Subtitles ripped by tiger6ex (c) BitShock.org TEAM
ERNIE: 21 straight Iines, five yards apart,
that's a footbaII fieId
But there are other Iines, ones you don't see,
that run deeper and wider, aII the way through a country,
and aren't part of any game
SARETTE: Strong load right, 42 shovel pass On one On one
Ready? ALL: Break!
SARETTE: Whiskey, whiskey, 33!
Been waiting for this, spook
l'm gonna kick your black ass back to Africa, boy
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
(STAMMERlNG) l found another Pepsi
(SlNGlNG) Pepsi CoIa hits the spot
12 fuII ounces, that's a Iot 12 fuII ounces, that's a Iot
Twice as much for a nickeI, too Twice as much for a nickeI, too
Pepsi CoIa is the drink for you Pepsi CoIa is the drink for you
MALE NARRATOR 1: America has been riding the crest of a wave of a peacefuI prosperity
MALE NARRATOR 2: I beIieve in this worId to come
I think it's going to be a pretty good one
''When you say 'Budweiser,'
''you've said it all'' ''You've said it all''
What are you boys doing north of Union Street?
One of you better answer
Just collecting bottles
These are our bottles up here
(TRAlN HORN BLOWlNG)
Hey, guys!
(TRAlN APPROACHlNG)
Ain't but one thing to do here
Ernie, you listening to me?
Ernie, now!
Ernie!
(ALL LAUGHlNG)
Ernie! Ernie!
This one must be stupid
l'll tell you what, you give us those bottles
and we won't kick your black ass
(STAMMERlNG)
(ALL LAUGHlNG)
Got something to say?
No!
What?
Not only stupid, but retarded
And a nigger, how sad is that?
Look, you've got three seconds to drop those bottles
One,
two,
three!
Get him Get him
(GRUNTS)
(ALL SHOUTlNG)
ERNIE: Dear Mr Martin, it feeIs strange to write about my Iife
I can't teII you the exact moment I knew what it was I wanted to be
or how I wanted to make my mark
Maybe it just feIt reaI good to run,
or maybe one day, out of the corner of my eye,
I saw tackIers reaching out for me and dropping behind
Back in 1949, at the age of 10, one thing I did know was,
I sure didn't want to be remembered for running too sIow
PeopIe in town wouId aIways ask, ''What you running from?''
ERNlE: Hey, Will!
I didn't know then what I know now,
that I wasn't running from, I was running to
POPS: After dinner we gonna have an ice cream eating contest
What do you say about that?
Yeah, l like it
POPS: Okay
First Corinthians 15:10
Ernie
Yes, Grandpa
Why don't you read tonight?
(SlGHS)
POPS: You can do it
(STAMMERlNG) ''But
''by the''
Ernie, take a deep breath
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
Okay, now try it again
''But by the
''grace of God l am what l am
''And his grace
POPS: ''His grace
''which was bestowed''
''which was bestowed upon me
''was not in vain''
''But l labored more abundantly than they all,
''yet not l,
''but the grace of God which was with me''
The words, l know they're in there
but they don't come out straight all the time
ANNOUNCER: That'II bring Jackie Robinson up
He's wearing a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform
He's Negro and he's playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers?
That's right, boys That there is Jackie Robinson
ANNOUNCER: The windup and the deIivery
And the drive deep into Ieft fieId And it's a home run!
Jackie Robinson with a home run, his 12th of the year,
and the crowd roars at Ebbets FieId
Now what? You gonna stare at it all night?
This here is a man who's doing a lot
without saying nothing
(SCHOOL BELL RlNGlNG)
Hey! Hey, Ernie
Ernie!
Mama?
Mama!
(EXCLAlMlNG)
WILL: It's great to have you back!
So you still got that Chevy? And what year is that?
lt's a '39, and you, too, Mama
A '39 Chevy
So, Marie, you have some news for us?
Yes, sir Mama, Daddy,
Ernie, l got married again
To a very nice man
The main thing is l can support you now, baby
l want you to come back and live with me in Elmira
How far away is Elmira?
lt's not far at all, baby lt's just a few hours away
l think you'll like it
GRANDMA: You gonna love it, baby
(GRANDMA CHUCKLlNG)
Bye, Will
Bye, Ernie
So, l'll see you soon
(HONKlNG)
(WHlSTLE BLOWlNG)
Come on, boys Line up! Line up! l got some new jerseys here for you
Wait till you see these
(EXCLAlMS)
Here you go, Mike, Aaron, Nick
Patrick, there's one for you
You been waiting for these, l know it Here you go, Peewee Put it on
Uh
l'm sorry, boys That's all there are
Don't worry The other team won't have any trouble recognizing you
(CHUCKLES)
Come on! Huddle!
Reggie!
Davis
Just give him the ball
REGGlE: Ready? ALL: Ready!
ALL: Break!
Ready!
Hike!
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
(ALL CHEERlNG)
That your son?
Yes Yes, it is
Al Malette, Elmira Star-Gazette
What's his name?
Ernie His name is Ernie Davis
MAN: Break!
So you're the man who owns Jim Brown
l own the team He's his own man Hey, Jim!
l think you've done enough of that
REX: Mr Modell, just a few more?
This is the last time he's gonna be on this field
You've got plenty, Rex Boys, thank you very much
That's good, we got it Jim, come over here
All right, fellas Take a couple like this
Nice big smile, Jim
Hey, Jim, you think you're ready?
Right here, Jim, look here Right here
So Jim Brown's gonna be wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey
How's it feel?
lt feels right
Jim? Right here, Jim
Dan Boyle, Chicago Sun
You had a terrific year here at Syracuse, Jim
Seven yards a carry, broke records, took your team to the Cotton Bowl,
number one draft choice, signed a big contract
l'm guessing you're pretty happy with the way things turned out
l could be happier You left something out
You talking about the Heisman Trophy, Jim?
l didn't win that Actually, no Negro has ever won it
And you're saying you should have?
Now, if l say that
the papers tomorrow will tell the story of the angry Negro
who doesn't know his place
l know my place, gentlemen
lt just may not be where you like it
Next question
Hey, Coach Coach, let me ask you something
How do you ever expect to replace Jimmy Brown?
BELL: Glen Boyd, Cedar Rapids High Team won state
He has a C average but a tested lQ of 1 20
That means he's lazy
Ben, the kid has a five-yard average
l don't care He's lazy l don't want him
Next! Wally Purdue,
Bridgeport Academy, six varsity letters
He's healing from an ankle fracture but
But bullshit!
Anybody else? Maybe someone who isn't hurt or lazy?
lsn't there a kid from Elmira?
Yeah, Ernie Davis Elmira Free Academy
Running back, 1,300 yards on 1 79 carries
Led his team to a state championship Why the hell didn't we look at him first?
Well, he's a Negro boy, Ben
ls this a new trend, or is it just my luck?
lt's a new trend
He might remind you of somebody we know
Too old to butt heads with another Jim Brown
Roll it
SlMMONS: There he is on the left, number 55
Right now, he's Now watch him here
He breaks through both tackles and look at that, into the secondary
There he goes, 30-yard line,
40-yard line, 50,
40, 30, 20, 10
Touchdown Wow!
He have any offers yet?
About 50
(SlGHS)
Shit
BROWN: lt's all chrome inside there Feel that
No, no, no Not that, that's the gas Better step on the brake
Oh!
There you go You got tiny legs She's gonna love this, right?
Mighty nice car, Jim
Do me a favor, wait upstairs
Okay then
What's on your mind, Coach? l take it this isn't a social call
All right, look, there's this kid, and l want you to help me recruit him
You want me to help you?
