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Very Scarce Autograph of Bruce Smith, 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner.
Lot 28. Very Scarce Autograph of Bruce Smith, 1941 Heisman Trophy Winner. Among Heisman winners, only the autographs of Nile Kinnick and possibly Ernie Davis are more difficult to obtain. This example of Smith’s signature in pencil is bold and large, filling a 5” x 3” section of paper from left-to-right. Smith received the Heisman Trophy two days after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Subsequently, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, became a fighter pilot and won Player of the Year honors in Armed Forces football. At the University of Minnesota before WWII, he was a master at breaking free for long-runs. He led the Gophers to consecutive 8-0 seasons and national titles in 1940 and 1941. In the 1941 Iowa game, he sat out the first half with an injury. He played in the second half, however, touching the ball seven times, scoring five touchdowns and leading Minnesota to a 34-13 win. He was the MVP of the 1942 College All-Star Game. After WWII, he played four seasons in the NFL, with Green Bay and the LA Rams. He was only 47 when cancer claimed his life in 1967. After cancer was diagnosed, he spent several months visiting young cancer patients with Rev. William Cantwell. By the time he passed away in December, he had lost more than half of his body weight. For his service to the children he visited, Rev. Cantwell nominated Smith for sainthood. Smith’s signature is a10 authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,716.
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