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'Elmira Express' Ernie Davis runs again in movie
VIRGIL, Ill. -- Actor Dennis Quaid says The Express, a film about the life of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, will strike a chord with audiences because the late halfback's story transcends sports.
Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman while starring for Syracuse. He died of leukemia in 1963, never getting a chance to suit up in the NFL.
"When you do any sports movie, it has to be about something more than football," says Quaid, who portrays Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. "It has to be ... universal. It's about things in life that people can relate to. I hope that's what we got."
Quaid stars alongside Rob Brown (Finding Forrester), who portrays Davis. Brown has football experience as a wide receiver for Amherst. Quaid is a veteran of sports flicks such as Breaking Away, Any Given Sunday and The Rookie.
The actors filmed in the Chicago area, including at Northwestern University, and at Syracuse. Northwestern's Ryan Field doubles for many stadiums, including the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where Davis led Syracuse past Texas on Jan. 1, 1960.
Producer John Davis says Ernie Davis' story reminded him of Brian's Song, a movie about the relationship between Chicago Bears running backs Brian Piccolo and future Hall of Famer Gale Sayers. Piccolo died of cancer in 1970 at 26.
By winning the Heisman, Ernie Davis "opened the door" for black football players, John Davis says. "People thought the Heisman Trophy was (unattainable) for a black person. Whatever natural prejudices he faced, Ernie Davis was so great, you couldn't deny it."
'Elmira Express' Ernie Davis runs again in movie
VIRGIL, Ill. -- Actor Dennis Quaid says The Express, a film about the life of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, will strike a chord with audiences because the late halfback's story transcends sports.
Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman while starring for Syracuse. He died of leukemia in 1963, never getting a chance to suit up in the NFL.
"When you do any sports movie, it has to be about something more than football," says Quaid, who portrays Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. "It has to be ... universal. It's about things in life that people can relate to. I hope that's what we got."
Quaid stars alongside Rob Brown (Finding Forrester), who portrays Davis. Brown has football experience as a wide receiver for Amherst. Quaid is a veteran of sports flicks such as Breaking Away, Any Given Sunday and The Rookie.
The actors filmed in the Chicago area, including at Northwestern University, and at Syracuse. Northwestern's Ryan Field doubles for many stadiums, including the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where Davis led Syracuse past Texas on Jan. 1, 1960.
Producer John Davis says Ernie Davis' story reminded him of Brian's Song, a movie about the relationship between Chicago Bears running backs Brian Piccolo and future Hall of Famer Gale Sayers. Piccolo died of cancer in 1970 at 26.
By winning the Heisman, Ernie Davis "opened the door" for black football players, John Davis says. "People thought the Heisman Trophy was (unattainable) for a black person. Whatever natural prejudices he faced, Ernie Davis was so great, you couldn't deny it."
'Elmira Express' Ernie Davis runs again in movie
By Marlen Garcia, USA TODAY
VIRGIL, Ill. - More people should know about Ernie Davis, actor Dennis Quaid says.
"I was unaware of the Ernie Davis story," Quaid says during a break from filming The Express, about the famed Syracuse running back who trampled racial barriers and in 1961 became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy. "There are a lot of people who don't remember."
PHOTO GALLERY: The making of 'The Express'
Davis' legacy lives in the memories of those who watched his thrilling runs and saw him lead Syracuse to its only national championship in football, in 1959.
He was on the verge of making his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns when he was stricken with leukemia. The illness robbed him of the chance to team with former Syracuse star Jim Brown in the backfield and took his life at 23.
Those who knew him say Davis was a consummate gentleman, a trait up-and-coming actor Rob Brown hopes to illustrate as he portrays Davis in the film. Quaid has the role of Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. They have filmed in the Chicago area and at Syracuse.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: John | Syracuse | Cleveland Browns | Heisman | Jim Brown | Ernie Davis
"You get the feeling he always tried to do the right thing," Rob Brown says of Davis.
The movie, based on the 1983 biography Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express by Robert C. Gallagher, is expected to be released in October 2008.
