This Date in College Football History

October 3, 1936: John Heisman, longtime coach and namesake of the coveted Heisman Trophy, passes away at 66. The Cleveland, Ohio, native originated the hidden-ball play, invented the center snap, led the fight to reduce the game from halves to quarters, and led the movement to legalize the pass in 1906. Heisman played at Brown (1887-1889) and Penn (1890-1891), and began his coaching career at Oberlin (Ohio) in 1892. After stints at seven other schools, his overall career coaching record stands at 185-70-17. Heisman was preparing to write a history of football at the time of his death.

Credit: The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame