Charles R. "Monk" Meyer was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1935, the first year the trophy was awarded, while playing for the United States Military Academy.
Background
As the son of LTC Hermie Meyer and born at West Point, New York, on May 1, 1913, "Monk" was tagged by birth and tradition to serve his country with a career in the military. Monk grew up at various Army bases throughout the nation and even in the Philippines as his father received assignments during his military career.
Education
United States Military Academy.
Career
The Meyer family relocated to the Lehigh Valley area in time for Monk to play football, basketball and baseball at Allentown High School. After leaving Allentown High, Meyer prepped at Philadelphia"s Chestnut Hill Academy and entered West Point in 1933 as a player who could run, pass, kick and play defense. Foreign two seasons, 1935 and 1936, the "150-pound Mighty Mite" was the big gun of the Army attack for coach Gar Davidson.
Although small in stature at 5-9 and 150 pounds, and looking more like the team"s student manager, "Monk" Meyer was indeed a West Point football star.
And like many other Army graduates, he went on to display heroism on the battlefield for his country. The Touchdown Pass In 1935 against Notre Dame before a capacity crowd of 78,114 in Yankee Stadium, it was Meyer"s 41-yard first-quarter Territorial Decoration pass and stellar performance in a 6-6 tie that brought him into the limelight.
In 1936, Monk had another big day in Yankee Stadium. This time the Army ace outdueled famed Columbia passer and future Chicago Bears Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman as the Black Knights prevailed, 27-16, over the Lions.
Meyer graduated from West Point in 1937 and led troops in the Pacific Theater under the overall command of GEN Douglas MacArthur during World World War II and again in of Korea, and was wounded twice.
In addition he served in Vietnam and was a Pearl Harbor survivor. After 30 years of military service, Meyer retired in 1967 as a Brigadier General. He died August 11, 2001 in Hampton, New Hampshire and is buried at the West Point Cemetery at the United States Military Academy in New New York