Robert Griffin III Joins Two other Memorable Baylor Greats

Heisman for Griffin Not Biggest Honor for Baylor Athletes

When Robert Griffin III was announced as the recipient of this year’s Heisman Trophy signifying being the top college football player in the land Baylor University had reached a level never reached before. The football program gained more recognition than it had in years and Griffin became the first Bear ever so honored.


But two athletes who proceeded Griffin at Baylor hold honors even greater than the Heisman. Jack Lummus and John Kane who each played two sports at Baylor were honored by their country with the Congressional Medal of Honor.


Both were heroes on the fields at Baylor in the late 1920’s and ‘30s and on the battlefield for the United States in World War II.


Jack Lummus was the best athlete of the pair at Baylor. He was an all Southwest Conference outfielder in baseball and a starting end on the football team. He was so good that he played both professional football for the New York Giants and minor league baseball. In fact, his last football game was in the 1941 NFL championship game. Then he joined the Marines.


On March 8, 1945, Lt. Lummus led his troops onto the beach at Iwo Jima in the first wave. Though wounded by grenade shrapnel and having both legs taken from him after stepping on a land mine he continued to direct his men until he had to be rushed to a field hospital. Lummus never recovered from his wounds and died shortly there after. For his heroism he was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.


John Riley Kane was a football and basketball player at Baylor about a decade earlier than Lummus. He was a surviving member of the basketball team that lost ten players “The Immortal Ten” in the tragic bus-train crash of 1927. After he graduated he joined the Army and had risen to Colonel by August 1, 1943.


That was when he was in command of the 98th Bombardment Group on a mission to take out Nazi controlled oil fields in Romania. When the lead group got lost and actually dropped their bombs on the 98th’s planned targets he took his unit to the main objective even though now the Nazi’s were aware an attack was imminent.


Continuing to circle the target and directing the attack Kane’s B-52 lost an engine and was struck more than twenty times by shrapnel and countless more bullets. During the attack Kane directed his planes in strategic maneuvers that were so inventive and successful they are used to this day.


Unlike Lummus, John Kane was able to survive the War. Although his plane had to crash land on Cypress after the raid he and his crew survived. However, fifty four of the 178 planes on the mission did not make it back.


John “Killer” Kane lived until he was 89, passing away in 1996. But like his fellow former Baylor athlete was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his efforts during World War II.


There is no question that the Heisman Trophy is the greatest single award given in any collegiate sport. Robert Griffin III needs to be remembered for all time by Baylor fans. Just don’t forget Jack Lummus or John Kane either.