Horvath, Leslie
Football
b. Sept. 12, 1921, South Bend, IN
d. Nov. 14, 1995
The versatile Horvath was primarily a single-wing tailback at Ohio State, but he also played wingback and quarterback at times. He excelled as a broken-field runner and pass receiver. A starter in 1941 and 1942, Horvath then graduated and entered the School of Dentistry.
Because of the World War II manpower shortage, the Big 10 in 1944 decided to allow freshmen to play, and also granted an extra year of eligibility to students who hadn't been able to play as freshman. That allowed Horvath to return to the team, and he again became the starting tailback.
He gained 905 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns in just 9 games, leading Ohio State to a 9-0-0 season. He was named an All-American halfback and won the Heisman Trophy as the nation's outstanding college football player.
After receiving his degree in dentistry in 1945, Horvath entered the Navy and assisted his former Ohio State coach, Paul Brown, with the Great Lakes Naval Training Station team. In 1946, he coached a U. S. Marine team in Hawaii.
Horvath played professionally with the Los Angeles Rams in 1947 and 1948 and the Cleveland Browns in 1949. He finished third in the NFL in returning punts in 1948, with 203 yards on 13 runbacks, an average of 15.6 yards.