Ernie Davis was an American football player born on December 14, 1939, in New Salem, Pennsylvania. He played as a running back and gained fame while attending Syracuse University, where he became the first African American to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1961. Davis was selected first overall in the 1962 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, but he was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, his professional career was cut short due to health issues, as he was diagnosed with leukemia. Ernie Davis passed away on May 18, 1963, at the age of 23.