Today's Tidbit... The Last Heisman Winner without a Face Mask

1956 U of Miami yearbook

Jay Berwanger, the first Heisman Trophy winner in 1936, broke his nose in high school, so he wore a face mask his entire career at the University of Chicago. But, of course, he was an earlier adopter who fit the pattern: most who wore face masks before the 1950s wore them to protect an injury, not to prevent one.

Face mask wearing became increasingly common as the 1950s progressed, which leads one to ask: Who was the last Heisman Trophy winner to play without a face mask?

I believe it was the Golden Boy, Paul Horning, seen in the image above, playing at Miami during his junior season in 1955. The image below shows Hornung wearing a face mask against Oklahoma during the 1956 season, but did another Heisman winner go maskless after Hornung?

Let us know if you find a more recent Heisman winner playing without a mask.

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