December in NewYork

By Jimmie McDowell
New York-----Returning to the Great White Way in December is always a treat, attending the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Dinner and the Heisman Trophy Dinner, which I have done since 1962. This time was extra special with this being the 50th Anniversary of the NFFHF Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria and the 75th Heisman Trophy Banquet at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.
In between I attended the Army-Navy Gala in Philadelphia and visited the Princeton, Trenton,and Lawrenceville, New Jersey area where I voted for 30 years before returning to Mississippi.
The Foundation Dinner drew a capacity crowd honoring another outstanding group of players and coaches as well as some top citizens, Scholar-Athletes,and football officials and the like. Phil Knight was the Gold Medal recipient along with his deceased partner and fellow Oregonian Bill Bowerman, who founded Nike.
Mississippian Archie Manning is the current chairman of the National Football Foundation and along with Steve Hatchell, the President and CEO, provide excellent leadership for the organization which I served for 27 years plus three more years as a Consultant.
The NFFHF is the beneficiary of my $100,000 Life Insurance policy in appreciation of being given the opportunity to serve this national organization which I first joined as a member while being the Sports Editor of the Jackson Ms. State Times. I helped launch the Foundation's first Mississippi chapter. When the Times was sold to the rival Clarion-Ledger and closed I was invited to become the Executive Sports Editor-Columnist of the Trenton New Jersey Times, covering the Yankees, Mets, and Phillies in Baseball, the Giants, Eagles, Army,Navy, Penn State and the Ivy League in Football.
I was the Secretary-Treasuries of the Football Writers Association of New York for 25 years and have been a member of the Football Writers Association of America since 1948, I knew all of the Heisman Trophy recipients and enjoy being in their company each year. I am the Heisman's Southern Regional Representative and always enjoy this great dinner.
The South has produced two of the last three Heisman Winners. Alabama's super sophomore Mark Ingram was this year's recipient. He will cross swords with Texas Quarterback Colt McCoy in the national championship game in Pasadena. McCoy was runnerup last year to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford who was hurt early in the season, depriving him of the opportunity of joining Ohio State's Archie Griffin as the only two time Heisman recipient.
Florida's Tim Tebow won the Heisman as a sophomore and the voters obviously waited until the SEC Champiohship game before casting their 2009 ballot. Tim finished fifth this time around.
Dick Kazmaier of Princeton was the senior member in attendance this year. Kaz was a triple threat for Old Nassau. Notre Dame's Johnny Lujack, with Doc Blanchard gone, is niow the oldest living Heisman winner. In the famous 1946 Irish-Army battle Doc, a legendary fighter pilot in Korea and Viet Nam, broke clear and was headed for the end zone when he was tackled by Lujack. Years later, Doc told Lujack he scared the hell out of him. " I did" ? John said. Doc replied: "Yes,I thought I had killed you".
Billy Cannon of LSU was the 50th Heisman Anniversary Honoree. Boston College's Doug Flutie was the Silver Anniversary Honoree. I covered Cannon including his 89 yard run to beat Ole Miss 7-3 and the Sugar Bowl rematch won by Ole Miss 21-0.
I also covered Flutie, the Classic Big little Man.
Ron Dayne of Wisconsin was honored as the 10 year Heisman recipient.
Bill Dockery is Chairman of the Heisman Trust. Rob Whelan is the Director carrying on the fine work of Rudy Riska who looks forward to his 5oth Heisman Dinner in 2010. Johnny Lattner is still the best Heisman Dancer. The Notre Damer usually moons the crowd at the Sunday dinner. General Peter Dawkins represented the Brave Old Army Team. Like Genral Dwight D Eisenhower he would have made a great President of the United States.
John David Crow was back again. While at Southern Miss as Director of Public Relations we were proud of End Coach-Recruiter H. A. Smith asking John David how he would like a new Olds 88 to come to Southern? Johh David said thanks but no thanks Bear Bryant had already promised him a 98 if he came to Texas A & M.
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