You're leaving us a hell of a hole, Jim
And we are up against the big boys We've got Pitt, UCLA, Texas
You mean he's colored
He's a Negro, yes
You can't talk to Negroes?
l can't
l'm not good at that salesman stuff Not much of a dancer, you know that
l know this wasn't the most welcoming place for you, but that's not my fault
l can only control what happens on 100 yards of gridiron
But l do know Cleveland never would have heard of you
if you hadn't come here to play for me
What l did here was on my back and my sweat
What good would your time be here
if you're not willing to help the next kid get his chance?
A kid like you
He's got talent, Jim
Maybe even your kind of talent
Didn't mention anything in your telegram about bringing Jim Brown
l hope you don't mind signing a couple hundred autographs
Ha! Jim loves to sign autographs, don't you?
You know, Jim, l'm a Syracuse man myself
Class of '31
You don't say
ls that Bill Clark from Notre Dame?
MARTY: Yeah, been here all week
Yeah, not enough he steals Ramsey right out from under my nose
That's your man right there, Ernie Davis
1 1 varsity letters Plays baseball, too
ln fact, there's not a sport he doesn't play
(MARTY BLOWS WHlSTLE)
Try it one more time
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Let's see what he does
He's too fast for these kids
He's too fast for anybody
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Ben Schwartzwalder Head coach, Syracuse University Orangemen
Pleasure to meet you, sir
Pleasure to meet you, son
Do you know why l'm here?
Same reason as Notre Dame, sir?
Yeah, same reason
But don't just take my word for it Jim! Jim!
l'll be right back Thank you
There's another fan who'd like to tell you
how much he'd like to see you come play for us
Jim Brown
2,091 rushing yards, 58 yards of carry,
132 yards and three touchdowns in the Cotton Bowl
We lost the Cotton Bowl
But that sweep where you cut back to the middle?
My mama and me watched that game on a television set in Sears and Roebuck
She's a big fan of yours, too
Oh!
ls she?
Mr Brown? l hope you like caramel cake
l do, thank you
Here you go
l understand you're from Pennsylvania, Mr Davis
What brings you up here to New York?
l asked him to come
To help me make up my mind
That's good to have family like that
You close to your family, Mr Schwartzwalder?
l have a wife and two daughters
And they never ask my opinion about anything
(ALL CHUCKLE)
Seems to work
Mr Brown?
Yes, sir
Were you the first in your family to go to college?
Yes, sir, l was
And what's it like at Syracuse for men like us?
lt's great lt's good
l suppose l'd say it's not that different than a lot of places
This cake is delicious
BROWN: l want you to go out Keep going Back Back All right
Mr Brown, l'm not real big on lacrosse
Jim Jim
Okay, let's see what you've got
(GRUNTS)
lt's not as easy as it looks, is it?
l'm all right
You see, lacrosse isn't just a sport
The lndians used it to settle their conflicts and heal the sick
They also played it as a preparation for war
Make no mistake, there's a war in this country,
but for men like us, it's not on the football field
So if all you nice folks are offering the same thing,
what makes you different?
Well, Syracuse
Not Syracuse You
l'm not sure l follow you, Mr Davis
My grandson might be spending the next four years listening to you,
learning from you
So, l suppose what l'm asking, Mr Schwartzwalder,
is what kind of man are you?
l just want to be the best player l can be, you know
l want to be like you, Jim Brown,
first-team All-American then straight to the NFL,
and l need you to tell me exactly where l gotta be to get there
Look, if you go to Syracuse, it's not gonna be easy for you
But Schwartzwalder, he's one of the best coaches in college ball
Now you're fast, but he'll make you faster
You run hard, he'll show you how to run harder
And you're good, but he'll make you better
And if you ever tell him l said that,
l'll jump on the first plane from Cleveland and come and wring your neck
Now let's get out of here
Let me tell you something about Jim and l, we had our differences at times
So whatever he told you about me, l would take it with a grain of salt
Even if he said you were a good coach?
(SCOFFS)
Well, in that case, son, l would tell you that too much salt is bad for you
Ernie? Ernie Davis?
How'd you guess?
Welcome
l'm Lew Andreas, the athletic director Come on!
l'll give you a tour of the campus on the way to your dorm
All right Syracuse has a storied
academic tradition, Ernie Really?
Steven Crane attended the university in 1891
and wrote The Red Badge of Courage Hey, Lew!
Harry! Sorry, l'll be right back Right back
Harry How are you?
No one from here has ever won, if that's what you're looking for
No harm in dreaming, right, Coach?
lt's not about winning trophies, Davis lt's about winning games
l'll see you at practice
Get up! Get up!
That was plum awful! Now, last one runs a lap
Let's go!
Run a lap
ALL: five, six
Youmans, you move like a walrus
Come on! Like a big, old elephant walrus!
Gerhard, goose-step Make your ancestors proud
Ease up, Davis
What are you smiling at?
This fine institution is giving you three hots and a cot
l do not intend to let them waste their money
Get them up, come on
Right about now, l bet you're wondering
what happened to that nice gentleman that visited your house
and begged you to come here, huh?
Let's go! Now make no mistake, gentlemen
No matter what anyone else tells you, you are not here to just play football
You are offside
BEN: You are here at Syracuse to win games
And you can't win games if you can't out-perform the other team
Don't you step on my All-Americans
lf you step on my All-Americans, l will reach down your throat,
grab your donuts and tie them to your tonsils!
Good hit!
Take him down!
So, you're the next Jim Brown, huh?
Yeah, l can see the resemblance
Yeah, except Brown was always mad about something
(CHUCKLES) Don't be fooled by the smile
Well, he's funnier than Jimmy
Yeah
Well, maybe he can entertain us You dance, Davis?
Not as good as me, Lundy
Come on! Get up! Move! Move! Move! Move!
SCHWEDES: You should know, you never call Coach, ''Sarge''
He was a captain, jumped out of airplanes, stormed a bridge in Normandy
Killed people, won medals
By the way, l'm Gerhard Schwedes, halfback
Roger, everybody calls me Hound Dog though
Maury Youmans, center
l'll be keeping your jersey clean next year
He embarrassed you! Embarrassed you!
BEN: l want you to move Davis from freshman to varsity
But he won't be eligible to play in any games, Ben
Why don't we just let him catch his stride with the other freshmen?
First, when he does become eligible next year,
l want him to hit the ground running
Second, he's gonna raise everybody's game
He'll probably be the best running back they face all year
l got you
Third, that's just the way l want it done
(BLOWlNG WHlSTLE)
Jack Buckley, right tackle, sophomore Call me JB
l was a defensive end in high school Philly
But l think they're gonna move me to tackle
What we up to? Three miles?
Don't know Never count
You hear a train?
Why? ls it making you nervous?
No, l'm not nervous
Can we get off these tracks?
Yeah, l'm sorry l'm just used to it
And when you use your meal voucher in the student union
Right stay away from the meatloaf
What else? Girls
You'll find a Negro polar bear before you find a Negro coed
Good morning, sir Beautiful day, isn't it?
l swear, sometimes you feel like you're on the moon here
SARETTE: Yes, yes, that's her sister
Sarette, what did Petey say about that broad?
Yeah, it's her little sister
l don't know about our team yet, but theirs is in mid-season form
At least her sister is
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
ERNlE: Coach wanted to see me?
He's in his office
Knock
(KNOCKlNG ON DOOR)
You wanted to see me, Coach?
Mmm-hmm
Davis, my system is simple
Conditioning, teamwork
And on my team, l expect every player to know his job
Know his place on the field
Quarterback, running back, lineman
That way, nobody steps on anybody's toes
Same holds true off the field
l'm not sure how you mean, Coach
Well
There are some lines that some people don't care to see crossed,
just like there are some toes that shouldn't be stepped on
And l expect my players not to cross those lines
Now, you must have a girlfriend back home, right?
Good-looking fellow like you
You might want to keep in touch with her
You're a smart kid, Davis l don't have to spell it out for you, do l?
Anything else, Coach?
No
May l go now?
Yes
JACK: We call that, ''The white girl speech,''
and don't worry, we all get it
That's funny l don't remember seeing that in the campus brochure, JB
(CHUCKLES)
Avatus Stone
Avatus what?
Avatus Stone Quarterback Negro
First one Schwartzwalder recruited here
What happened to him?
He got run off
What do you mean, ''Run off?''
One night, just disappeared Gone
And then Jimmy Brown shows up,
and all Jim hears is, ''Don't be like Avatus Stone
''Whatever you do, don't be like Avatus Stone''
Wait But what did he do? Did he kill somebody?
Worse He dated a white girl
Majorette, blonde
Schwartzwalder wouldn't even give Jim a scholarship until sophomore year
Made him prove himself
Yeah
Just goes to show, Coach likes winning more than he dislikes Negroes
A little
See you at the room
Hey
Excuse me, Hound Dog
LUNDY: Would you look at that, boys?
lf it isn't enough they let a freshman dress in the varsity locker,
now they went and anointed him the second coming of Jim Brown
(ALL LAUGHlNG)
What's your problem, Lundy?
My problem is l was raised to believe you should have to earn things
That's not all you were raised to believe, now was it?
(ALL EXCLAlMlNG)
You got a big mouth, JB
Yeah, l do
SlMMONS: How about the next play, Ben?
This'll be strong load right, 42 shovel pass
We can use this third short
Strong load right Right, 42 shovel pass
What you got there, Davis?
lt's this jersey, Coach
What, something wrong with it?
Yeah, l
What is it? Too big? Too tight, what?
Oh, no Not at all lt's just
Then what is it?
Somebody made a mistake
They gave me the wrong number
Mr Davis, l put that jersey in your locker
Are you accusing me of making a mistake?
No, sir Well then, what?
Coach, l'm
l'm not Jim Brown
God, l hope not!
And, God, l hope so
That is your number
The day you're not up to it, l'll take it away as quick as a hiccup
Now, get out of here
Tight right, 34 right dig On one On one Ready
ALL: Break!
Offense, l want to see you fire off the ball
Fire off the ball
Red? Sir!
Are you in or out there?
Strong left, strong left!
Strong left Why don't you watch the sweep, right there?
PLAYER: Sir! Ready?
SARETTE: On one
God damn it!
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Lundy, you got yourself planted
Get off your heels and get after it That was embarrassing
Davis looks good
Looks good, Ben
Five, three, cover two Ready?
ALL: Break!
Double tight, double tight Watch the sweep left! Watch the sweep!
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
(WHlSTLE BLOWlNG)
(ALL EXCLAlM)
That was a cheap shot
Oh, he's gonna get a lot worse than that before he's done here
You've got something to say, 44?
You all right? Yeah
You can't let him treat you like that and not say nothing
That's all right l do my talking on the field
(ALL EXCLAlM)
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Hey, hey! Come on!
Hey, come on!
All right, all right, all right, all right, all right
Don't ever make me look bad again
Back to the huddle, Lundy
You got away with a lot back in high school 'cause you were bigger than everybody else
Those days are done
You got it? Got it, Coach
Good block
Now listen up
lf you practice half-assed, you will play half-assed
Now, we have Boston College in two weeks
and l would like not to get blown out in our own stadium
Now play football
Let's go Good work
(BAND PLAYlNG ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSlC)
(SINGING)
Surprise, surprise Will you look at this?
They're saying Pete Dawkins is gonna take home the Heisman
Well, he rushed for over 1,000 yards, and has almost as many receiving yards, JB
He's gotta be real good
Yeah, well, he's definitely real white
This thing's like a love letter
JB, look
What?
Hey!
Negro polar bears
Who knew they traveled in pairs?
(CHATTERlNG)
Ready? For what?
You're not ready Come on, let's go Which one do you like?
The one on the right
Good evening, ladies
Good evening
l'd like a Pepsi The same
And could you bring us some of those deviled eggs?
You don't even be eating no deviled egg
(LAUGHlNG)
l'm so sorry You go to Syracuse?
l didn't know
Yes, we go to Syracuse, but if you'd like,
we can jump in the kitchen, whip you up some grits and gravy, ma'am
Get them, Ernie
l'm Gloria This is my friend
Sarah
She's visiting from Cornell
Gloria and Sarah Okay l'm Jack Buckley, but you call me JB
JB JB
And this is my friend, Ernie
How do you do?
Very well
So, what are you guys studying?
Well, a little bit of everything
Math, basic literature
We're on the football team
And that
GLORlA: Oh!
l don't really know too much about football
Neither does he
(ALL LAUGHlNG)
All kidding aside, Gloria, would you care to dance?
All right
(SlGHS)
So, Sarah, what are you studying?
l'm majoring in education, with a minor in social sciences
Oh!
And you? What are you studying?
Just some basic courses right now, some math,
some English
Look, l know what you're thinking
That since l'm not here because of my grades,
or my money,
that l'm not a serious person
You're wrong
So, you know what l'm thinking, do you?
Fine, Mr Serious
What am l thinking right now?
ANNOUNCER: Rain stiII coming down steadiIy here at ArchboId Stadium
The Iast chance for the Orangemen
The Orangemen can reaIIy use a IittIe heIp out there
Let's hope their recruiting is better than their running game
QUARTERBACK: Hike!
And for the Syracuse faithfuI, there's a sense of disbeIief,
as HoIy Cross has knocked off the mighty Orangemen
BELL: Let's go, ladies Pick it up!
BEN: Let's go Knees up Knees up
Pain is how you learn
Come on!
Gentlemen, it is not okay to lose to an inferior team,
especially on our home turf!
Now, we gave no effort out on that field tonight, so we should feel it now!
Don't you puke on my gym floor!
Varsity practice only, Ernie You don't have to be here
l know
l just heard you called a midnight practice, Coach
l'm sorry l'm late
Well, go ahead Get in there
Yes, sir
BEN: Gentlemen, do you think you played good football last year?
Think again
You think you're here just to wear a varsity jacket
and impress the Iadies?
Think again
If you think you know what pain is, think again
This is what pain is for
Now, does anyone know the last year
that Syracuse won a national championship?
Hmm?
You're right We've never won one
You are here to change all that
ANNOUNCER 1: Ladies and gentIemen, pIease weIcome to the fieId
your Syracuse University Orangemen
ANNOUNCER 2: WeIcome to ArchboId Stadium, Syracuse, New York,
where the Orangemen begin the 1959 campaign
The expectations for Ben Schwartzwalder and the Orangemen are enormous
This is a football team that could go unbeaten
(BREATHES DEEPLY)
(WHlSTLE BLOWlNG)
Hut one!
On first down, Ernie Davis gets his first carry
as a member of the Orangemen
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Welcome to Syracuse football
(POPS CHUCKLES)
Will Will, he said his name on the radio
Sure did l heard it l heard it, Pops
ANNOUNCER: Ernie Davis certainIy has some big shoes to fiII here today
And after an unsuccessfuI series of downs by the Orangemen,
Kansas takes over on its own 28-yard Iine
QUARTERBACK: Hut!
Let's get after it! Come on, let's get after it!
The receiver is leveled by veteran linebacker Bobby Lundy
l'm doing your job, 44
Huddle up!
BaII at the Syracuse 10-yard Iine
First down and goaI to go for Kansas
Yes Did he get in?
Did he cross the goaI Iine?
Here's the official signal
(BLOWlNG WHlSTLE)
Touchdown, Kansas
BEN: What kind of pig slop is that?
We haven't gotten a call all day!
