Herschel Walker - Academy of Achievement

<!doctype html> <html lang="en-US" prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns#"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.achievement.org:80/achiever/herschel-walker/","20180505105343","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1525517623"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="x-ua-compatible" content="ie=edge"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="57x57" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="114x114" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-114x114.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="72x72" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-72x72.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="144x144" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-144x144.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="60x60" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-60x60.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="120x120" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-120x120.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="76x76" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-76x76.png"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon-precomposed" sizes="152x152" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-196x196.png" sizes="196x196"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-96x96.png" sizes="96x96"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-32x32.png" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-16x16.png" sizes="16x16"/> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/favicon-128.png" sizes="128x128"/> <meta name="application-name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#000000"/> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-144x144.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square70x70logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-70x70.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square150x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-150x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-wide310x150logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x150.png"/> <meta name="msapplication-square310x310logo" content="http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/favicon/mstile-310x310.png"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343cs_/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Source+Sans+Pro:400,600,400italic,600italic,700,700italic" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"> <title>Herschel Walker - Academy of Achievement</title>  <meta name="description" content="“Strive to be the very best you can be. Run the race against yourself and not the guy in the other lane. The reason I say that is, as long as you give it 110 percent, you are going to succeed. But as long as you’re trying to beat the guy over there, you are worried about him, and you’re not worrying about how you’ve got to perform.” This philosophy made Herschel Walker one of the most phenomenal success stories in sports history. An unathletic child by his own account, Herschel Walker went on to set all-time football records at every level of play, from high school to the pros. Along the way, he maintained a high grade-point average and the inviolable self-respect first instilled in him by his parents. He earned the coveted Heisman Trophy in his junior year as a college athlete. The College Football Hall of Fame rated him as one of the two greatest players in the history of the college game, second only to the legendary Red Grange. Herschel Walker holds another distinction as the first student honoree of the Academy of Achievement to return as an adult professional recipient of the Academy’s Golden Plate Award."/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/herschel-walker/"/> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Herschel Walker - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:description" content="“Strive to be the very best you can be. Run the race against yourself and not the guy in the other lane. The reason I say that is, as long as you give it 110 percent, you are going to succeed. But as long as you’re trying to beat the guy over there, you are worried about him, and you’re not worrying about how you’ve got to perform.” This philosophy made Herschel Walker one of the most phenomenal success stories in sports history. An unathletic child by his own account, Herschel Walker went on to set all-time football records at every level of play, from high school to the pros. Along the way, he maintained a high grade-point average and the inviolable self-respect first instilled in him by his parents. He earned the coveted Heisman Trophy in his junior year as a college athlete. The College Football Hall of Fame rated him as one of the two greatest players in the history of the college game, second only to the legendary Red Grange. Herschel Walker holds another distinction as the first student honoree of the Academy of Achievement to return as an adult professional recipient of the Academy’s Golden Plate Award."/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/herschel-walker/"/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Academy of Achievement"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/walker-Feature-Image.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="2800"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1120"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="“Strive to be the very best you can be. Run the race against yourself and not the guy in the other lane. The reason I say that is, as long as you give it 110 percent, you are going to succeed. But as long as you’re trying to beat the guy over there, you are worried about him, and you’re not worrying about how you’ve got to perform.” This philosophy made Herschel Walker one of the most phenomenal success stories in sports history. An unathletic child by his own account, Herschel Walker went on to set all-time football records at every level of play, from high school to the pros. Along the way, he maintained a high grade-point average and the inviolable self-respect first instilled in him by his parents. He earned the coveted Heisman Trophy in his junior year as a college athlete. The College Football Hall of Fame rated him as one of the two greatest players in the history of the college game, second only to the legendary Red Grange. Herschel Walker holds another distinction as the first student honoree of the Academy of Achievement to return as an adult professional recipient of the Academy’s Golden Plate Award."