Thomasville History Series - Charlie Ward Jr.
This geocache is located beside the Thomas County Public Library, home to Charlie Ward’s 1993 Heisman Trophy. Football fans will want to take a minute to enter the library to see this trophy on display. Enter through the front doors, to the main desk, and then all the way to the far wall of the Children's section. You can’t miss it. It is best to park in the library parking lot and walk to the cache and trophy.
Charlie Ward, Jr. was born in Thomasville, Georgia in October of 1970. Ward was a star athlete at Thomas County Central High School. He excelled at football and basketball, among other sports, leading him to play at Florida State University. While at Florida State he made national headlines as the quarterback of the Seminoles. He led Florida State to their first-ever National Championship in 1993. After the season’s conclusion he was presented with College Football’s most prestigious award, The Heisman Trophy, as the best player in the nation. Ward also won the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award that year.
The New York Knicks drafted Charlie Ward Jr. in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Ward went on to play 12 seasons in the NBA and start the 1999 NBA Finals. To this day, Charlie Ward is the only Heisman Trophy winner to play in the National Basketball Association.
The Heisman Trophy on display inside the library is only awarded once a year. Even the College Football Hall of Fame doesn’t have an authentic trophy on display, but the Thomas County Public Library does. Take 3 minutes to snap a picture with it!
"One way to get a quality education is to read what you don't want and do what you'd rather not." - Charlie Ward, Jr.
Charlie Ward on the 1993 National Champion 'Noles
Ward with the New York Knicks
A sign outside of Thomas County Central commemorating Ward's time on campus
Remembering Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden was the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles football team for more than thirty years. During this time he was a true friend of Thomasville and a mentor to Charlie Ward, Jr. Ward viewed Bowden as a second father and significant role model in his life. During Bowden's tenure at FSU, the 'Noles would spend the Friday night before a game in Thomasville. For these reasons, and many others, Thomasville remembers the life of Bobby Bowden fondly. For more information on Thomasville's relationship with Coach Bowden read this article from the Thomasville Times-Enterprise.
THIS GEOCACHE IS JUST ONE OF SIXTEEN IN THE THOMASVILLE HISTORY GEOCACHING SERIES. THIS ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE SERIES LEADS GEOCACHERS ON AN EXCITING TOUR OF THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SERIES OR TO SEE THE ROUTE, CLICK HERE!