You might have been lead to believe that Ohio State running back Archie Griffin was the only person to have two Heisman Trophies, but that isn’t quite correct. Notre Dame halfback Johnny Lattner was one of the best players of his time. He played for the Irish from 1950 to 1953, winning the Maxwell Award twice (only Florida’s Tim Tebow accomplished that feat also) and the Heisman in 1953.
A native to Chicago (Fenwick Academy), after his short NFL career which was cut short due to his enrollment into the Air Force and hurting his knee, Lattner tried coaching for a few years before opening up his own restaurant in Chicago. The Heisman would stay in his steakhouse aptly named Johnny Lattner’s Steak House but a fire 1968 destroyed the trophy.
Lattner petitioned the committee for another trophy and ultimately they gave his a second, something that they don’t normally do. I happened to be at the Fenwick and St. Ignatius high school football game this past Friday night and got up close and personal with Lattner’s second Heisman Trophy.
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