Named for a director of athletics of the New York City Downtown Athletic Club, it was won for the first time by Jay Berwanger in 1935
[DOC] [TLE] Jay Berwanger, first winner of the Heisman Trophy, 1914-2002 [PAR] Jun 27, 2002 ... Jay Berwanger, football star at the University of Chicago and first winner of the ... 
Manhattan's Downtown Athletic Club, informing him that he had won a trophy ... 
football player east of the Mississippi," as well as a trip for two to New York.