Western Pennsylvania has produced many great quarterbacks. In reverse chronological order, they include Terrelle Pryor, Rich Gannon, Jim Kelly, Jeff Hostetler, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Chuck Fusina, Terry Hanratty, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Willie Thrower, Babe Parilli and George Blanda.
The first was Johnny Lujack.
John Christopher Lujack was born on January 4, 1925, outside Pittsburgh in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. His brother Aloysius, or Al Lujack, starred in basketball, playing for Georgetown University and the NBA's Washington Capitols.
At Connellsville High School, Johnny Lujack lettered in football, baseball, basketball and track; and was also the senior class president and valedictorian. The school wanted him to go to the U.S. Military Academy, thinking it would keep him out of World War II, at least at first. But radio broadcasts and the influence of the Catholic Church made him a fan of the University of Notre Dame.
After 2 seasons in South Bend, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and Ensign Lujack hunted Nazi submarines. In 1946, he returned, and Army, having lost out on him twice (to Notre Dame and to the Navy), faced Notre Dame in "the Game of the Century" at Yankee Stadium. Both schools came in undefeated, Army ranked Number 1 and not having lost in 3 years, Notre Dame ranked Number 2 and the last team to beat Army. The game did not live up to its hype, and ended 0-0.
Lujack became only the 3rd person to win "monograms" (they didn't call them "varsity letters") in 4 different sports at Notre Dame, and led them to back-to-back National Championships in 1946 and 1947 (in the latter year, sharing with Michigan, whom they did not play that season).
In 1947, he was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year, and won the Heisman Trophy, beating out such contenders as Michigan running back Bob Chappuis, Southern Methodist running back Doak Walker (who won it the next year), Mississippi quarterback Charlie Conerly, Texas quarterback Bobby Layne, and University of Pennsylvania center and linebacker Chuck Bednarik.
He was the 1st Polish-American to win the Heisman. Only one has followed him: Vic Janowicz of Ohio State, in 1950.
In 1949, Lujack married Patricia Schierbrock of Davenport, Iowa, and they had 3 children: Mary, Jeff, and Carol.
He was drafted by the Chicago Bears, intended to replace the great Sid Luckman as their starting quarterback. In 1949, he led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns. In the season finale, on December 11, the bears pounded their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cardinals, 52-21. Lujack through 6 touchdown passes, and threw for 468 yards. That was an NFL record, although it stood for only 2 years: In 1951, Norm Van Brocklin of the Los Angeles Rams passed for 554 yards in a game, and that remains the record.
Very unusual for a 20th Century quarterback, Lujack actually led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 1950, with 11. And, in those days, he also played in the defensive backfield. He made the Pro Bowl in 1950 and 1951.
And that was it. He only played 4 seasons in the NFL. He returned to Notre Dame, as an assistant coach to his former head coach, Frank Leahy. Together, they won a National Championship in 1953. Leahy then retired, and wanted Lujack to succeed him. But university president Theodore Hesburgh instead appointed Terry Brennan, one of Lujack's teammates at Notre Dame, who was then coaching the freshman team. It was a reasonable choice, and it was a good choice in 4 out of 5 seasons: He went 9-1, 8-2, 2-8, 7-3 and 6-4.
Lujack joined his father-in-law's Chevrolet dealership, and ran it until 1988. In 1958, CBS teamed him with Chris Schenkel on New York Giants broadcasts. But in 1962, Ford became a sponsor, and, since Lujack ran a Chevy dealership, he was fired. But this turned out to be good for NFL history: His replacement was former Giant player Pat Summerall, who became perhaps the greatest announcer in the sport's history, later teaming with John Madden to form the greatest football announcing team of all time.
Lujack wasn't done as a sportscaster, though: He teamed with Jim McKay, first on CBS, then on ABC. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame and the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame. He wasn't named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but on the team's 100th Anniversary in 2019, he was named one of the 100 Greatest Bears of All Time.
Johnny Lujack died today, July 25, 2023, in hospice care near his home in Naples, Florida. He was 98 years, 6 months and 21 days old, making him, easily the longest-lived Heisman Trophy winner. (Jay Berwanger, the Trophy's 1st winner, in 1935, has been, so far, the next-longest: 88.)
With his death, the earliest living Heisman Trophy winner is Pete Dawkins of Army, in 1958.
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