The Ohio State University

Horvath won Ohio State's first Heisman. He's one of two Heisman winners who later went on to become dentists.

Heisman Winner

Les Horvath

HB | Senior | The Ohio State University

Horvath won Ohio State’s first Heisman. He’s one of two Heisman winners who later went on to become dentists.

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Horvath spent most of his youth in Parma, Ohio. He played on the track, basketball and football teams for Parma until the 11th grade, but decided to switch schools as a senior. Horvath’s family relocated, and he enrolled at James Ford Rhodes High in Cleveland, one of Parma’s rivals. Playing as a quarterback for the Rhodes Rams, Horvath guided the team to seven straight wins in 1938 and just missed out on the city title.

In 1940, he enrolled at Ohio State where he became a football sensation. He lettered in football for the Buckeyes in 1940, 1941, 1942 and 1944. Horvath was right halfback on the 1942 national championship team but in 1943 he was in dental school and not eligible for football.

At this time, college football players received only three years of eligibility to play, but because of World War II and the resulting shortage of athletes in school, football players received an additional year of eligibility. In 1944, Buckeye coach Carroll Widdoes asked Horvath to return to the team for a fourth year. Due to the demands of dental school, Horvath was initially reluctant to play but agreed to do so after Widdoes promised that Horvath would be flown to all of the games and would not have to practice as much as the other players. Ohio State went 9-0, won the Big Ten and ranked No. 2 nationally. Horvath rushed for 905 yards and passed for 345. He ranked second in the nation in rushing, third in total offense, was unanimous All-America, Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten, and won the Heisman Trophy.

He graduated from dental school in 1945, joined the Navy as an ensign, and was discharged in July, 1947.

A sixth-round pick, Horvath played three years of pro football with the Rams and Browns, then practiced dentistry in Los Angeles.

He was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1969. He died November 14, 1995 at age 74.

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Heisman Voting Results

Number of electors: 848 - Announced: December 3, 1944.

 PlayerClassPositionSchoolTotal Points
1Les HorvathSRQBOhio State412
2Glenn DavisSOHBArmy287
3Doc BlanchardSOFBArmy237
4Don WhitmireJRTNavy115
5Buddy YoungFRHBIllinois105
6Bob KellySRHBNotre Dame76
7Bob JenkinsJRHBNavy60
8Doug KennaSRQBArmy56
9Bob FenimoreJRHBOklahoma A&M (State)54
10Thomas McWilliamsFRHBMississippi State37

Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place.

Heisman Voting By Region

At this time, Heisman voters are spread out across five regions.

South

 Player
1Doc Blanchard
2Les Horvath
3Don Whitmire
4Glenn Davis
5Thomas McWilliams

East

 Player
1Glenn Davis
2Les Horvath
3Doc Blanchard
4Don Whitmore
5Bob Kelly

Midwest

 Player
1Les Horvath
2Glenn Davis
3Doc Blanchard
4Buddy Young
5Bob Kelly

Southwest

 Player
1Bob Fenimore
2Doc Blanchard
3Les Horvath
4Glenn Davis
5Bob Kelly

Far West

 Player
1Glenn Davis
2Les Horvath
3Buddy Young
4Doc Blanchard
5Bob Kelly

Statistics

Les Horvath’s Heisman Year Statistics for the 1944 season are incomplete.

DateOpponentResultAttCompPct.YdsYPATDRushesYdsYPCTDPlaysTotal OffYPPTotal TDs
9/30/44MissouriW 54-0400.000.001112111.001151218.061
10/7/44IowaW 34-0100.000.00161217.561171217.111
10/14/44at WisconsinW 20-74250.0143.5-241415.871281555.53-
10/21/44#17 Great Lakes NTSW 26-62150.02412.0-22914.132241154.79-
10/28/44MinnesotaW 34-1422100.011356.5-11908.1821320315.61-
11/4/44IndianaW 21-78562.510413.0-201015.050282057.32-
11/11/44PittsburghW 54-1911100.03232.0-3248.00145614.00-
11/18/44^#15 IllinoisW 26-126350.0579.5--96-0-153--
11/25/44#8 MichiganW 18-14400.000.00321063.312361062.940
Heisman StatsAP #29-0321441.534410.86117**891-10-1235-16

(^) Played in Cleveland
(**) does not include carries against Illinois

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