Jayhawks jump out to a 7-0 Iead
here at the very, very quiet ArchboId Stadium
Here in the second quarter, Kansas on top of Syracuse, 7-0
SARETTE: Six regular! Six regular!
The Orange faithfuI stiII waiting for something to cheer about
Hut one!
Sarette back to pass
Throwing downfieId
It's compIete to his tight end
down near the Kansas 30-yard Iine
Way to pick up the blitz, Ernie!
A superb block on the play, turned in by Ernie Davis
Second down, eight yards to go for the Orangemen
SARETTE: Hut!
Toss pIay once again to Ernie Davis
BEN: Get him out there!
Davis to the Kansas secondary
Go, Davis, go!
Look at that young man go!
The EImira Express virtuaIIy waIks into the end zone!
The Syracuse Orangemen, now on top of Kansas, 14-7
Go for one
And what an impression Ernie Davis has made on this crowd here at ArchboId
The Orangemen just may have found their next great haIfback
Hey, Ernie
Hey, fellas, how you doing?
You guys coming or going?
Hey Welcome home, Ernie
Pops!
They give you some time off?
Yeah, yeah, long weekend
Look at you, all college boy
You're just gonna dirty up my college jacket
Come on, come on, let's go inside You're too good to hug me?
Look at this!
Let me carry that Give me your bag
lf they'd run you more last week against Navy,
you would have blown them jokers off the field
Will, we won
Seems like that coach of yours like to pass the ball
l'll get my carries
Yeah? He promise you that?
No Thank you, ma'am But eventually No?
How are your grades, Ernie?
Ernie?
They're good, Pops, thanks l'm keeping them up
l like history, and l'm taking a business course
That's good
'Cause football is just a game
lt's that degree that's going to count for something
Gonna get you a good job
Where you gonna get a good job at, a Negro with a diploma?
AT&T? GM?
lt's football that's gonna take him someplace
Otherwise, he gonna be working right here with us,
cutting coal, and you know it
l wanna apologize for him
You ain't got to apologize for me, Pops!
Don't you start it tonight, Will
Pops Guys! Don't start it tonight
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!
Relax
You're both right
Now, my plan A is the Cleveland Browns Now, if that doesn't work out,
plan B is the New York Giants
Come on, Ernie We don't wanna be late
Sorry, my dear, we got things to do, people to meet
l'll meet you outside, Ernie
MAN: Jim Crow is alive and well right here in Pennsylvania
MAN: Yes, it is
But we can no longer willfully close our eyes
and pretend that we cannot see that he sees us as beneath him
WOMAN: Yes! No, we cannot
And we can no longer stay silent when he tells us that we cannot speak
Yes! That's right!
Abraham Lincoln stood in a field at Gettysburg,
and spoke of a new nation MAN: That's right
Uniontown is 100 miles away from his Gettysburg
We are still yet to be equal
That is why the NAACP is calling for a nationwide boycott of Woolworths
That's right! That's right!
All right
Come on
ALL: Boycott! Boycott! Boycott! Boycott! Boycott! Boycott!
WlLL: Come to Washington with us
There's a bus going down from the church
We gonna organize with Martin Luther King
and let the people know this country has got to change
l don't think l can be a part of what you want me to be a part of
right now, Will All this
What you saying?
l got a scholarship
l can't risk losing it, and l don't wanna invite trouble
l see Did Emmett Till invite trouble? Did Rosa Parks?
Who told you this, your coach?
You don't understand
lt's a different world up there
ls it?
You know, your coach sound a lot like Pops
No understanding whatsoever with the troubles in this country
''You boys got no business north of Union Street, you hear me?''
Now, leave Pops out of this, Will
Now you got a white man telling you what you can and can't do
Wait a minute Hold on Watch how you talk to me
That man don't care nothing about you, Ernie
You're not there You don't know him
You just his educated nigger
You don't know what you're talking about Tom can toe the line
and carry the ball, but that man will turn on you Just you wait
You don't think l'm reminded every minute of who l am at school?
Everybody there is watching me, and waiting for me to make a mistake
You Ernie Davis
You got your name in the paper
Now that's something for colored folk around here to open up a newspaper, Ernie,
and see your name, your face
And say, ''l know him l went to school with him''
They gonna be looking up to you
l think you owe them more than just running a ball
SlMMONS: The play action pass was there all day
lt won't be there the next time
Why not?
'Cause Boston College is watching the same damn game that we are
All right, we start out double tight Tight in here, tight in there
Just a normal double tight
Just like from the beginning of time, Simmy
Now, we're gonna take Schwedes out of the wing position,
and we're gonna move him into a three-back formation
Only shift it over like this
All right, defense What do you do when you see this?
Now the defense, they have to shift
We move to the right
That's right Even if it's shading from nose up to opposite shoulder
Our right tackle? He goes on the left side
l'm gonna leave the huddle,
and you're gonna start out right, just like normal
Go left, go left!
Except before we're set, you're gonna run Ieft
He runs left,
and you're gonna line up on the left side
And he sets up on the left side
And it's evident that Boston College is confused
by the offense Syracuse is running
You lost me, Ben The right tackle moves to the left,
he covers the tight end
But if he's on the left side, we cover the tight end, l can't pass to him
The Holy Cross defenders are desperately trying to position themselves
to best pIay against this formation
Petey, am l talking French here?
Tackle lines up inside the tight end, does he not?
lt's unbalanced, right? Do we shift again, Coach?
Yes, they shift They all shift
They have to shift They must shift
Shift, shift, shift
All right, so you've got everybody and their dog
shifted over to the left Now what?
We are going to run it
to the right
To the right, Coach?
But that's away from our strength
The weak side of the field
So, we're going to run to the weak side?
l like the way that you think, Mr Davis
Gentlemen, when you have a thoroughbred, you do not lock him in the barn
SARETTE: Hut!
l will take one-on-one out here all day long
That just might work, Coach
Damn right
''Ernie Davis is a bull-necked, steel-shouldered running back
''from Syracuse University, who can run a football field's length
''in 10 seconds flat'' 10 seconds?
Okay, put that away now, please
Don't you be modest
Thank you Be proud, Ernie
You're in the same magazine as Reverend King,
that's something Yeah
That is something, but Sarah, it looks like you didn't read the best part
''ln his spare time, the bull-necked Ernie Davis enjoys sewing,
''baking lasagna, and writing songs for his church choir''
Ernie, you never invite me to church Very funny, very funny
l'm hurt What is that? Ernie? Ernie
Can l have a word with you, please?
Make me some lasagna
He can take it
Good to see you JACK: That's Mr Andreas
Just turn left there
(lNAUDlBLE)
PREACHER: ''He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
''He leadeth me beside the still waters
''He restoreth my soul
''He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake
''Yea, though l walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
''l will fear no evil, for thou art with me
''Thy rod and thy staff''
40 years, Pops worked underground
Seems wrong to put him right back in there
ANNOUNCER: And the drive deep into Ieft fieId And it's a home run!
''And his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain''
YOUNG ERNIE: ''His grace which was bestowed ''
POPS: ''upon me was not in vain ''
(SOBBlNG)
Pops
BEN: Now, we barely got by West Virginia when we played them here last year,
and they've been licking their chops waiting for us ever since
They play by a different set of rules
lt will be hostile
Their fans are unruly,
especially when they're playing against a team that
looks a little different than they do
Now, load up
God damn it!
Hey, Squirrel!
Didn't l tell you to put new laces in these?
l forgot l'll do it now
His name is Donald
What?
His name is Donald
(LAUGHlNG)
Hell, Squirrel, l don't know which one's worse
But you see, Davis, around here, Squirrel finishes the laces
lf it makes you happy, you can shine them for me
PLAYER: Hey, come on!
(WHlSTLE BLOWlNG) PLAYER: Get him off!
BELL: Hey! Knock it off!
Hey!
