1956 Ernie Davis Practice Game Worn High School Jersey Elmira Express Lelands For Sale

Circa 1956 Ernie David Practice Worn High SchoolJersey Sourced from from High School Coach.
"The Express" honed his craft on the football fields of Upstate New York in the mid 1950s and wore this white jersey with royal blue trim and numerals during practices at Elmira Free Academy. It sources from Ernie Davis' high school coach, Marty Harrigan and is signed on the front by Harrigan with personalization: "Ernie's Practice Jersey EFA. The vintage jersey shows excellent use with blood stains on the front. There's a MacGregor size 44 tag inside the tail. Davis played his college ball two hours up the road at Syracuse University, where he is held in reverence today as the Carrier Dome memorialized him with the "Ernie Davis Room." Attending Elmira Free Academy, he earned two All American honors. Although recruited to numerous universities, eventually Davis made his way to Syracuse after discussion with Jim Brown. His childhood hero, Brown led him in the direction of the 1961 Heisman. Sadly, the future and potential Cleveland Brown legend was diagnosed with leukemia and never played in a professional contest. Dying at the age of 23, a football nation was stunned and mourned. This jersey was worn when Davis showed his real talent on the gridiron in 1956 at age 17. This Jersey represents the 2nd earliest known Ernie Davis used football related artifact!
The jersey comes with a provenance receipt from Lelands, where it was obtained in sale.

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