/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Herschel Walker - Academy of Achievement"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/walker-Feature-Image.jpg"/> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180505105343\/http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebSite","@id":"#website","url":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180505105343\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/","name":"Academy of Achievement","alternateName":"A museum of living history","potentialAction":{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20180505105343\/http:\/\/www.achievement.org\/search\/{search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}}</script> <script 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class="feature-area__text-inner text-white"> <h2 class="serif-8 feature-area__text-subhead back"><a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever">All achievers</a></h2> <h1 class="serif-1 entry-title feature-area__text-headline">Herschel Walker</h1> <h5 class="sans-6 feature-area__blurb">College Football Hall of Fame</h5> </div> </figcaption> </div> </div> </figure> </header> </div>  <nav class="in-page-nav row fixedsticky"> <ul class="nav text-xs-center clearfix" role="tablist"> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link active" data-toggle="tab" href="#biography" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Biography">Biography</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#profile" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Profile">Profile</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#interview" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Interview">Interview</a> </li> <li class="nav-item col-xs-3"> <a class="nav-link" data-toggle="tab" href="#gallery" role="tab" data-gtm-category="tab" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever Gallery">Gallery</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <article class="post-42891 achiever type-achiever status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry careers-athlete careers-football-player"> <div class="entry-content container clearfix">  <div class="tab-content"> <div class="tab-pane fade in active" id="biography" role="tabpanel"> <section class="achiever--biography"> <div class="row"> <header class="editorial-article__header col-md-8 col-md-offset-2 text-xs-center"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> <h3 class="serif-3 quote-marks">I can get so high off my belief and my will that it’s almost like you are invincible. I’m so high off God that I don’t care what you do, you can never destroy me.</h3> </header> </div> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar clearfix"> <h2 class="serif-3 p-b-1">Gridiron Sensation</h2> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> March 3, 1962 </dd> </div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p>Herschel Walker was born in Augusta, Georgia and grew up outside of Wrightsville, Georgia. For the first 11 years of his life, Herschel Walker showed little interest in sports; he preferred reading books and writing poetry. At age 12, however, he began a crash exercise program. Over the next year, he did 100,000 push-ups, 100,000 sit-ups and sprinted thousands of miles.</p> <figure id="attachment_43001" style="width: 2084px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-43001 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-43001 size-full lazyload" alt="" width="2084" height="2096" data-sizes="(max-width: 2084px) 100vw, 2084px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362.jpg 2084w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362-190x190.jpg 190w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362-378x380.jpg 378w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362-756x760.jpg 756w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">June 5, 1981: NCAA Outdoor Championships: University of Houston’s Carl Lewis (2L) and University of Georgia’s Herschel Walker in action during the men’s 100m race at Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Walker competed for Georgia’s track and field team, where he was a two-time All-America selection (outdoor 400-meter relay, indoor 60-yard dash) and a member of the SEC champion 400-meter relay in 1981. (Andy Hayt/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure><p>In high school, Walker played football and basketball and competed in track and field. He scored a record-breaking 86 touchdowns as a running back and led his teams to state championships in both football and track while maintaining an A average.</p> <p>Herschel Walker participated in the 1980 Academy of Achievement program as the valedictorian of his class and the most sought-after high school football player in the nation.</p> <figure id="attachment_43002" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43002 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43002 lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="1485" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103.jpg 2280w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103-380x248.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103-760x495.