What the hell's going on in here?
Where are you going, Davis? Davis!
l'm talking to you!
Hey, you guys all saw it Coach, he went crazy on me
BEN: All right, everyone, listen up
Everyone is to keep their helmet on at all times,
whether you're in the game or not
l don't want anyone hurt by flying bottles
Davis, Buckley, Baker, you stay in the middle of the pack
Keep your heads down
MAN: lt must be Halloween, 'cause here come the spooks!
We'll be safer out on the field
All right, let's go!
Come on, boys! Let's go!
ANNOUNCER: The unbeaten Syracuse Orangemen
have made the journey to Morgantown, West Virginia
They'II face a rugged Mountaineer team
(CROWD BOOlNG)
And there's the boot Baker takes the footbaII up to the 20,
the 30, the 40 and he's finally brought down at the 47-yard line
Offense, let's go Look alive, let's go
A full house 495 dive on two, on two Ready?
PLAYER: Thirty-five, thirty-five!
SARETTE: Okie Okie
(ALL BOOlNG)
PLAYER: Thirty-five, thirty-five
The Orangemen break the huddIe, first and 10
Out of the fuII-house backfieId
The give is to Ernie Davis Davis spins at the Iine of scrimmage
where he's met by a host of West Virginia tackIers
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Get him off him! Play football!
REFEREE: Huddle up, 70
We will get no justice from the refs tonight
All right, guys We're gonna run it till they stop it
Right, full house 495 dive, on one, on one Ready?
Break! Break!
Same play! Same play! Same hole Run it Same play, same hole, on one
Run it PLAYER: Strong left!
Thanks PLAYER: Set!
Second down at six yards to go
SARETTE: Hut one!
The Orangemen go back to Ernie Davis Davis is met with a waII of Mountaineers
And Davis reverses field with a tremendous move
What's he doing?
Davis picks up a big bIock
and with a stiff arm, gets free into West Virginia territory
Shit, he's going in
He's at the 20, the 10, inside the 5!
(CROWD BOOlNG)
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
No! Knee down, right here
lt certainly appeared from our vantage point here
that Ernie Davis has scored on this play
REFEREE: l got you down at the 1
You were down!
No, l got in, Mr Official
Sir, l got in You saw me
You want a penalty, boy?
Get back in that huddle now
Brokaw, come here! Yes, Coach
Come on, son Go get us six Go!
Davis, come in! Come in, son Come in
Come on, son Let's go For me?
You're holding up the game Let's go l got it
First down Syracuse
Why'd you pull me, Coach? l took it down there Let me score
lf l let you carry that ball across the goal line,
all of us, we might not get back on that bus in one piece
That's the way they do things down here
Sarette hands off to Brokaw,
who punches the baII home,
and the Orangemen have grabbed a 6-0 Iead
against the Mountaineers on their own home turf
(SlGHS)
Go home, blackie!
First down for the Orangemen BaII at the West Virginia 42-yard Iine
Sarette with the fake
Ernie Davis across the Ieft side breaks the tackIe and gets into the open fieId
BEN: Good run! Good run!
Brokaw, come here Yeah, Coach
Strong right, fullback wedge eight Go!
Ernie, Ernie!
Brokaw, get in there!
Right full house, 40 broom On one, on one Ready
Break! Break!
SIMMONS: Davis, get off the fieId
WILL: Now, you got a white man teIIing you what you can and can't do
one hundred years away from here
Ref, time out Time out
You don't have any more
MAN: We are stiII not yet
You're just his educated nigger
They gonna be Iooking up to you
l think you owe them more than just running a ball
(CROWD EXCLAlMS)
(CROWD BOOlNG)
What the hell do you think you're doing?
What did l tell you about the rules down here?
What are you We just scored Bullshit
You scored! We're a team l'm the coach
You're a goddamn running back You're my goddamn running back,
and you will do what l tell you, when l tell you to do it
Now, you plant your ass down on that bench
Am l invisible?
What? Am l invisible to you?
Am l an X, an O in your goddamn playbook, or do you see a person standing here?
Am l Avatus Stone? Am l Jim Brown?
Just a running back? That's bullshit!
You're about this close, Davis
Come on, let's go
You know, maybe, just maybe, Coach,
the rules down here are your rules, too
That's enough Come on
What?
You all right?
Yeah
Good game
Good game, Ben Mike?
l tried not to run up the score
l know You just had our number tonight
Say, Ben, how many coloreds you got playing for you?
Three, why?
You just be careful, Ben They got no discipline
Too many of them and they'll take the team away from you
Now, you give my best to Reggie
Coon-lover!
Can l sit down?
l'm sorry l lost my temper
But l'm not sorry l stayed in the game, and l'm not sorry l scored
Now, what kind of an apology is this?
l've never walked off the field for anybody
(SlGHS)
These people down here, they're dug in
They're set in their ways We got
Coach, that
You're just hiding behind those words
l have a responsibility to my team, Davis
That's not how it has to be
Yes Jack, Art and me, we're all a part of your team
But we can't run across that goal line down here without you
lt doesn't mean a damn thing unless you're with us
ls that it?
(SlGHS)
ANNOUNCER 1: And in coIIege footbaII, the Syracuse Orangemen
continue their dominance of the Eastern Conference with a 29-0
ANNOUNCER 2: Fans, I wish aII of you couId be here
to see what these eyes have just witnessed
briIIiant dispIays of athIetic taIent I've seen on any gridiron
Come on, guys! Sustain your block!
Ied by Ernie Davis, from EImira, New York
ANNOUNCER 3: Another jaw-dropping performance here at Navy MemoriaI Stadium
ANNOUNCER 2: I teII you one thing, he's eIectrified this crowd
The unbeaten Syracuse Orangemen
ANNOUNCER 4: Davis, who has been
nothing short of briIIiant today, reserves the victory
for coach Ben SchwartzwaIder and the Syracuse Orangemen
ALL: (SlNGlNG) nothing but a hound dog
You know it!
Crying aII the time
WeII, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine
(ALL CHEERlNG)
SlMMONS: Settle down Listen up, boys
All right, listen up Listen up!
PLAYER: Coach!
Gentlemen, congratulations
Undefeated with a number one ranking is something to be proud of
ALL: Yeah!
But
Mr Andreas has informed me
that we have been offered two different bowl games,
the Orange Bowl in Miami
and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Now, in Miami, we would play Georgia, ranked ninth in the polls
And in Dallas, we would play Texas, ranked second, right behind us
lf we win either game, we will be the national champions
Texas is the tougher opponent, the tougher team
But to be the best, l believe you have to beat the best
So, l guess you know how l would vote, but this is your vote
This is your team Your decision
Texas
PLAYER 1 : Texas
PLAYER 2:Texas
PLAYER 3: Texas
Texas Texas
ALL: Texas
Texas
Looking forward to it! Texas
Texas!
Texas Texas
A lot of people think the Texas Longhorns
are the best team in the nation
One big reason is Clay Taylor
All-American, best Division One tackle in the nation
three years in a row
Now, some folks even think that the only reason that we are undefeated
is because we have not met Clay Taylor and his teammates
l want everyone to take a good long look at what we're up against here
because in Texas, football is a religion
You think we been south?
We ain't been south till we go to Texas
Schwedes, give me a goose-step
(ALL LAUGHlNG)
FAUBUS ON TV: We are now faced with a far different probIem
The forcibIe integration of the pubIic schooIs of LittIe Rock
against the overwheIming sentiment of the peopIe of the area
CROWD: Two, four, six, eight!
We don't want to integrate!
Two, four, six, eight!
We don't want to integrate!