"It's about time for a movie," says Floyd Little, a former Denver Broncos running back who followed Davis at Syracuse and wore the same 44 on his jersey, also made famous by Jim Brown. Syracuse retired it in 2005. "He's so deserving."
For every fan who knows the story, how Davis went from Elmira, N.Y., to become the top college player as a 6-2, 210-pound halfback, there are dozens more casual fans unaware of his place in history.
"I hope for people just to know who made it possible for guys like (former Ohio State quarterback) Troy Smith to win the Heisman," Rob Brown says.
Some say Davis was the Jackie Robinson of college football. Robinson, a Hall of Fame second baseman, broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.
"People know Jackie Robinson," says John Brown, formerly a tackle with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers and Davis' teammate at Syracuse. "But they don't know Ernie. That bothers me."
The film could make Davis identifiable to younger generations. Yet, some close to him worry it won't capture his essence. They say the classy way Davis carried himself exceeded his brawn. He was approachable, whether he gained one yard or 100.
"Ernie was not only a gentleman," John Brown says, "he was a gentle man. I hope they portray him as an articulate gentleman who could run like hell with a football."
That's how people in Elmira remember him, says Roland Coleman, who coached Davis on a traveling basketball team. He recalls Davis leading his team to victories, but then going out of his way to lift the losers' spirits: "He never wanted to brag."
An all-around athlete, Davis was spectacular in football and basketball at Elmira Free Academy, later Ernie Davis Middle School. It is said Schwartzwalder made 30 visits to recruit Davis in Elmira, about 90 miles southwest of Syracuse. The Express deals heavily with the relationship between the coach and Davis.
Schwartzwalder offered his recruiting pitch, but Davis was sold on Syracuse because of Jim Brown, a prolific running back for the Orange who accompanied the coach on a visit with Davis. Some think Jim Brown should have won the Heisman in his heyday but didn't because he was black.
Davis, however, couldn't be denied. He broke many of Brown's records and still holds the Syracuse career record for highest average per carry, at 6.63 yards. Davis gained 2,386 rushing yards, eclipsing Brown's 2,091. In his Heisman-winning season Davis rushed for 823 yards and 12 touchdowns.
A pivotal time came earlier, during Syracuse's undefeated championship run. Davis played in the Cotton Bowl against Texas with an injured hamstring and was named the game's outstanding back. But a fight with racial overtones broke out between the teams during the game and marred the event.
According to the biography, Syracuse skipped the bowl banquet because black players weren't allowed to attend. Davis would be allowed to receive his award but not eat dinner. John Brown disputes the account. He says the team attended but left immediately following dinner for another recognition event.
Sometimes even their teammates discriminated against them, and that memory remains vivid, John Brown says. He recalls before the Cotton Bowl rooming with Davis, black teammate Art Baker, a fullback who later played with Buffalo of the AFL, and a white player who explained he had to seek white roommates. Brown declines to name the player.
Schwartzwalder came under scrutiny in 1970 when nine players boycotted the team about racial issues, but John Brown offers a different view. "He brought us there," Brown says, noting the reluctance of many coaches to recruit black players. "Ben did the most he could do under the circumstances of the times."
Even after Davis won the Heisman and enjoyed a chat with President Kennedy, he found himself frustrated by prejudice. One incident came when Davis and John Brown were driving with Coleman from Pennsylvania to Virginia for a basketball game.
Coleman and Brown remember the restaurant they stopped at wouldn't serve them.
"I remember saying, 'This guy is an All-American,' " Coleman says. " 'He had coffee with President Kennedy, and he can't get a hamburger?' "
Brown says Davis left the restaurant shaken. He had overcome a childhood problem of stuttering, but whenever he was nervous or excited, it returned. The incident left him stammering for words, Brown says.
The civil rights movement wasn't as strong at the time, and players didn't lash out against discrimination, Brown says.
"We were being taken care of," Brown says. "So no matter what transpired, you accepted it."
Davis and the team flourished in spite of prejudices.