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">November 1982: University of Georgia’s running back Herschel Walker (34) in action, leaping, versus the University of Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Florida. In three seasons at Georgia, between 1980 and 1982, Walker rushed for 5,259 yards, a school record that stands. As a freshman, he led Georgia football to the 1980 national title. Walker won Southeastern Conference (SEC), Player of the Year, all three seasons at Georgia, was a consensus All-America selection all three seasons and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. (© Tony Tomsic/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure><p>At the University of Georgia, Walker set an NCAA freshman rushing record and helped capture the national collegiate football title. He earned consensus All-American honors three consecutive years, set 10 NCAA records, 15 Southeastern Conference records, 30 Georgia all-time records, and capped a sensational college career by earning the 1982 Heisman Trophy in his junior year.</p> <figure id="attachment_43003" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43003 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43003 lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="3455" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970.jpg 2280w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970-251x380.jpg 251w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970-502x760.jpg 502w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1982: Herschel Walker becomes the seventh junior and second Georgia Bulldog to win the Heisman Trophy. The 6-foot 1-inch, 222-pound Walker amassed 5,097 yards rushing in his career, an NCAA record for yards rushing in three seasons. Walker, Glenn Davis, and Doak Walker are the only players to log three top-three Heisman finishes. “I’m happy to win the Heisman Trophy,” said Walker. “I’ve always tried to be a person who strives to succeed.” (© Getty)</figcaption></figure><p>In 1983, Walker gave up his final year of collegiate eligibility and turned professional, joining the New Jersey Generals of the short-lived United States Football League. Walker dominated the league, earning Most Valuable Player honors and setting the single-season pro football rushing record (2,411 yards). After his first pro season, he finished his bachelor of science degree in criminal justice at the University of Georgia.</p> <figure id="attachment_43012" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-43012 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-43012 size-full lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="1604" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1.jpg 2280w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1-380x267.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1-760x535.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">March 8, 1984: New Jersey Generals owner, real estate tycoon Donald Trump, shakes hands with Herschel Walker at a press conference in New York after agreeing to a 4-year contract. Walker signed pro football’s richest contract ever, jumping from his junior year at the University of Georgia to the New Jersey Generals of the fledgling USFL.</figcaption></figure><p>Walker joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1986, where he led the entire NFL in rushing and earned All-Pro honors. Walker moved to the Minnesota Vikings as starting running back in 1989. In 1992, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles football team but returned to the Dallas Cowboys in 1996. He retired from the NFL in 1997.</p> <figure id="attachment_43014" style="width: 2986px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-43014 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-combine-1988-podium1-WALKER.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-43014 size-full lazyload" alt="" width="2986" height="1445" data-sizes="(max-width: 2986px) 100vw, 2986px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-combine-1988-podium1-WALKER.jpg 2986w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-combine-1988-podium1-WALKER-380x184.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-combine-1988-podium1-WALKER-760x368.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-combine-1988-podium1-WALKER.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1988: (Left) Awards Council member Herschel Walker presents the Golden Plate Award to actor Michael Douglas, recipient of the Oscar for Best Actor, during the American Academy of Achievement’s Banquet of the Golden Plate ceremonies at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee; 2001: (Right) Herschel Walker addresses the Academy delegates at a symposium session during the 40th annual Salute to Excellence program in San Antonio, Texas.</figcaption></figure><p>Walker was one of the top running backs in the pros, gaining more yards than anyone in professional football history, counting his seasons in both the NFL and USFL. He finished his professional career with a total of 8,225 yards and 61 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 512 passes for 4,859 yards and 21 scores.</p> <figure id="attachment_43008" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43008 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43008 lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="1709" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10.jpg 2280w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10-380x285.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10-760x570.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1995: New York Giant Herschel Walker during minicamp in Madison, New Jersey. The Giants signed Walker as a free agent to a new three-year contract worth $4.8 million. (Photo by Chuck Solomon/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure><p>Herschel Walker has worked with numerous charitable and educational organizations. In 1981, he became the first Academy of Achievement honor student to return to the annual program as a recipient of the Golden Plate Award. In 2002, he was voted into the College Football Hall of Fame and was selected as the second greatest player in college football history, just behind the legendary Red Grange.</p> <figure id="attachment_43009" style="width: 1500px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43009 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43009 lazyload" alt="" width="1500" height="1500" data-sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008.jpg 1500w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008-190x190.jpg 190w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008-380x380.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008-760x760.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">2008: <em>Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder</em>. In his memoir, Herschel Walker shares the inspiring story of his life and diagnosis with dissociative identity disorder. Despite the acclaim he won as a football legend, track star, Olympic competitor, and later a successful businessman, he realized that his life was out of control. He often felt angry, self-destructive, and unable to connect meaningfully with friends and family. He was ultimately diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. (Simon & Schuster)</figcaption></figure><p>In a 2008 memoir, <em>Breaking Free</em>, Herschel Walker revealed that he had suffered for many years from dissociative identity disorder, a mental illness previously known as multiple personality disorder. Some of Walker’s alternative personalities, which came to the fore after he retired from professional football, expressed a turbulent, angry side of his nature he had previously suppressed. On occasion, he threatened his wife and others with physical violence, but later had no recollection of these events. As related in his memoir, he eventually recognized the nature of his problem, which may have been rooted in his childhood experience of bullying and ostracism, and sought professional treatment. With psychotherapy, the disorder can be treated, and Walker decided to make his affliction public, to advance understanding of the disorder and encourage others so afflicted to find the help they need.</p></body></html> <div class="clearfix"> </div> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="profile" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <header class="editorial-article__header"> <figure class="text-xs-center"> <img class="inductee-badge" src="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/themes/aoa/assets/images/inducted-badge@2x.png" alt="Inducted Badge" width="120" height="120"/> <figcaption class="serif-3 text-brand-primary"> Inducted in 1981 </figcaption> </figure> </header> <div class="row"> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <dl class="clearfix m-b-0"> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Career</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> <div><a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.athlete">Athlete</a></div> <div><a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/#filter=.football-player">Football Player</a></div> </dd> </div> <div class="col-xs-12 sidebar--chunk p-b-2"> <dt class="serif-7">Date of Birth</dt> <dd class="sans-2"> March 3, 1962 </dd> </div> </dl> </aside> <article class="col-md-8 editorial-article clearfix"> <p>“Strive to be the very best you can be. Run the race against yourself and not the guy in the other lane. The reason I say that is, as long as you give it 110 percent, you are going to succeed. But as long as you’re trying to beat the guy over there, you are worried about him, and you’re not worrying about how you’ve got to perform.”</p> <p>This philosophy made Herschel Walker one of the most phenomenal success stories in sports history. An unathletic child by his own account, Herschel Walker went on to set all-time football records at every level of play, from high school to the pros. Along the way, he maintained a high grade-point average and the inviolable self-respect first instilled in him by his parents.</p> <p>He earned the coveted Heisman Trophy in his junior year as a college athlete. The College Football Hall of Fame rated him as one of the two greatest players in the history of the college game, second only to the legendary Red Grange. Herschel Walker holds another distinction as the first student honoree of the Academy of Achievement to return as an adult professional recipient of the Academy’s Golden Plate Award.</p> </article> </div> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="interview" role="tabpanel"> <section class="clearfix"> <div class="col-md-12 interview-feature-video"> <figure> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/jiJu2UfYpWc?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_16_43_26.Still005-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_16_43_26.Still005-760x428.jpg"></div> <div class="video-tag sans-4"> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> <div class="video-tag__text">Watch full interview</div> </div> </div> </figure> </div> <header class="col-md-12 text-xs-center m-b-2"> <i class="icon-icon_bio text-brand-primary"></i> </header> <aside class="col-md-4 sidebar"> <h2 class="serif-3 achiever--biography-subtitle">Gridiron Sensation</h2> <div class="sans-2">New York City</div> <div class="sans-2">June 28, 1991</div> </aside> <article class="editorial-article col-md-8">   <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><strong>(The American Academy of Achievement interviewed Herschel Walker on June 28, 1991 in New York City, and on June 17, 1994 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The following transcript includes questions and answers from both Academy video interviews.)</strong></p> <p><strong>People see Herschel Walker today and they see this strong, confident champion athlete. But we gather that’s not how you always felt growing up. What were you like as a kid?</strong></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/XfFwj95sRXk?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_50_00_23.Still011-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_50_00_23.Still011-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/perseverance/">Perseverance</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Herschel Walker: Growing up, I was not that athletic and I had a speech impediment. So to be a person that was non-athletic, having a speech impediment, I had a lot of kids that made fun of me. I had a lot of teachers that didn’t take the time out to help me to overcome my shortcomings. So, I had parents that told me, “You’re not going to use that as an excuse. You’re not going to use that as an excuse not to at least try hard and to get good grades or to do whatever. You’re just going to have to work on your own.” And I’d sit in the mirror, day after day, night after night, saying, “She sells seashells by the seashore,” and all those tongue twisters and this and that. And I overcame the speech impediment and I became valedictorian of my class my senior year. All those teachers that didn’t want to take the time out to help me out, they decided they wanted to take the credit for it. But I had loving parents that, no matter what, they were not going to let me use excuses for anything.