1953 Heisman winner Johnny Lattner was a proud Irish-American who frequently marched in Chicago's Saint Patrick's Day Parade.
No Heisman Winner Enjoyed St. Patrick’s Day More Than Johnny Lattner
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Heisman Central, where we’re celebrating our award’s Irish tradition while enjoying some green beverages.
And by Irish, we mean the handful of Heisman winners with an Irish background as well as the seven Fighting Irish players from Notre Dame to win the Heisman Trophy. Notre Dame also features six finalists and almost 50 Top 10 finishers. Heck, a Notre Dame player finished third in the award’s first year.
Today’s Saint Patrick’s Day parade in New York City kicked off just down the street from the Heisman’s December headquarters in Times Square as it makes its way up to 79th. The parade’s tradition in New York dates back to 14 years before the Declaration of Independence.
We appreciate traditions at the Heisman.
The first player to win the Heisman with an Irish background was Yale tight end Larry Kelley, who won the award in its second year, 1936. Two years later, TCU’s Davey O’Brien won the award.
But nowhere did the Heisman heritage interact with St. Patty’s Day more than with Notre Dame’s 1953 Heisman winner Johnny Lattner, a proud Irish-American who was a longtime participant in the Chicago Saint Patrick’s Day parade.
Lattner often carried the St. Patrick banner at the front of the Chicago parade, sporting a kilt and green stockings while marching down the parade route. The Chicago Tribune once wrote “nobody out-Irished” Lattner.
He was so beloved in his native Chicago that city leaders named Dec. 15, 2014, “Johnny Lattner Day” in his beloved city.
Another reason why he was so beloved? Watch this video about The Traveling Heisman and how Lattner used his trophy to raise money for charitable causes.
Of course, six other Fighting Irish players won the Heisman, three before Lattner and three after.
Angelo Bertelli was the first in 1943, following his second-place finish in 1941 and sixth in 1942. Four years later, Johnny Lujack was the second Notre Dame player to win and Leon Hart became the third in 1949.
Paul Hornung (1956), John Huarte (1964) and Tim Brown (1987) followed Lattner to give Notre Dame seven Heisman winners. That stood as a Heisman record until USC’s Caleb Williams won the 2002 award, giving the Trojans’ eight winners.