(BUS HORN HONKlNG)
KING: We stiII have the attitude of Iove,
we stiII have the method of passive resistance
and we are stiII insisting emphaticaIIy,
that vioIence is seIf-defeating
That he who Iives by the sword wiII perish by the sword
(SlREN BLARlNG)
(ALL CLAMORlNG)
This is quite a ruckus
Hey, Ernie, Roger Page, Channel Nine
They're calling this game the North against the South
ln light of what's going on in this country,
do you feel added pressure to represent change?
We don't concern ourselves with politics
We're just here to play a great football game
and take home the championship
To be honest, Mr Page, when l'm out on that field,
l only think about winning the game
But that doesn't mean l don't know the color of my own skin
Let's check in
We've got a problem, Ben
What?
The Aristocrat Hotel does not allow coloreds to stay here
l need my team together, Lew
Now, you do whatever it takes to make that happen
What's the problem? What's the problem here?
Right this way, gentlemen
(COUGHS)
Fellas, looks like we once again found the Negro wing
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
State seven! State seven!
SARETTE: Set! LUNDY: Double tight! Double tight!
Wing left, watch it
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
Stop!
Do you think it is the New York City Ballet
that's going to be running up your ass on New Year's day?
These are the goddamn Texas Longhorns!
lf you cannot fight off blocks better than that,
let's just get on the bus and go home
Run the play again!
(ERNlE GROANS)
Shit!
My hamstring!
ANDREAS: This may be a blessing in disguise
Look at these
Where did you get these?
Where did l get them?
They were sent to the hotel to your boys
Scare tactics
Doesn't have a goddamn thing to do with football
We shouldn't play him
Maybe not even Art or Jack but especially Ernie
The NCAA is on my back
Even the Mayor of Dallas is nervous, afraid of race riots
Lew, you hired me to win
Well, l'm here at the goddamn Cotton Bowl,
and this time we're gonna win it
So why don't you tell that to the Mayor of Dallas?
l'm playing You hear me? l'm playing
You're goddamn right you are
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
CBS ANNOUNCER: There's an electricity in the air today in Dallas
And, as you can see from the clear skies behind me,
it's not a local thunderstorm
All eyes are on the field as undefeated Syracuse,
the Beast from the East,
takes on Texas, the power of the Southwest Conference
Do l need to say anything?
WlLL: Come on, it's on!
Come on, it's on, the Cotton Bowl Come on, Marie
Come on Come on Come on
All right, all right
Get two ice teas, please
And the Cotton Bowl
(LAUGHS)
Drop your heads
ALL: Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
George, fancy seeing you here
You taking a look at Davis?
l've seen him
Really?
ln a Redskins uniform?
l think he'd look better in a Cleveland uniform
Now, wouldn't that be something?
ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentIemen, pIease give a warm Texas weIcome
to the Syracuse University Orangemen
With a phenomenal record of 10-0,
Ben Schwartzwalder and his mighty Orangemen of Syracuse,
ranked number 1 in the nation,
take the fieId here at the historic Cotton BowI in DaIIas
to face DarreII RoyaI
and the second-ranked Longhorns of Texas
You ready for this?
l'm ready
MAN: Get off the field!
ANNOUNCER: If the Orangemen are going to be successfuI moving the footbaII today,
they're going to have to go through Clay Taylor and Pete Logan,
two very dominant footbaII pIayers
and the defensive Ieaders for the Longhorns
Davis, hamstring
Tails
Syracuse receives!
That's what we wanted
Go, boy PLAYER 1 : Get them
Ernie, if you get the ball, go all the way
PLAYER 2: Let's go! Let's go! PLAYER 1 : Let's go, four-four
(CROWD CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: And the 1960 Cotton BowI is underway
(GRUNTS)
Offense! Let's go!
ANNOUNCER: An incredibIy enthusiastic crowd on hand
as Syracuse Iines up for its first series
l've been waiting for this nigger
SARETTE: Okie Okie Set!
l'm about to kick your black ass back to Africa, boy
Oh, yeah? Too bad l'm from Philly
ANNOUNCER: The give is to Ernie Davis
He gains two yards and is brought down quickIy by TayIor and Logan
LOGAN: We're in the Cotton Bowl, not the cotton patch, boys
Personal foul, ref! 84!
84, ref
ANNOUNCER: The handkerchief on the fieId
There appears to be some Iate contact by both TayIor and Logan
Holding, offense!
(CROWD CHEERS)
That's bullshit Will!
But there, did you see that? l saw it
You don't stop this quick, it's gonna get out of hand
That's one You've been warned
''l've been warned'' What are you, my first grade teacher?
ANNOUNCER: Sophomore Davis is cIearIy favoring his right Ieg
as he moves back to the Orangemen huddIe
SARETTE: Okay, on one, on one Ready?
ANNOUNCER: The Orangemen facing first and 20
It's to Davis
Runs to his Ieft Looks to throw
Now cuts back to the right
with a dazzling spin move, and sheds the tackler
He turns the corner He's in the cIear He's gone!
BEN: Quick Go! Go! Go! Go!
Go!
He's driIIed out of bounds at the 3-yard Iine
And now Davis, who's lying prone on the sidelines,
appears to be either exhausted or hurt
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
I can't beIieve they caught him
Ernie, get up!
Ernie! Ernie!
Ernie, you all right?
Davis is finaIIy heIped to his feet
by AII-American tackIer Jack BuckIey
One has to wonder
just what kind of shape Ernie Davis is in l told you
Syracuse, first down at the Longhorn three
The give is to the right haIfback, Gerhard Schwedes
Outstanding bIock by Davis
He crosses the goaI Iine to put Syracuse on the board
Here in the second quarter
Coach Ben Schwartzwalder and his top-ranked team find themselves
on top of the Texas Longhorns, 7-0
SARETTE: Ready? ALL: Break!
The Orangemen are knocking on the door once again
SARETTE: State seven! State seven!
Set! Hut one
The give is to Ernie Davis and the sophomore finds the end zone,
as the Orangemen increase their Iead on the Longhorns!
So precisely when is it you're going to
start kicking my black ass back to Africa?
(SPlTS)
Hey, Buckley!
Hey, come on, stay cool
They're baiting us They're baiting them
Hey, Logan, Taylor, 44 is embarrassing you
And after a successful two-point conversion
the Orangemen of Syracuse lead the Longhorns of Texas
by a score of 15-0
McKinIey on a sweep to the right
Bobby Lundy steps up and there's a huge hit on McKinIey
And the baII is Ioose, recovered by the Orangemen
and Syracuse takes over
ERNlE: Yeah
ANNOUNCER: My, that's a cheap shot
A Iate hit by TaIbert on Ernie Davis
after the pIay was whistIed dead
Back! Everybody, back! Back! Back! Back!
You all right, son? You okay?
l'm all right, Coach
All right You sure? Yeah
Offense on the field Let's go!
(CROWD JEERlNG)
Told you this would get out of hand This is bullshit
ANNOUNCER: Syracuse wiII run one Iast pIay before haIftime
Pack your bags, spook
Scoreboard, eight-four
Come on, let's just play ball
You defending this nigger?
How you gonna call yourself a white Christian?
l'm Jewish
Hut one!
(GRUNTS)
BEN: That's another late hit
ANNOUNCER: And once again, Ernie Davis is pummeIed!
Break it up, ref!
Come on, ref, do something
(GRUNTS)
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
ANNOUNCER: And both teams are cIearing their benches
and heading to the middIe of the fieId
Ref, l told you to do something about this
This has become a fiasco It's a donnybrook
My God, no This
This is no Ionger a footbaII game, Iadies and gentIemen
WlLL: ls somebody gonna stop this?
ugIy dispIay
Get off! Get off the field!
PLAYER: Hey, Coach!
Get off of him! Break it up!
Petey, you all right?
JACK: You guys see what happened?
