John David Crow Statue to be Unveiled on Friday
Oct 14, 2010 | Football
Oct. 14, 2010
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - John David Crow, the 1957 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M University, will be honored on Friday, Oct. 15 with a 3 p.m. ceremony as a statue of the Aggie legend is unveiled in front of the Bright Football Complex. The statue is a gift to the Aggie athletics department from Erle Nye, who commissioned the project as a representation of the great players in Texas A&M history. The statue was created by Steven Whyte of Carmel, California.
“John David Crow is not only a Heisman Trophy winner and one of the most decorated Aggies in history,” Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. “He has been an invaluable leader for Texas A&M throughout the years. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1958 and following an outstanding NFL career with the (Chicago and St. Louis) Cardinals and the (San Francisco) 49ers, John David was an excellent coach and college administrator. As the athletic director at Texas A&M, he championed many causes including improving women's athletics here in Aggieland. Even after he stepped down from his athletic director position, he and his wife, Carolyn, have stayed involved and have been great friends to me and Texas A&M University.”
Crow is a member of many hall of fames including the Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame (1968) as well as the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (1982). He was named a Distinguished Alumnus for Texas A&M in 2004 and was also named the Doak Walker Legends Award winner that same year.
In addition to Crow's exploits on the field, he was named to the 1957 Scholastic All-America team as presented by the America Peoples Encyclopedia, and was named Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.
The All-American football player helped the Aggie football team and Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant fashion an undefeated record in 1956 (9-0-1) and during his 1957 Heisman Trophy season, the Aggie football team was ranked #1 in the country for a period of time. Not only is Crow the only Heisman winner in Texas A&M history, he is the only Heisman winner to have played for Coach Bryant.
During the 1957 season, Coach Bryant commented to sportswriters, “If they don't give the Heisman to John David, they ought to quit giving it.”
Upon Bryant's retirement from coaching football, he was quoted as saying, “John David Crow was the finest player I ever coached. Watching film on him was like watching a grown man play with boys.”
Crow was a first-round selection of the Chicago Cardinals and the #2 player chosen overall in the 1958 NFL draft and he went on to star and serve as a team captain for the Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers during his 11-year NFL career. A four-time selection to the Pro Bowl, he was named to the All-Pro team of the 1960's as a halfback and was the record holder for the Cardinals with 51 career touchdowns.
After his NFL career, Crow went into coaching and served as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. From there he served as an assistant coach on the NFL level with the Cleveland Browns and the San Diego Chargers. He would become the Athletics Director and Head Football Coach at Northeast Louisiana University.
Former A&M football coach and athletic director Jackie Sherrill brought Crow back to Aggieland to serve as an associate athletic director from 1983 through 1988 when Crow was elevated to athletic director in December of 1988. He served in that capacity until stepping down in 1993 to devote more time to a business partnership with Coach Bryant's son. Even then, Crow still served the university by helping the A&M Foundation with fund raising for the overall university.
Crow was born July 8, 1935, and grew up in Springhill, Louisiana, where he was a prep All-American in football and also lettered in basketball and track. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1958 with a degree in business administration.
Crow and his wife, Carolyn, have two daughters Anna Lisa Stenklyft and Jeannie Pietrowiak. Their only son, John David, Jr., was born while his father was a player at Texas A&M, is deceased. The Crow's have seven grandchildren--Christa Marie and Sara Beth, daughters of John David, Jr.; Tommy, Anthony and David, sons of Anna Lisa; and James Bryant and Avery, a son and daughter of Jeannie.
Crow has agreed to serve as the honorary captain for this Saturday's game against Missouri with kick scheduled for 11 a.m. He will also be available near the statue sight from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Saturday to meet fans.
A partial list of John David Crow's accomplishments:
- Named a Distinguished Alumnus by Texas A&M (2004).
- Named the PricewaterhouseCoopers Doak Walker Legands Award (2004)
- A member of the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame (1976)
- A member of the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame (1968)
- A member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (1982)
- A member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1976)
- A member of the Louisiana Sports Museum of Champions (2001)
- Morris Frank Touchdowner Award (1979) presented by the Houston Touchdown Club for contributions and outstanding achievements reflecting honor and scholarship to the game of football
- Winner of the 1957 Heisman Memorial Trophy presented by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York
- 1991 recipient of the Distinguished American Award presented by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame
- Winner of the 1957 Walter Camp Memorial Trophy presented by the Washington, D.C. Touchdown Club
- 1957 Southwesterner of the Year and Amateur Athlete of the Year as presented by the Texas Sports Writers Association
- Chick Harley Award presented by the Columbus, Ohio, Touchdown Club
- 1957 Scholastic All-America as presented by America Peoples Encyclopedia
- Consensus All-America in 1957 including, but not limited to, Associated Press, United Press, Look All-America as selected by the Football Writers Association
- Top performer in College Football by Sport Magazine
- United Press 1957 Player of the Year
- United Press 1957 Back of the Year
- Outstanding Player in the 1958 Hula Bowl (January)
- Outstanding Player in the Gator Bowl
- Player of the Year by Coach & Athlete Magazine (January, 1958)
- Member of the 1958 College All-Star team (Played in summer)
- No. 1 draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals
- Twice named All-NFL
- Four times named to NFL Pro-Bowl (1960, 1961, 1963 & 1966)
- 1966 Len Eshmont Award voted upon by the San Francisco 49er squad to the most courageous and inspirational player
- Served as a team captain for both the Cardinals and the 49ers
- Named to the Texas All-Time Professional Football Team (1975)
- 1978 Louisiana Coach of the Year (Northeast Louisiana) as selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
