HomeEntertainmentHow Did USC's 1979 Heisman Trophy Winner Charles White Pass Away?

How Did USC’s 1979 Heisman Trophy Winner Charles White Pass Away?

Former USC Trojan and Heisman Trophy winner Charles White has passed away. The 1979 award winner, a great running back, was battling cancer at the time. It’s unfortunate that he was unable to win the fight.

White’s career at USC as a running back was extremely fruitful. As a result of his 49 touchdowns in 1980, he was selected in the first round of the NFL draught. He played for the Browns in Cleveland and the Rams in Los Angeles.

His 1988 retirement came after he had just finished as the league’s leading rusher the year before.

In the 1978 and 1979 Rose Bowls, he was named the game’s most valuable player both times. In 1995, Charles White was honored into to the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was inducted into to the University Football Hall of Fame.

What Ultimately Took The Life Of Football Star Charles White?

On January 11, 2023, Charles passed away, and his alma mater, the University of Southern California (USC), announced that cancer was the cause of death. At this time, the specific type and duration of Charles’ cancer are unknown. We can’t say for sure if the repeated head trauma he endured over his lengthy football career led to his illness.

Before winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 1979, Charles played college football at the University of Southern California as a running back for the Trojans.

He finished his undergraduate career with 6,245 yards rushing and 49 touchdowns, all of which are still school records. His two years as USC’s most valuable player earned him Rose Bowl MVP honours in 1978 and 1979. The Trojans went 3–1 in the Rose Bowl under his direction, and 4–0 in bowl games overall.

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Charles was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 1980 NFL draught. Before his NFL career even began, he spent five years with the Browns and spiralled into a life of drug and alcohol abuse.

After going in and out of rehab centres, he finally settled in Los Angeles and became the NFL’s leading rusher for the Rams in 1987. Still, he had retired from professional sports by 1988.

As his addiction worsened, his connection with USC deteriorated, despite the fact that he had been asked back to USC in 1990 as a special assistant to the athletic director and coached the Trojans’ running backs from 1993 to 1997.

A year after the school terminated relations with Charles, he was discovered from outside his apartment complex “disoriented and oblivious of his surroundings,” as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

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In The End

Charles’ ex-wife Judi White-Basch made the following statement to The Times in July 2022: “Everybody assumed his troubles were exclusively drug-related, now we know that they may have been directly tied to the trauma to the brain.

It didn’t make any sense for a long time, but now I see how it all fits together. Charles was known for his fearlessness and high-contact playing style. Charles spent his final two years at an assisted living home once his dementia worsened enough to warrant such a transfer.

In July, Charles told The Times, “I know I once accomplished something wonderful, something amazing, something fantastic for USC.” Thankfully, Charles and his family were able to reconnect with USC and resume their lives there before his passing.

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USC AD Mike Bohn remarked of White, “Charles White was one of the all-time great Trojans.” While wearing the Cardinal and Gold, he made USC proud as a Rose Bowl legend, two-time unanimous All-American, and NCAA record maker.

John Robinson, White’s former head football coach at USC and while with the Los Angeles Rams. said of White, “He was the greatest player I’ve ever taught.” In that respect, he was a really unique individual.

To put it simply, he was a fantastic player who lived for the game. Things like those stick out in my mind the most. He was an exceptionally talented athlete and a harsh character. “But the hardness… amazing!”

Charles will go down in history as one of the best and most fearless runners ever. Despite his legacy being tainted by drug abuse and health problems, it can be used as an example of the need for improved protections for football players.

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Conclusion

Nicole, Julian, Tara, Ashton, and Sophia Hemmen, as well as their granddaughter Giovanna Hemmen, are Charles’s direct descendants. We’re sorry for your loss, and our thoughts are with Charles’ loved ones.

Chandan Panda
Chandan Panda
Honors student who is knowledgeable in accounting and excellent at conveying that knowledge to others. aiming to make the most of one's abilities and to take part in things while keeping a clear head. As I've progressed through life, I've picked up skills in a number of areas, including content modification, photo/video editing, and even some creative writing. In my spare time, I like a wide variety of activities, including watching anime, riding my bike, and listening to music.
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