- Charlie Ward's 1993 Heisman Trophy will be displayed at the LeRoy Collins Main Library until Aug. 31, due to ongoing renovations at the Thomas County Public Library.
- A meet-and-greet with Ward will run from 2-3 p.m. Saturday, February 1st.
- Watch now to hear Ward describe what he hopes having his Heisman Trophy at a library will accomplish.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Florida State football has won three Heisman trophies in its storied history.
Starting Saturday, you can see the first one in person, here at the LeRoy Collins Main Library.
I'm Alberto Camargo in the Downtown Tallahassee neighborhood.
I'm learning why the trophy making its way back to the capital city is so special.
The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding college football player in America every year.
The first Seminole to win it was Thomasville native Charlie Ward in 1993 — also the year of FSU's first national championship.
For decades, Ward's personal trophy has sat on display at the Thomas County Public Library.
But with renovations in progress there — Ward's Heisman will be back in Tallahassee.
"I'm just grateful that I had the opportunity to bring it home."
I spoke with Ward in his office at Florida High — and I asked him, why a library?
"My mom is a librarian, former librarian. I was a guy who didn't like to read, and my mom helped me to understand that reading is important. To have the Heisman there is another way to get people to go, and potentially there's an opportunity for them to choose a book."
Library director Pamela Monroe says Charlie and his wife Tonja were the ones who brought the Heisman back home.
"Their foundation has come in and donated books and things in the past. They are library users as well, so when they approached us about hosting the Heisman, we were excited!"
FSU fans can come to the library Saturday from 2 to 3 in the afternoon to meet Charlie alongside his trophy.
Ward says he hopes it can be an inspiration to neighbors as well.
"There's someone out there who sees the trophy and they think of their dreams, what they want to become. Maybe not a Heisman winner, but whatever they want to be. So the trophy represents that. If you have a dream, it may take you 15, 20 years to make it happen, but it can happen."
Ward's Heisman trophy will be on display until Aug. 31.
Once renovations are complete at the Thomas County Public Library, the trophy will be returned to Ward's hometown.
In Downtown Tallahassee, Alberto Camargo, ABC27.