"He radiated enthusiasm," Schwartzwalder, who died in 1993, told Sports Illustrated for a 1989 story. "His enthusiasm rubbed off on the kids. Oh, he'd knock you down, but then he'd run back and pick you up. We never had a kid so thoughtful and polite. Ernie would pat the guys on the back who had tackled him and help them up. And compliment them: 'Great tackle.' Even opponents had a kindly feeling for him."
It was no surprise Davis was the No. 1 pick in the 1962 NFL draft, by the Washington Redskins. Cleveland traded for him and signed him to a three-year, $65,000 deal with a $15,000 signing bonus, then a record deal for a rookie. He was expected to join future Hall of Famer Jim Brown in the backfield, and the pair "would have been a monster," John Brown says.
But before he played a game, Davis began complaining of fatigue and bleeding gums. The diagnosis: acute monocytic leukemia. John Brown says Davis handled it "as if nothing was wrong. He never gave up hope."
Davis badly wanted to play, but doctors never reached a consensus to clear him. Friends in Elmira, like fans across the country, were kept in the dark about the disease's severity. Davis didn't want anyone worrying about him, Coleman says.
"It was the best-kept secret," Coleman says. "He never complained. When my son asked him why he wasn't playing, he said, 'I wanted to, but I just wasn't up to it.' Nobody paid that much attention. When you look at a superstar … you never think the worst."
Before entering the hospital for the last time, Davis stopped by the office of Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, according to the biography. Davis apologized for the high cost of his medical bills and told Modell the hospital visit wasn't anything serious, again seeking to reassure others.
Later, Modell saw the significance of Davis' visit.
"He was coming by to say goodbye to me and the others," Modell says in the biography.
Davis died May 18, 1963. To this day, he remains the pride of Elmira. A statue was erected in his honor, and the neighborhood center where he spent spare time as a child was renamed for him. His mother, Marie Fleming, still lives there. She declined to be interviewed.
If he hadn't died so young, "more people might know about him," Rob Brown says.
If the actors have their way, many more will.
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VIRGIL, Ill. -- Actor Dennis Quaid says The Express, a film about the life of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, will strike a chord with audiences because the late halfback's story transcends sports.
Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman while starring for Syracuse. He died of leukemia in 1963, never getting a chance to suit up in the NFL.
"When you do any sports movie, it has to be about something more than football," says Quaid, who portrays Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. "It has to be ... universal. It's about things in life that people can relate to. I hope that's what we got."
Quaid stars alongside Rob Brown (Finding Forrester), who portrays Davis. Brown has football experience as a wide receiver for Amherst. Quaid is a veteran of sports flicks such as Breaking Away, Any Given Sunday and The Rookie.
The actors filmed in the Chicago area, including at Northwestern University, and at Syracuse. Northwestern's Ryan Field doubles for many stadiums, including the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where Davis led Syracuse past Texas on Jan. 1, 1960.
Producer John Davis says Ernie Davis' story reminded him of Brian's Song, a movie about the relationship between Chicago Bears running backs Brian Piccolo and future Hall of Famer Gale Sayers. Piccolo died of cancer in 1970 at 26.
By winning the Heisman, Ernie Davis "opened the door" for black football players, John Davis says. "People thought the Heisman Trophy was (unattainable) for a black person. Whatever natural prejudices he faced, Ernie Davis was so great, you couldn't deny it."
'Elmira Express' Ernie Davis runs again in movie
VIRGIL, Ill. -- Actor Dennis Quaid says The Express, a film about the life of 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, will strike a chord with audiences because the late halfback's story transcends sports.
Davis became the first black player to win the Heisman while starring for Syracuse. He died of leukemia in 1963, never getting a chance to suit up in the NFL.
"When you do any sports movie, it has to be about something more than football," says Quaid, who portrays Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. "It has to be ... universal. It's about things in life that people can relate to. I hope that's what we got."
Quaid stars alongside Rob Brown (Finding Forrester), who portrays Davis. Brown has football experience as a wide receiver for Amherst. Quaid is a veteran of sports flicks such as Breaking Away, Any Given Sunday and The Rookie.
The actors filmed in the Chicago area, including at Northwestern University, and at Syracuse. Northwestern's Ryan Field doubles for many stadiums, including the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, where Davis led Syracuse past Texas on Jan. 1, 1960.
Producer John Davis says Ernie Davis' story reminded him of Brian's Song, a movie about the relationship between Chicago Bears running backs Brian Piccolo and future Hall of Famer Gale Sayers. Piccolo died of cancer in 1970 at 26.
By winning the Heisman, Ernie Davis "opened the door" for black football players, John Davis says. "People thought the Heisman Trophy was (unattainable) for a black person. Whatever natural prejudices he faced, Ernie Davis was so great, you couldn't deny it."
'Elmira Express' Ernie Davis runs again in movie
By Marlen Garcia, USA TODAY
VIRGIL, Ill. - More people should know about Ernie Davis, actor Dennis Quaid says.
"I was unaware of the Ernie Davis story," Quaid says during a break from filming The Express, about the famed Syracuse running back who trampled racial barriers and in 1961 became the first black player to win the Heisman Trophy. "There are a lot of people who don't remember."
PHOTO GALLERY: The making of 'The Express'
Davis' legacy lives in the memories of those who watched his thrilling runs and saw him lead Syracuse to its only national championship in football, in 1959.
He was on the verge of making his NFL debut with the Cleveland Browns when he was stricken with leukemia. The illness robbed him of the chance to team with former Syracuse star Jim Brown in the backfield and took his life at 23.
Those who knew him say Davis was a consummate gentleman, a trait up-and-coming actor Rob Brown hopes to illustrate as he portrays Davis in the film. Quaid has the role of Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder. They have filmed in the Chicago area and at Syracuse.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: John | Syracuse | Cleveland Browns | Heisman | Jim Brown | Ernie Davis
"You get the feeling he always tried to do the right thing," Rob Brown says of Davis.
The movie, based on the 1983 biography Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express by Robert C. Gallagher, is expected to be released in October 2008.
"It's about time for a movie," says Floyd Little, a former Denver Broncos running back who followed Davis at Syracuse and wore the same 44 on his jersey, also made famous by Jim Brown. Syracuse retired it in 2005. "He's so deserving."
For every fan who knows the story, how Davis went from Elmira, N.Y., to become the top college player as a 6-2, 210-pound halfback, there are dozens more casual fans unaware of his place in history.
"I hope for people just to know who made it possible for guys like (former Ohio State quarterback) Troy Smith to win the Heisman," Rob Brown says.
Some say Davis was the Jackie Robinson of college football. Robinson, a Hall of Fame second baseman, broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.
"People know Jackie Robinson," says John Brown, formerly a tackle with the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers and Davis' teammate at Syracuse. "But they don't know Ernie. That bothers me."
The film could make Davis identifiable to younger generations. Yet, some close to him worry it won't capture his essence. They say the classy way Davis carried himself exceeded his brawn. He was approachable, whether he gained one yard or 100.
"Ernie was not only a gentleman," John Brown says, "he was a gentle man. I hope they portray him as an articulate gentleman who could run like hell with a football."
That's how people in Elmira remember him, says Roland Coleman, who coached Davis on a traveling basketball team. He recalls Davis leading his team to victories, but then going out of his way to lift the losers' spirits: "He never wanted to brag."
An all-around athlete, Davis was spectacular in football and basketball at Elmira Free Academy, later Ernie Davis Middle School. It is said Schwartzwalder made 30 visits to recruit Davis in Elmira, about 90 miles southwest of Syracuse. The Express deals heavily with the relationship between the coach and Davis.
Schwartzwalder offered his recruiting pitch, but Davis was sold on Syracuse because of Jim Brown, a prolific running back for the Orange who accompanied the coach on a visit with Davis. Some think Jim Brown should have won the Heisman in his heyday but didn't because he was black.