BELL: Come on, cozy up to the blackboard
JACK: You see what happened, Lundy? That's what l'm telling you
You can't let people talk to you like this,
be pounding on your leg the whole time
ERNlE: l know, but you'll get ejected They won't
You're done for the day
We're up by 15 We can take it from here
Coach, l can still get back out there and play
No, l want you to put some ice on that leg
l had a halftime speech all planned out
lt seemed pretty good up till about 10 minutes ago
lt was all about victory and champions and glory
But this is not just a game anymore
We're fighting something else out on that field right now
And l can see it just as clearly as you
And that's why winning this one
means nothing if you lose yourselves
Don't give this one away
Keep it Hold on to it for yourselves
and for everyone in this room
lt's here lt's right here
And no one can take it from you, gentlemen
Not the officials, not the crowds
and certainly not the other team
lt belongs to you, gentlemen
Don't you let anyone steal history away from you
Glory! Glory!
ANNOUNCER: As pIay resumes here at the Cotton BowI,
Ernie Davis has not joined the rest of the Orangemen
for the second haIf
Down 15 to nothing, the Longhorns are
desperate to get something on the board
Bobby Lackey drops back to pass
And it's compIete to Bobby Gurwitz
for a 69-yard Texas touchdown!
What a throw by the Heisman-hopefuI quarterback from Texas
ANNOUNCER 2: A 69-yard touchdown pass caught by number 24, Bobby Gurwitz
Goal line, goal line Ready?
ANNOUNCER 1: DarreII RoyaI and Texas opt to go for the two-point conversion
(GRUNTlNG)
Another walloping tackle by Syracuse's Bob Lundy
That'll mean something later on
ANNOUNCER: Midway through the third quarter,
Syracuse protecting a 15-6 Iead against the Longhorns
PLAYER: Three SARETTE: Hut, hut!
Sarette with a fake to Baker
Options to Schwedes
Schwedes is hammered by MuehIing and coughs up the baII
All right! Let's go!
Protect the ball!
And watch out! The Longhorns are buiIding some momentum
Texas, knocking on the door at the goal line
Bobby Lackey caIIs his own number and finds the end zone
The Longhorns have suddenly given us a football game here in Dallas
Lackey drops back to pass,
and it's compIete to PauI
Syracuse 15, Texas 1 4
The Longhorns have made it a one-point game
Tough break
l mean, they probably got it in hand
Baker, Schwedes, they're good backs
But no sense in getting hurt worse, right?
Entering the fourth quarter of play,
the tension level here at the Cotton Bowl is palpable
We let them right back in the game
Coach, Davis
All right, boys, keep your heads in the game Don't worry about it
Ernie, what are you doing?
l need to talk to you, Coach l need you to ice that leg
l already have l need to talk to you for a sec
No, no, you are not playing Just listen to me for a sec
You can watch, but you cannot play
Just hear me out, Coach
Coach, on the trip down here l saw a lot of things out that bus window
Now, we get to Dallas, they got me, Jack and Art
in a tiny room with cots
We can't use the elevator 'cause we might scare the white folks
Can't even walk in the front door of a hotel
Now, all those people who did that,
who believe that's right, are watching
But you know what, so are they
(CHEERlNG)
(SlGHS)
Can you even run?
Yes, sir
l don't want to hurt you anymore
l'm ready
All right
Strong load right, 42 shovel pass
Go Let's go, Ernie
And now the 76,000 fans at the Cotton Bowl are stunned!
ANNOUNCER: Ernie Davis has returned to the pIaying fieId
Let's go
Man, that's Ernie Davis!
(ALL CHEERlNG)
LUNDY: Strong left
SARETTE: Six regular! Six regular! Tight
ANNOUNCER: The Orangemen, baII on their own 40-yard Iine,
are desperate for a first down
to keep the baII out of the hands
of Longhorn quarterback Bobby Lackey
And the baII comes Ioose
Texas has recovered
His knee was down, ref
First down, Texas!
Bad call, ref
My knee was down, sir
They're trying to steal it from us l was down
Franklin, Franklin, get in there for Davis, go
No Get back l'm staying in l'm staying in
Regulations!
ANNOUNCER: Texas on the 40-yard Iine with the baII and with the game's momentum
Bobby Lackey drops back to pass
Throws downfieId, he's got a receiver open
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
Go! Go!
All the way! All the way!
That's the way Offense, offense, let's go!
Let's take advantage
BEN: Get out there Let's go!
ANNOUNCER: First down, 10 yards to go from the 13
Syracuse has to move the chains
and keep the cIock ticking down
or put this game away with another touchdown
SARETTE: Hut one
Yeah! Yeah, go, go, go!
He's behind you Go!
That's it! That's it
He got this Go!
ANNOUNCER: An unbeIievabIe pIay!
Ernie Davis scoring
on an amazing 87-yard catch and run!
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
With the finaI seconds ticking away
Stay in the game
lt's not over
the Longhorns are Iooking to tie this game up
with a Iast chance shot at the end zone
(ALL CHEERlNG)
(lNAUDlBLE)
All right, ladies, settle down Settle down Give me your undivided attention Hey!
lt's just been announced,
the 1960 Cotton Bowl MVP Congratulations to Mr Ernie Davis
(ALL CHEERlNG)
Ernie! Congrats
Come here
Congratulations, brother
All right, everybody, listen up
This gentleman wants to say something
Go ahead
What the man is trying to say is that the trophy ceremony in our honor
will be held at Oak Hill Country Club tonight
Great Very nice
Unfortunately, the Oak Hill Country Club is color restricted
Which means that three of us,
including the player who was awarded the Cotton Bowl MVP today, cannot attend
(ALL GROANlNG)
PLAYER: Seriously?
Ridiculous
Now, how do we feel about that?
l don't know about you,
but l hear they have some great barbecue down here
(ALL EXCLAlMlNG)
(BAND PLAYlNG ROCK 'N' ROLL MUSlC)
(SINGING)
(ALL CHEERlNG)
(ALL WHOOPlNG)
You read it
''To Syracuse University department of athletics
''This is to inform you that Ernest Davis
''has been selected as one of the three finalists for the''
(CHUCKLES)
Congratulations, Ernie
MAN: We're ready for you, Mr Davis
MAN ON MIC: or witnessed more cIoseIy
Good luck, Mr Davis
Thank you, sir
the importance of the gridiron or effected more change in the game
than John W Heisman So, it is with distinct pIeasure
No matter what happens up there,
l want you to know that l'm really proud of you, son
the memoriaI trophy bearing his name
The first is Ernest R Davis from Syracuse University
Our next nominee is Robert Ferguson, Ohio State University
Our third nominee is James Saxton, the University of Texas
Congratulations
Thanks, man
The Heisman Trophy has,
since 1935, represented everything that is great about coIIegiate athIetics
And these three fine young men represent their teams, their schooIs
and their famiIies with honor
The voting for this year's award was the cIosest in history
and each of these pIayers is deserving
That said, the winner of this year's Heisman MemoriaI Trophy is
Ernest R Davis from Syracuse University
(EXCLAlMlNG)
Congratulations
Thank you
Congratulations
l appreciate it
Congratulations, Ernie Thank you
You did great
(EXHALES)
First, I'd Iike to thank the Heisman committee
Sarah,
my famiIy,
Mom,
WiII,
and
And Pops for beIieving in me
And Jim Brown for Ietting me wear his number
(PEOPLE CHUCKLlNG)
I'd aIso Iike to thank my head coach, Ben SchwartzwaIder,
for making me better, being a good teacher,
and for being a good man
Thank you, everyone
Where exactly are we going?
