Johnny Lattner facts for kids
Lattner in Oak Park, Illinois 2004
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| No. 41 | |||
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| Position: | Halfback | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | October 24, 1932 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Died: | February 12, 2016 (aged 83) Melrose Park, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Oak Park (IL) Fenwick | ||
| College: | Notre Dame (1951–1953) | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1954 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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John Joseph Lattner (born October 24, 1932 – died February 12, 2016) was an amazing American football player. He is best known for winning the Heisman Trophy in 1953 while playing college football for the University of Notre Dame. He also won the Maxwell Award twice, in 1952 and 1953. After college, Lattner played one season in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1954.
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Johnny Lattner's Football Journey
High School Star
Johnny Lattner was a star athlete at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois. He was great at both football and basketball. He graduated in 1950. Many top college football teams wanted him to play for them. He chose the Notre Dame because it offered a great education and a chance to play at the highest level.
College Football Success
Lattner played halfback for the University of Notre Dame from 1950 to 1953. His coach was Frank Leahy. Johnny won the famous Heisman Trophy in 1953. This award goes to the best college football player in the country. He also won the Maxwell Award twice, in 1952 and 1953. This award goes to the best college football player in the nation.
In 1953, his team, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, had an amazing season. They won nine games, tied one, and lost none. They finished second in the national rankings. Lattner ran for 651 yards and scored nine touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes and made two touchdowns from kickoff returns.
Johnny Lattner was so famous that he even appeared on the cover of Time Magazine on November 9, 1953. The magazine called him a "bread and butter ball carrier." This meant he was a reliable and essential player.
Playing in the NFL
In 1954, the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Lattner in the first round of the NFL Draft. He played for them for only one season. After that, he joined the United States Air Force for two years.
While playing football in the Air Force, he got a serious knee injury. This injury meant he could not play professional football anymore. Even though he only played one season in Pittsburgh, he did very well. He gained over 1,000 yards from offense and special teams. Because of his great performance, he was chosen for the NFL 1954 Pro Bowl.
Coaching Career and Hall of Fame
After his playing days, Lattner coached football for a short time. He coached at St. Joseph's High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He also coached at the University of Denver. His coaching career ended in 1961 when the University of Denver stopped its football program.
In 1979, Johnny Lattner was honored for his amazing college career. He was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for college football legends.
Johnny Lattner's Life Off the Field
Family and Community
Johnny Lattner lived in Oak Park, Illinois, for most of his life. Later, he lived in Melrose Park, Illinois. During the winter, he would stay in Anna Maria Island, Florida. He worked as a sales vice president at a company called PAL Graphics Inc.
Lattner was very proud of his Irish Catholic background. He often took part in the Chicago Saint Patrick's Day Parade. He would often carry the banner of Saint Patrick and wear a kilt and green stockings. People said nobody was "more Irish" than Lattner during the parade.
Restaurant Ventures
In 1962, Lattner opened his own restaurant called Johnny Lattner's Steakhouse in Chicago. Sadly, in 1968, an electrical fire badly damaged the restaurant. Three people lost their lives in the fire. Johnny's Heisman Trophy was on display in the restaurant and was destroyed. He sent a check for $300 to the Downtown Athletic Club, along with news about the fire. They sent him a replacement trophy. He then opened a second restaurant from 1968 to 1972.
A Real-Life Hero
Four years before the restaurant fire, Johnny Lattner was a hero in a different fire. In 1963, he was driving home late at night. He saw a fire in an apartment building in Chicago. He quickly called the fire department. Then, he woke up 25 people from one of the buildings. He even carried a five-year-old girl to safety! He helped 40 people escape without getting hurt.
His Legacy and Family
Johnny Lattner loved to share his Heisman Trophy. He would often rent it out for tailgates and other events. All the money he earned from this went to charity. In 2007, his old high school, Fenwick High School, retired his #34 jersey. This means no other player at Fenwick will wear that number again.
Johnny Lattner had 25 grandchildren. Many of them also played football for Fenwick High School. His grandson, Robert Spillane, played football at Western Michigan University. He has also played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another grandson, Ryan Smith, played football at Miami University.
Johnny Lattner passed away on February 12, 2016, at the age of 83. He died from an illness at his home in Melrose Park, Illinois.
