John Joseph Lattner (October 24, 1932 – February 12, 2016) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wit ...
player. While playing
college football for the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
, he won the
Heisman Trophy in 1953. He also won the
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best ...
twice, in 1952 and 1953. Lattner played professionally for one season in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ma ...
(NFL), with the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...
in 1954.
Football career
Lattner starred in both football and
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
at
Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois, where he graduated in 1950. Fenwick, along with other Chicago-area Catholic schools, was a training ground for Notre Dame and Big Ten football programs, and Lattner held offers from top college football programs across the country. He initially considered the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
because head coach
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Oosterbaan ( ; February 24, 1906 – October 25, 1990) was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team, and an All-Big Ten C ...
ran the
single wing offense, a scheme that fit Lattner well at Fenwick. Lattner eventually chose
Notre Dame
Notre Dame, French for "Our Lady", a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, most commonly refers to:
* Notre-Dame de Paris, a cathedral in Paris, France
* University of Notre Dame, a university in Indiana, United States
** Notre Dame Fighting Irish, th ...
, which offered a Catholic education and the highest level of competition.
Lattner played
halfback for the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
under head coach
Frank Leahy
Francis William Leahy (August 27, 1908 – June 21, 1973) was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 1939 to 1940 and at ...
from 1950 to 1953. He won the
Heisman Trophy in 1953, and won the
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best ...
twice, in 1952 and 1953. In
1953, the Irish went 9–0–1, finishing second to
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
in the final Associated Press poll. Lattner rushed for 651 yards (averaging 4.9 yards per carry) and scored nine touchdowns, caught 14 passes for 204 yards, had four interceptions and tallied two touchdowns on only 10 kickoff returns.
Lattner appeared on the cover of ''
Time Magazine
''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on M ...
'' on November 9, 1953, with the caption "a bread and butter ball carrier", a phrase bestowed upon Lattner by Leahy.
In 1954, Lattner was
drafted in the first round by the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Stee ...
, but played with them for only one season before entering the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...
for two years. There, during a football game, he suffered a severe knee injury that prevented him from ever playing professional football again. Lattner's single season in Pittsburgh was a success, as he totaled over 1,000 all purpose yards on offense and special teams. As a result, he was named to the NFL
1954 Pro Bowl
The 1954 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's (NFL) fourth annual all-star game which featured the league's outstanding performers from the 1953 season. The game was played on January 17, 1954, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los A ...
as a kick and punt returner.
Lattner coached for a period in the late 1950s, at St. Joseph's High School in
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Keno ...
and the
University of Denver
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...
. His coaching career ended in 1961 when Denver cut its football program.
Lattner was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were v ...
in 1979.
Personal
An Oak Park resident for most of his life, Lattner later lived in
Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 24,796. Melrose Park had long been home to a large Italian-American population.
The suburb was the home ...
and resided in
Anna Maria Island, Florida during the winter months. He served as vice president of sales at PAL Graphics Inc. in
Broadview, Illinois
Broadview is a village in Cook County, Illinois, west of downtown Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 7,998.
History
Broadview was incorporated as a village in 1914.
Government
* Mayor: Katrina Thompson
* Clerk: Kevin R. Mc ...
.
[
Of ]Irish Catholic
Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the Briti ...
descent,[ Lattner was a longtime participant in the Chicago Saint Patrick's Day Parade, often carrying the banner of Saint Patrick. The '']Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' noted that nobody "out-Irished" Lattner, who also sports a kilt and green stockings for the festivities.
In 1962, Lattner opened Johnny Lattner's Steakhouse on Madison Street in Chicago. An electrical fire in 1968 severely damaged the restaurant and claimed three lives. Lattner's Heisman Trophy was on display in the restaurant and was destroyed in the fire. Lattner sent the Downtown Athletic Club a check for $300 along with newspaper coverage of the fire and received a replacement. He then operated a second restaurant at Marina City
Marina City is a mixed-use residential-commercial building complex in Chicago, Illinois, United States, North America, designed by architect Bertrand Goldberg. The multi-building complex opened between 1963 and 1967 and occupies almost an enti ...
from 1968 to 1972.
A fire four years earlier had ended better for Lattner. While driving home from work in the early morning of November 17, 1963, he spotted a fire in an apartment building on the West Side of Chicago. He called the fire department, then roused 25 residents from one of the buildings and carried a five-year-old girl to safety. He was credited with helping 40 people escape injury.[
In ]1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
**Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal enter ...
, Lattner ran in the election to be a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners
The Cook County Board of Commissioners is a legislative body made up of 17 commissioners who are elected by district, and a president who is elected county-wide, all for four-year terms. Cook County, which includes the City of Chicago, is the Uni ...
from suburban Cook County. While successful in winning the primary to be one of the Democratic Party's nominees, he failed to win election in the general election.
Lattner routinely rented out his Heisman Trophy to tailgates and other events with the proceeds donated to charity.[ At halftime during Fenwick's 2007 game versus ]Hubbard Hubbard may refer to:
Places Canada
*Hubbard, Saskatchewan
*Hubbards, Nova Scotia
Canada/United States
* Mount Hubbard, a mountain on the Alaska/Yukon border
*Hubbard Glacier, a large freshwater glacier in Alaska and Yukon
Greenland
* Hubbard Gl ...
at Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side, Chicago, Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Foot ...
, Lattner's #34 jersey was retired.
Lattner had 25 grandchildren, several of whom have also played football for Fenwick High School. Robert Spillane
Robert Spillane (born December 14, 1995) is an American football linebacker for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Western Michigan.
Early years
Spillane was born and grew up in Oak Park, ...
, a class of 2014 graduate, played football at the linebacker position for Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the tr ...
, and has played in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another grandson, Ryan Smith, also graduated from Fenwick in 2014, played football at the tight end position for Miami University
Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 1 ...
, and was an off-season member of the Green Bay Packers in 2018.
Lattner was 83 when he died from mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium). The most common area affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining ...
in his Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 24,796. Melrose Park had long been home to a large Italian-American population.
The suburb was the home ...
home on February 12, 2016.Farmer, Marty. "Fenwick legend Johnny Lattner dies at 83," ''Wednesday Journal'' (Oak Park, IL), February 17, 2016.
/ref>
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lattner, Johnny
1932 births
2016 deaths
American football halfbacks
American men's basketball players
Denver Pioneers football coaches
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball players
Pittsburgh Steelers players
High school football coaches in Wisconsin
All-American college football players
Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players
Heisman Trophy winners
Maxwell Award winners
Players of American football from Illinois
Sportspeople from Oak Park, Illinois
American people of Irish descent
People from Anna Maria, Florida
Catholics from Illinois
Catholics from Florida
Illinois Democrats