Doc Blanchard died recently. For most contemporary sports fans his obit likely prompted a “who’s that?” response. Blanchard, 84, was a prominent athlete in the mid-1940s.
It was Blanchard, not Tim Tebow, who was the first to win the Heisman Trophy (1945) and play on two national championship teams (1944-45) before his senior year. The West Point All-American was also the first to win the Heisman as a junior. And he led the country in scoring in 1945.
Oh, and he also played linebacker and did the kicking for Army.
He was a first-round (third overall) NFL draft pick in 1946 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, but never played a game for the Steelers – or any other pro team. After graduating from West Point, Blanchard joined the Air Force, where he flew fighter planes during the Korean and Vietnam wars.
No, the Tim Tebows don’t come along very often. About as frequently as the Doc Blanchards.