Fans across the world continued to show their support for the film ‘The Express,’ which won the 2009 ESPY Award for Best Sports Movie Wednesday night at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The film beat out fellow nominees ‘Sugar’ and ‘The Wrestler’ in an online vote by fans, who determined the winners in 37 different sports categories.
‘The Express’ chronicles the life of Orange legend Ernie Davis, the 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, and premiered at the Landmark Theatre in Downtown Syracuse last September. Actor Rob Brown played Davis, the Elmira, N.Y. native, who led the Orange to the national championship in 1959, and became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy two years later. Veteran film star Dennis Quaid portrayed legendary SU head coach Ben Schwartzwalder, whose relationship with Davis formed the crux of the film.
“It’s just a great movie that will be around forever and we are so proud of it,” Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross said. “The Express’ was our baby and it was something that we thought maybe could happen in 10 years, but it happened so fast as people started to recognize the story and the significance of the contributions of a guy like Ernie Davis.”
‘The Express’ was directed by Gary Fleder and based on Robert Gallagher’s book “The Express: The Ernie Davis Story.” For more information about the film, Davis’ life, and the Syracuse premiere, fans can visit
erniedavis.syr.edu.
‘The Express’ joins such films as ‘Miracle,’ ‘The Rookie’ and ‘Friday Night Lights’ as ESPY winners in the category of Best Sports Movie.
The SU men’s basketball team’s thrilling six-overtime victory against Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament was an ESPY Award nominee in the Best Game category. The Best Game ESPY went to Super Bowl XLIII, which featured the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dramatic win against the Arizona Cardinals.
The 2009 ESPY Awards was hosted by Samuel L. Jackson and will air on ESPN Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m.
