Walter Camp Distinguished American Award

The Walter Camp Distinguished American Award is presented by the Walter Camp Football Foundation to an individual who has used his or her talents to attain great success in business, private life or public service and who may have accomplished that which no other has done.

The recipient does not have to have participated in football but must understand its lesson of self-denial, cooperation and teamwork and who is a person of honesty, integrity and dedication. He or she must be a leader, an innovator, even a pioneer, who has reached a degree of excellence which distinguished him or her from contemporaries and who lives within the principles of Walter Camp.

2008 Distinguished American Award Winner
Pro football Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson (Purdue) is the recipient of the 2008 Walter Camp “Distinguished American” award. A standout quarterback who also played defense and served as the kicker at Purdue, Dawson was selected in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1957 NFL Draft. In 1962, Dawson signed with Dallas Texans in the American Football League and was named AFL MVP. A year later, the franchise moved to Kansas City and were renamed the Chiefs.

Dawson made his mark as the leader of the Chiefs, leading the team to three AFL titles (1962, 1966 and 1969) and one Super Bowl championship in 1969. Named the Super Bowl MVP, Dawson led the Chiefs to a 23-7 win over the heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. Dawson was a five-time All-Pro selection and was named to the Pro Bowl seven times. He retired in 1975 after throwing for over 28,700 career yards. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Walter Camp Distinguished American Award Honorees
2012—Tom Osborne, Hastings College

2011—Floyd Little, Syracuse

2010—Chuck Bednarik, Pennsylvania

2009—Robin Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana

2008—Len Dawson, Purdue

2007—Frank Broyles, Georgia Tech

2006—Dick Vermeil, San Jose State

2005—Arthur Blank, Babson

2004—Pat Summerall, Arkansas

2003—Bill Walsh, San Jose State

2002—Regis Philbin, Notre Dame

2001—New York City Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Service Personnel

2000—Gene Upshaw, Texas A&I

1999—Bo Schembechler, Miami (Ohio)

1998—Steve Young, Brigham Young

1997—Steve Largent, Tulsa

1996—Dick Ebersol, Yale

1995—Keith Jackson, Washington State

1994—Paul Tagliabue, Georgetown

1993—Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C.

1992—Cami Cozza, Miami (Ohio)/Yale

1991—Alexander Kroll, Rutgers

1990—Tex Schramm, Texas

1989—Dick Kazmaier, Princeton

1989—Burt Reynolds, Florida State

1988—Sid Luckman/Y.A. Tittle, Columbia/Louisiana State

1987—Weeb Ewbank, Miami (Ohio)

1986—Tom Landry, Texas

1985—Bob Hope

1984—Bill Carpenter, United States Military Academy

1983—Tom Harmon, Michigan

1982— Eddie Robinson, Grambling State

1981—Harold "Red" Grange, Illinois

1980—Alexander Haig, United States Military Academy

1980—George Halas, Illinois

1979—David "Sonny” Werblin, Rutgers

1978—Jim Crowley Notre Dame