Right this way
Ernie, l was in town and l wanted to get a chance to meet you
l know today is a proud day for you You've really accomplished something here
Congratulations
Thank you, Mr President
MAN: Fourth down, 9 yards
Must be nice having the number one draft pick, huh, George?
l'm sure Ernie Davis is a fine boy,
but l'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites
Mr Modell, George Marshall from the Washington Redskins is on the phone
Of course he is
George, what a surprise to hear from you
You do? Okay, l'm listening
LAWYER: lt's all over the wire
The Redskins just traded their number one pick to Cleveland
You're a commodity now
Yeah, you should listen to your lawyer, man He's right lt's all business now
Have you been sick recently?
No, l feel great
l may be a commodity, but this commodity is playing for Cleveland
Me and Jim Brown in the same backfield
You're gonna steal his number again?
ERNlE: Oh! Oh!
Stop it
l don't want to leave
You don't have to leave
l do
l should bring you with me
Just jump in my suitcase You know you can fit
Oh!
Oh, no Oh, l slipped
l'm sorry
That was a mistake, too l'm sorry Uh-huh Uh-huh
l have to get you a new blouse
Look at you
What are you doing?
He's at the 10
(SARAH LAUGHlNG) The 20, the 30
The 40
(EXCLAlMlNG)
ls that another nose bleed?
You know, Hound Dog says he gets hit so hard,
he wakes up with blood on his pillow Doesn't even know where it came from
But you haven't been hit
Ernie, you haven't been hit What
Bus leaves for practice in a half hour
Be here when l get back?
l'll be here
Right two to Maury, right two to Maury
QUARTERBACK: Set? Go!
MAN 1 : Stop MAN 2: Change your block, change your block
Behind me, the East team led by Syracuse's Ben Schwartzwalder
Ernie Davis goes through the paces
in preparation for Saturday night's All-America game
ASSlSTANT COACH: Davis look a little sluggish to you?
He'll be fine
QUARTERBACK: Tight right, 34 wide dig Ready?
PLAYER: Come on! ALL: Break!
QUARTERBACK: Okie Okie
Watch Strong left Strong left!
PLAYER: Right!
(PANTlNG)
QUARTERBACK: Six box! Six box! Set!
Hut! Hut!
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
All right, let's run it again Let's go
lt's all right You'll get them next time Come on
(PANTlNG)
Ernie?
Ernie? You okay?
(lNAUDlBLE)
He's got to have another transfusion He's lost quite a lot of blood
How'd he do that? We're not sure
He's gonna need further tests
So test Gentlemen
(SlGHS)
Now what am l supposed to tell the press?
Mumps What?
He's got a bad case of the mumps
That's good
(REPORTERS CLAMORlNG)
QUARTERBACK: Double tight! Double tight! Down!
Set!
(PANTlNG)
Blue 3-21 !
Hut! Hut!
(PANTlNG)
(WHlSTLE BLOWS)
ASSlSTANT COACH: Hey, Ernie!
The man wants to see you
PLAYER 1 : All right, get back PLAYER 2: Let's go
Hey
Hey, Mr Modell
Hey How are you?
l'm good l've been watching you
l'm still trying to find my rhythm out there
You know, new system and all Yeah, listen, Ernie
All l need is some rest Yeah, the system is
Once l get used to it
All right Ernie, Ernie, Ernie,
l spoke with Dr Hewlett and
Look, he doesn't know what it is, but they know something's not right, Ernie
l should have told you earlier, kid l really can't clear you for practice
lf l can't practice, how am l gonna play?
You're not gonna play Not now
And maybe not this season
(SlGHS)
(STAMMERS) Well, when?
l don't know
l don't know, kid
Get better, okay? Your job is to get well
Mr Modell, you don't understand
Everything l got is because of football
l need to play
Yeah
Mr Modell, please, sir
Next year, kid We're counting on you next year Really
(PANTlNG)
Thank you
Thank you, sir
Did you hear back from the teaching job yet?
Well?
They offered it to me
That's great
l told them l had to think about it
What's to think about?
The distance between Cleveland and Oakland for one
Take it
What?
Take the job, Sarah
You've always said you want to do something with your life
You didn't just come to school just to find a husband
You're beautiful, smart
Stick to that dream
How sick are you, Ernie?
Look at me
Sarah
MAN: Ernie Davis?
l hate to disturb you, but would you sign an autograph for my son?
He's 1 2, and you're his favorite player
Gonna be great to see you with the Browns
Thank you
You're welcome
Leukemia
It's a word that jumps out at you
I know when I first heard it myseIf,
I was
I was scared
But I got a Iot of peopIe in my corner,
good peopIe,
standing beside me
My doctors are confident
They teII me I'm responding weII to my treatment
So, things are good
And you know me I'm an optimist I'm gonna fight it
I hope to get on that fieId and see you aII in that press box reaI soon
ReaI soon
(REPORTERS CLAMORlNG)
Mr Davis, Tom Martin, Saturday Evening Post
l saw you play in the Cotton Bowl two years ago
Okay
l'm wondering if you'd like to write an article for us
You want me to write an article?
I don't know whether you know this,
but you're an inspiration to a Iot of our readers
There he is, number 77
He's as good as me?
Maybe better
BEN: Hey, Ernie
Ernie, this is Floyd Little Floyd, this is
Ernie Davis
2,386 yards, 360 carries,
66 yards a carry
You good at math, huh?
(CHUCKLES)
FLOYD: You see, my plan is to be just like you,
best Negro running back in the NCAA,
Heisman Trophy all the way
Then the NFL, make some money
(LAUGHlNG)
You got it all figured out, don't you?
What kind of bottle do you think this is?
Don't know Don't have a label
Right
lt could be a soda bottle,
it could be a beer bottle, it could be anything
No label
You see, l never set out to be the best Negro running back
l just wanted to be the best running back
The best football player l could be Period
Look, now l'm
Floyd, l'm never gonna play for Cleveland
Or any other team
My playing days are over
So don't you look at that poster of me on your wall and tell me
you want to be like me, because that isn't enough
You're gonna have to do better than that
You think you can?
Yes, sir
Good
But the thing is, l told Notre Dame l would sign with them
(EXCLAlMS SOFTLY)
Floyd, you know how Notre Dame loves their passing game
My fear is a talented runner like yourself
may get stuck polishing that Notre Dame bench with your butt
You don't want that
(PLAYERS EXCLAlMlNG)
(DOOR OPENS)
l want to know something
Coach?
What the hell did you say to Floyd Little?
(SlGHS) Why? What happened?
Well, l'll be damned, he backed out on Notre Dame
He's coming to Syracuse
Well, let's see l told him you like your runners lazy,
and you like players who backtalk
Mmm-hmm
Anything else?
l told him you were a good coach
(SlGHS)
l'm not gonna lie to him, Ernie,
because l know how hard it's gonna be for him
And l promise, if he works hard,
he can run for that end zone whether he's in Boston or Mississippi
And l won't tell him that he's the next Ernie Davis,
because there won't be another Ernie Davis
Can you believe they suited me up to run on the field and take a bow?
l'll be right here with you, son
ANNOUNCER: PIease weIcome to the fieId,
number 45, from Syracuse at haIfback, Ernie Davis
(CROWD CHEERlNG)
ERNIE: Mr Martin, in the end it turns out you did me a favor
when you asked me to write this for The Post
You see, yesterday was my 23rd birthday,
and compared to some, that doesn't seem Iike a whoIe Iot of Iife to taIk about
Thing is, I don't know how much more is in front of me
And as you see from the number of pages, if you've read this far,
I did have a few things to say, and I'm not sure how to end this
or even if I want to
It's funny Most peopIe think my Iife has been aII about footbaII
I've even thought that myseIf
But footbaII is just a game
What matters is what you pIay for
Sometimes, when the game is cIose and everything is on the Iine,
that's when you forget the crowd and the noise
That's when it's just you against somebody eIse to see who is the better man
That's what I Iike about the game
Because at that moment you are friends
and you are enemies
and you are brothers