Heisman to have permanent home at planned N.Y. museum

NEW YORK -- The Heisman Trophy, homeless since the post-Sept. 11, 2001, shuttering of the Downtown Athletic Club, will strike a permanent pose inside the planned National Sports Museum in lower Manhattan.

"We think it's a good match," said William Dockery, president of the Heisman Trophy Trust said Wednesday. "We've been looking for a home. It's downtown, close to where we were in the past. And it contributes to the revitalization of downtown Manhattan."

The National Sports Museum, a 100,000-square-foot facility on Broadway, is planning a November 2006 opening, said its founder and chief executive, Philip Schwalb. The museum eventually could become the site of the annual presentation of the Heisman, which honors the top player in college football.

"I don't think there is as distinct a physical manifestation of sporting achievement as the Heisman," said Schwalb, referring to the familiar pose of the player on the trophy: the right arm extended to ward off tacklers, a football tucked tightly beneath the left arm.

Dockery agreed there was "a strong possibility" that the new facility, located in the landmark Cunard Passenger Ship Line building, could host the nationally televised ceremony. The museum will house the trophy and display a permanent exhibit of Heisman memorabilia and artifacts.

The trophy was left without a home when the Downtown Athletic Club, located just a few blocks from ground zero, closed in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The club already was in financial difficulty before the attacks caused a steep dropoff in visitors.

In recent years, the Heisman was shuttled among various Manhattan locations. Its new home, an $80 million venture, received two-thirds of its financing through bonds issued to spur revitalization in lower Manhattan and the rest through private investors, Schwalb said.

The Heisman, named for Downtown athletic director John Heisman, first was awarded in 1935. Past winners include Paul Hornung, Roger Staubach, Archie Griffin and last year's recipient, Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart.

The original Heisman currently is kept in the offices of the Heisman Trust in lower Manhattan.