selection of Derrick Henry. It details the rise of the Heisman Hype, Archie Griffin's continued place as its only two-time winner, and much more. The book features coverage of nearly every recipient, including: • Paul Hornung • Roger Staubach • Steve Spurrier • Marcus Allen • Jim Plunkett • Herschel Walker • Doug Flutie • Tim Tebow • Cam Newton • Johnny Manziel Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.