Sports
Doak Walker
Dallas-raised Doak Walker became SMU's 1948 Heisman winner and then an unusually versatile Detroit Lions star, earning five All-NFL selections in only six professional seasons.
- Roster rank
- #140
- Category
- Sports
- Subject type
- Person
- Profile source
- Published Texas Icons profile
Texas story
Life and career
Doak Walker grew up in the Dallas area, starred at Highland Park High School and became one of SMU's most celebrated players. He won the 1948 Heisman Trophy after a college career that made his name synonymous with postwar Texas football.
Walker played only six NFL seasons but contributed as runner, receiver, returner, kicker and even passer. He helped Detroit win the 1952 and 1953 NFL championships and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Defining work
What to know
- 1948 Heisman Trophy
- SMU
- 1952 and 1953 NFL championships
- 1986 Pro Football Hall of Fame
Timeline
Key milestones
- 1927Born in Dallas.
- 1948Wins the Heisman Trophy at SMU.
- 1950Begins Detroit Lions career.
- 1952-1953Helps Detroit win back-to-back NFL titles.
- 1986Enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Texas connections
Places in the story
Dallas
Birthplace and Highland Park upbringing.
University Park
SMU college career.
Legacy
Why the story lasts
Walker became one of the most versatile stars of early postwar professional football.
His Highland Park and SMU history gives him one of the strongest Dallas-area roots in the Sports roster.
Walker's Dallas upbringing and SMU career made him one of the central figures in the city's postwar sports identity. The crowds and attention surrounding his college games were part of the phenomenon remembered as the 'House That Doak Built,' while his Heisman Trophy and later professional success ensured that the local popularity was matched by national recognition.
Sources
Research trail
Cross-linked profiles