Q: How many Heisman Trophy winners played high school football in Georgia? I know Herschel Walker is from Georgia and played for UGA. Are there others from Georgia?
A: Let's avoid that bronze stiff arm and tackle this question.
Walker, UGA’s legendary running back who won the Heisman in 1982, is from Wrightsville, about 60 miles east of Macon.
But he isn’t the only Heisman winner who played high school football in Georgia.
There have been three others who have received college football’s ultimate individual honor, according to an article at Heisman.com. Here’s that select group (with high school):
George Rogers (Duluth): Rogers was a star running back at South Carolina, where he won the Heisman in 1980. Rogers played seven seasons in the NFL.
Walker (Johnson County): Walker helped lead UGA to the 1980 national championship and rushed for 1,752 yards and 17 touchdowns in his Heisman year. He signed with the USFL after his junior season and later played in the NFL.
Charlie Ward, (Thomas County Central): Ward, a quarterback, threw for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns to lead Florida State to the national championship in 1993. Instead of going to the NFL, Ward played 11 seasons in the NBA.
Cam Newton (Westlake): He made the most of his only year at Auburn. Newton threw for 2,854 yards, rushed for 1,473 and accounted for 50 touchdowns to lead the Tigers to the 2010 national title. He was the NFL's MVP last year with the Carolina Panthers.
Winecoff fire was 70 years ago
The Winecoff Hotel fire was one of the worst disasters in Atlanta history, resulting in the deaths of 119 people on Dec. 7, 1946.
In fact, it remains the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history.
The fire’s 70th anniversary will be commemorated at an author’s panel at Heritage Sandy Springs at 6:30 p.m. today.
Allen B. Goodwin and Sam Heys, who co-wrote “The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America’s Deadliest Hotel Fire,” and Chet Wallace, who wrote “The Winecoff Fire Victims: A Dedication to the 119,” are the guest speakers. Wallace’s book will be released in 2017, according to winecoff.org.
Considered fireproof, the Winecoff became a firetrap when the flames began on the third floor.
There were no sprinklers or fire escapes, and the stairway, which was in the middle of the building, filled with smoke and became practically unusable for guests trying to escape, Heys said.
The Winecoff was at 176 Peachtree St., in the building that is The Ellis Hotel.
Heritage Sandy Springs is at 6110 Blue Stone Road. For more information, call 404-851-9111 or go to heritagesandysprings.org.
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