Ernie Davis was one of the most famous athletes to play football at Syracuse University, and was the first African-American player to win the Heisman Trophy. His college career is all the more noteworthy because Davis was stricken with leukemia in 1962 and never played in a pro football game, succumbing to the disease in 1963. This standard college "Blue Book" examination booklet contains, in Davis' own hand, the speech he gave in accepting the Heisman Trophy following his 1961 college football season when the Syracuse team went undefeated and won the NCAA Championship. The Heisman speech is written on three sides of paper and includes cross-outs and corrections. In the speech, Davis calls receiving the Heisman Trophy the biggest moment of his four years at Syracuse, talks of playing professional football after college, and promises to "try to the best of my ability to live up to the faith that you have entrusted with me." This is all the more poignant given the reality of Davis' untimely passing. The blue book also contains the beginnings of another speech on an ensuing page, and a third short speech written on the back cover. The last lined page of the booklet also contains some notes and a written Heisman Trophy reference. The booklet has been folded in half vertically as if to be put into a jacket pocket. It was obtained directly from Davis' family and comes with both family and JSA LOAs. A truly unique item for the discerning collector.