Davis, however, couldn't be denied. He broke many of Brown's records and still holds the Syracuse career record for highest average per carry, at 6.63 yards. Davis gained 2,386 rushing yards, eclipsing Brown's 2,091. In his Heisman-winning season Davis rushed for 823 yards and 12 touchdowns.
A pivotal time came earlier, during Syracuse's undefeated championship run. Davis played in the Cotton Bowl against Texas with an injured hamstring and was named the game's outstanding back. But a fight with racial overtones broke out between the teams during the game and marred the event.
According to the biography, Syracuse skipped the bowl banquet because black players weren't allowed to attend. Davis would be allowed to receive his award but not eat dinner. John Brown disputes the account. He says the team attended but left immediately following dinner for another recognition event.
Sometimes even their teammates discriminated against them, and that memory remains vivid, John Brown says. He recalls before the Cotton Bowl rooming with Davis, black teammate Art Baker, a fullback who later played with Buffalo of the AFL, and a white player who explained he had to seek white roommates. Brown declines to name the player.
Schwartzwalder came under scrutiny in 1970 when nine players boycotted the team about racial issues, but John Brown offers a different view. "He brought us there," Brown says, noting the reluctance of many coaches to recruit black players. "Ben did the most he could do under the circumstances of the times."
Even after Davis won the Heisman and enjoyed a chat with President Kennedy, he found himself frustrated by prejudice. One incident came when Davis and John Brown were driving with Coleman from Pennsylvania to Virginia for a basketball game.
Coleman and Brown remember the restaurant they stopped at wouldn't serve them.
"I remember saying, 'This guy is an All-American,' " Coleman says. " 'He had coffee with President Kennedy, and he can't get a hamburger?' "
Brown says Davis left the restaurant shaken. He had overcome a childhood problem of stuttering, but whenever he was nervous or excited, it returned. The incident left him stammering for words, Brown says.
The civil rights movement wasn't as strong at the time, and players didn't lash out against discrimination, Brown says.
"We were being taken care of," Brown says. "So no matter what transpired, you accepted it."
Davis and the team flourished in spite of prejudices.
"He radiated enthusiasm," Schwartzwalder, who died in 1993, told Sports Illustrated for a 1989 story. "His enthusiasm rubbed off on the kids. Oh, he'd knock you down, but then he'd run back and pick you up. We never had a kid so thoughtful and polite. Ernie would pat the guys on the back who had tackled him and help them up. And compliment them: 'Great tackle.' Even opponents had a kindly feeling for him."
It was no surprise Davis was the No. 1 pick in the 1962 NFL draft, by the Washington Redskins. Cleveland traded for him and signed him to a three-year, $65,000 deal with a $15,000 signing bonus, then a record deal for a rookie. He was expected to join future Hall of Famer Jim Brown in the backfield, and the pair "would have been a monster," John Brown says.
But before he played a game, Davis began complaining of fatigue and bleeding gums. The diagnosis: acute monocytic leukemia. John Brown says Davis handled it "as if nothing was wrong. He never gave up hope."
Davis badly wanted to play, but doctors never reached a consensus to clear him. Friends in Elmira, like fans across the country, were kept in the dark about the disease's severity. Davis didn't want anyone worrying about him, Coleman says.
"It was the best-kept secret," Coleman says. "He never complained. When my son asked him why he wasn't playing, he said, 'I wanted to, but I just wasn't up to it.' Nobody paid that much attention. When you look at a superstar … you never think the worst."
Before entering the hospital for the last time, Davis stopped by the office of Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, according to the biography. Davis apologized for the high cost of his medical bills and told Modell the hospital visit wasn't anything serious, again seeking to reassure others.
Later, Modell saw the significance of Davis' visit.
"He was coming by to say goodbye to me and the others," Modell says in the biography.
Davis died May 18, 1963. To this day, he remains the pride of Elmira. A statue was erected in his honor, and the neighborhood center where he spent spare time as a child was renamed for him. His mother, Marie Fleming, still lives there. She declined to be interviewed.
If he hadn't died so young, "more people might know about him," Rob Brown says.
If the actors have their way, many more will.
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