1. Felix Anthony "Doc" Blanchard was an American football player and serviceman who became the first junior to win the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award, and was the first football player to win the James E Sullivan Award, all in 1945.
22 Facts About Doc Blanchard
1. 2.
Doc Blanchard played football for the Army Cadets, where he was known as "Mr Inside".
3.
Doc Blanchard's father was a doctor and had played college football at Tulane University and Wake Forest University.
4.
Doc Blanchard led the school's football team, the Rockachaws, to an undefeated season during his senior year in 1941.
5.
Doc Blanchard was recruited to play college football by Army, Fordham University and the University of Notre Dame, among others.
6.
Doc Blanchard said in 1985 that he had been contacted about going to West Point when he was in high school.
7.
In 1943 after the United States became one of the Allies in World War II, Doc Blanchard enlisted in the US Army.
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Ryan Baker 8.
Doc Blanchard was stationed in New Mexico with a chemical-warfare unit until enrolling at West Point in July 1944 in an appointment his father secured.
9.
Doc Blanchard wears number 35 and goes by the name of Blanchard.
10.
An all-around athlete, Doc Blanchard served as the placekicker and punter in addition to his primary roles as an offensive fullback and a linebacker on defense.
11.
In 1984, at the awards ceremony marking the 50th Heisman Trophy presentation, Doc Blanchard took the occasion to recall, in comparison to the big glitzy shows for the ceremony today, how he learned of his Heisman selection in 1945.
12.
In 1946, Doc Blanchard missed the first two games of the season due to an injury to his knee.
13.
In 1947, Doc Blanchard played himself in the movie The Spirit of West Point.
14.
In 1947, Doc Blanchard graduated from West Point, 296th in order of merit among 310 graduates, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force.
15.
Doc Blanchard coached Army's freshman team in the 1950s, but he never played professional football, choosing a military career instead.
16.
Doc Blanchard had the opportunity to play professional football after being selected third overall in the 1946 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
17.
Doc Blanchard retired from the Air Force in 1971 as a colonel, then spent several more years as the commandant of cadets at the New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college that prepares students to enter the service academies.
18.
Doc Blanchard died of pneumonia at age 84 on April 19,2009, in Bulverde, Texas.
19.
Doc Blanchard lived with his daughter Mary and her husband Aaron for the last fifteen years of his life.
20.
Doc Blanchard was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959.
21.
The Doc Blanchard Award is given to a player from the Bowl's East team, while the Davis Award is given to a player from the Bowl's West team.
22.
The first recipient of the Doc Blanchard Award was Ryan Baker.