Davey O'Brien

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Davey O'Brien
Date of birth:	June 22, 1917(1917-06-22)
Place of birth:	Dallas, Texas
Date of death:	November 18, 1977 (aged 60)
Career information
Position(s):	Quarterback
College:	Texas Christian
NFL Draft:	1939 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4
Organizations
As player:
1939-1940	Philadelphia Eagles
Career highlights and Awards
Awards:	1938 Heisman Trophy 1938 Maxwell Award 1938 Walter Camp Award
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com
College Football Hall of Fame

Robert David O'Brien (June 22, 1917 – November 18, 1977) was a Heisman Trophy winning football player who played quarterback at Texas Christian University.

1 College career
2 NFL career
3 Life after football
4 External links

[edit] College career

As a senior in 1938, O'Brien led the TCU Horned Frogs football team to an undefeated season and the national championship. That year, the 5' 7" 150-pounder, known in the newspapers as "Lil' Davey", completed 110 of 194 passes for 1,733 yards and 19 touchdowns. O'Brien was named to thirteen All-American teams and became the first college football player to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He set the all-time college record for most rushing and passing plays in one season - 400, and became the first Heisman winner to emerge from the Southwest Conference. His college career reached its culmination on Jaunary 2, 1939 with a brilliant 15-7 Sugar Bowl victory over Carnegie Tech, in which O'Brien kicked a field goal and threw a touchdown pass.

The Davey O'Brien Award, given annually to the best quarterback in collegiate football, is named for him.

[edit] NFL career

Following his graduation, the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League offered him a $12,000 bonus and a two-year contract. In his first season in the NFL, he passed for 1,324 yards, breaking his old TCU teammate Sammy Baugh's single season passing yardage record. In the last game of his second season, also the last game of his career, he set single game records for most attempts and completions by completing 33 of 60 passes for 316 yards against Baugh's Washington Redskins.

[edit] Life after football

After two seasons with the Eagles, O'Brien retired from football to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent. He stayed with the FBI for 10 years, earning a reputation as a top marksman and serving on its national pistol team. In 1950, he used his TCU geology degree to enter the Texas oil industry, working for several Dallas oil firms before starting his own. O'Brien also served as president of the TCU Alumni Association, a YMCA board member, a chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, a supporter of Golden Gloves youth boxing programs, and a deacon of University Christian Church. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. He died in 1977 after a seven year battle with cancer.

[edit] External links

Preceded by Clint Frank	Heisman Trophy Winner 1938	Succeeded by Nile Kinnick
Preceded by Clint Frank	Maxwell Award Winner 1938	Succeeded by Nile Kinnick