The unfortunate truth about former college football star Ernie Davis is that there aren't many Americans who know who he was; even many adults don't know Davis became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961.
Forty-five years after Davis' death, however, more people are becoming familiar with the former Syracuse University running back's valiant story.
On Tuesday,dozens ofyouth football players, coaches and parents in Charlotte, N.C., attended a screening of the film "The Express," which chronicles Davis' journey through racial and social strife to football immortality.
The screening of "The Express," which opens nationwide Oct. 10, was courtesy of a joint venture between Universal Studios and USA Football.
In addition to the Tuesday night viewing in Charlotte, N.C., USA Football hosted five others across the country in Baltimore, Chicago, Indianapolis, San Diego and Washington, D.C. There will be a final film screening on Oct. 7 in Syracuse, N.Y., which is where Davis played in the Small Fry Football League that still thrives today.
Clearly impressed by the film's scintillating football action sequences, some of the younger players walked out of the theater chanting "Ernie Davis!" A new gridiron hero, it seemed, was born on this night. For some of the adults and elder players in attendance, the film not only showed them how dominant Davis, portrayed by Rob Brown ("Finding Forrester"), was on the field, it also served as an educational tool.
"It was good for us as a family," said Lawrence Surles II, who took his 6-year-old son, Jaylen Ruffin, and wife, Clarice, to the screening.
"I didn't even know about Ernie Davis, so it was very educational in that way. It taught us all something."
He nodded toward Jaylen.
"I know he was awake the whole time, and that's saying something," Surles said with a smile.
The shy Jaylen, who plays flag football for the 6-and-under 521 Cats team affiliated with Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, flashed a wide grin when asked about the film.
"I liked it," he said. "My favorite part was when he was running and making the touchdowns."
Because the screening took place on a school night, Rock Hill, S.C., resident Tara Holian initially was hesitant to drive her three sons across state lines. Her boys were glad she did.
"I liked the story line, and the action was cool, too," said 7-year-old Kevin Holian, who plays quarterback, running back and wide receiver for the Cats, a flag football team that competes in a league in Charlotte's Ballantyne section.
"I feel good knowing about Ernie Davis now," Kevin added. "I think some of those moves can help me."
Ryan Holian, 12, also liked the on-the-field moves, although he plans on transferring the knowledge he gained about Davis to the classroom, too.
"It was cool learning who Ernie Davis was," said Ryan, who plays defensive end and center. "Now, I can talk about him to other people. Maybe I'll do a book report on him one day."
The eldest Holian son, 14-year-old Sean, played linebacker for his Sullivan Middle School team in Rock Hill last season. "The Express," he said, served several purposes for him.
"I thought the movie was good because it was very inspirational," Sean said. "It was a good story about football and how to get past troubles in life. It was a good balance.
"I didn't know anything about Ernie Davis before the movie, but now I know a lot. I know he overcame a lot of things, I know he never gave up, and that's a good message for kids."
Universal Studios representative Lee Anthony said that besides entertainment, stimulating the youth educationally was a major goal when the company joined forces with USA Football to hold screenings of "The Express" in a half-dozen markets across the country.
"From what I hear when the kids are running out and going, ‘Ernie Davis! Ernie Davis!' they're talking about what they have to do during football and what the coaches have them doing," Anthony said. "But they're also learning about different things in life. Some of it's different from what they've experienced, but the kids are learning, and that's what counts.
"This movie is even making me want to go out and read more about [Davis], and I hope it affects the kids the same way. They're at least asking more questions about him now. And if it's football cards or books or whatever, it's getting them to read. That's a good thing."
Many in attendance Tuesday called the movie "empowering," especially as the film showed Davis handling bigotry with dignity and, later, his leukemia diagnosis with grace. The toughest part, however, might have been learning about how Davis died at age 23.
"I didn't know anything about him, either, but I think it was a good movie for [youngsters] to understand that everyone is the same," Tara Holian said. "We all have challenges to overcome, and [Davis] was a good role model. It was very sad when he died, but I'm glad I brought my sons - even on a school night.
"We're a football family. We see every football movie. This was a good one."
Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