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p>I graduated high school as the Beta Club president, which is a club that you have to have A’s to be a part of it. I was president of the Beta Club. I went into college with a very high grade point average because I knew the work ethics that it took. I knew that as long as you apply yourself — from what my parents have told me — as long as you apply yourself, you are going to succeed.</p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/OzRQxsce5N8?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_48_36_11.Still010-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_48_36_11.Still010-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/courage/">Courage</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Too many people today are afraid to step up at bat. They are afraid that life is going to throw them all kind of curve balls and this and that. And you know what is so strange is there is no one in professional baseball that is batting a thousand. I doubt there is anyone batting six hundred. There is no one probably batting even five hundred. But as long as you’re not afraid in life to step up and take on a challenge, you never know what is going to happen. And every challenge that I have been faced, I am going to step up and swing. Because one time I may hit a home run. And that home run is going to carry me a little bit farther. That’s what is so great to me about the Academy here. I’ve won so many awards in my life. I’ve won a lot of things. But I remember when I got the word about coming up here to the Academy as a student — I was getting so many scholarships all at first — and I really didn’t know what to think of it, until I got here and saw the other students here. And it made me proud to be a part of that.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><figure id="attachment_43038" style="width: 2280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="wp-image-43038 size-full " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514.jpg"></noscript><img class="wp-image-43038 size-full lazyload" alt="" width="2280" height="3401" data-sizes="(max-width: 2280px) 100vw, 2280px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514.jpg 2280w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514-255x380.jpg 255w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514-509x760.jpg 509w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1981: Herschel Walker in front of Johnson County’s Lovett Stadium. Walker attended Johnson County High School, where he played football, basketball and competed in track. In his senior year of 1979, he rushed for 3,167 yards, helping the Trojans to win their first state championship. The valedictorian of his class, he was awarded the first Dial Award as the 1979 national high school scholar-athlete of the year. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure><p><strong>Besides your parents, you’ve mentioned a teacher or coach who helped you.</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: There was a high school coach that believed in me.  His name was Tom Jordan. And it was funny, I had two older brothers who were very athletic.  Coach Jordan saw me and how clumsy — and I couldn’t run, couldn’t do anything.  He just said to himself, “If his two brothers are great at sports, Herschel’s got to have something.  He’s got to be good at something.”  So he used to come pick me up at the Sunday school at the church, and on Saturdays, and make me go out to this track and he’d work out with me.  He’d play with me and he made me feel good about myself.  And he said, “Okay.  You’re going to do your homework here.  You’ve got to do this here.”  And he was just like my parents, and he believed in me.  He did teach me that, when they say what teacher you had, and I say a coach, most people say, “Oh geez, that’s just sports.”  But that’s not.  It’s that he was someone that was the role model — was the teacher — in my life.</p> <p>He always wanted a bass boat and he’s a big fisherman.  It’s funny because he always wanted a bass boat, and growing up in Wrightsville, Georgia, I don’t have any money.  I could barely rub two nickels together.  And then, becoming a professional football player, I got him a bass boat.  And I loved that because, for what he did for me, to put me in the position I’m in right now, you know, a bass boat isn’t enough.  He means a great deal to me.</p> <p><strong>You talked about exercising to build yourself up. What kind of exercise did you do?</strong></p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/CJdC_Hv7WJs?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_52_02_00.Still012-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_52_02_00.Still012-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/preparation/">Preparation</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Herschel Walker: My parents didn’t have a lot of money. My high school didn’t have a lot of money to afford a lot of the expensive weights and, you know, all this stuff. They used that as an excuse. I started doing push-ups and sit-ups during commercials as I was watching TV — and started doing about, sometimes, 2,000 push-ups, 3,000 sit-ups, 1,500 pull-ups, 1,000 dips, and different things like that. I started creating different hand positions for all that, and then I learned that that could work you out. In the olden days, that’s what people used to do. People sit around now, saying, “Let me create this machine that will work this muscle here for someone, and I can make a billion dollars.” He don’t even use the machine, but he wants to create it so that he can make money off of it. But I’m doing it to work myself. I have a lot of people that write to me, saying, “Herschel, why don’t you come train me? I’ll pay you this, I’ll pay you that.” And I say, “No. Your body is different from my body. This may work good for you and not work good for me. It may work good for me and not so good for you. So for me to say I’m a trainer, I’ve first got to know you. I’ve got to know what your body is. I just can’t say, ‘This is going to be great for you.’ But I can say, ‘It will help you a little bit, but there may be another thing that you need to do that’ll be a little bit better.'”</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><figure id="attachment_43056" style="width: 1987px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43056 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43056 lazyload" alt="" width="1987" height="3000" data-sizes="(max-width: 1987px) 100vw, 1987px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035.jpg 1987w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035-252x380.jpg 252w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035-503x760.jpg 503w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">December 9, 1982: Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia is named the winner of the Heisman Trophy. He received the 48th Heisman at a nationally televised show in the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. (AP Photo)</figcaption></figure><p><strong>We read that another motivation you had was trying to beat your older sister in a foot race.</strong></p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/NtrTUnF19XE?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_46_06_18.Still009-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_46_06_18.Still009-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/perseverance/">Perseverance</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Herschel Walker: My sister, she is a little bit over a year older. She was fast, and I was that chubby kid. And she was always beating me; she always beat me. I just felt that I couldn’t see a girl beating me all the time. And I said, “I’ve got to beat her. I’ve got to beat her.” And I just trained and trained, and every time I went up to race her, she beat me. Every time I went up, she beat me. And after you’ve been beat over ten times, sometimes people got a tendency of quitting. And I said, “No, I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to quit.” And I kept doing it until I got where I could beat her. And what was so strange about it is the first race that I ever beat her, I barely beat her. But I think that was the springboard. Once I saw I can do it, I said, “Uh-oh, now it’s a little different. Now I’m ready.” And I think that’s the way the mind works. Sometimes you may not think you can do it. You may not think you can do it, but as long as you’ve got that doubt, you’re never going to do it. I think that’s what happened. By me continuing to want to race — and continuing to want to race her — sometime you’ve got to win.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/U6y3G9QhKNA?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_16_18_16.Still027-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_16_18_16.Still027-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/courage/">Courage</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>You can take two little dogs. One can be a small dog, the other one is a small puppy, but it’s going to grow up to be this huge, 160-pound dog. And you can take this one 30-pound little dog that is an adult at the time, and this big dog, as he grows up, he is being dominated by this little dog. So he always grows up thinking this little dog can beat him. So he can get to his full size of 160 pounds, and this little dog still is only 30 pounds, but the big dog still thinks the little dog can beat him, so he is afraid of him because he doesn’t know any better. Sometimes that’s the way the mind is. If you continue to say you can’t do it, you are not going to do it. But sooner or later you got to swing that bat because you never know if you’re going to hit a home run.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><figure id="attachment_44319" style="width: 2047px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-44319 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-44319 lazyload" alt="" width="2047" height="729" data-sizes="(max-width: 2047px) 100vw, 2047px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ.jpg 2047w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ-380x135.jpg 380w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ-760x271.jpg 760w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1986: (Left) Herschel Walker with 1986 Heisman Trophy recipient and Academy honoree Vincent ‘Bo’ Jackson; (Right) Herschel Walker with gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton (Academy Class of 1985) at the American Academy of Achievement’s 25th Anniversary Salute to Excellence program held in Washington, D.C.</figcaption></figure><p><strong>You’ve mentioned</strong><strong> a race you ran in middle school that didn’t work out so well but taught you a lesson.  Can you tell us about that?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: When I was in the seventh grade, I think, they have this race at the end of the school year, like a mile run. And I felt that if I can win that mile run, I’d have all these friends. People were going to come and talk to me because I won the mile.  So about three weeks before the race — my father was a farmer, so he plowed this field — and I got out and went into training with my younger brother. We went out and we went into training so I could get ready to win this mile. For three weeks, I trained.</p> <p>The day came for the race and I got up there with this guy, Willie Jenkins. I remember his name and this other guy, Wells, who everybody predicted they were going to win that race. They were the most athletic kids in my class. And I got up there right with them to run this race, and we started running. I was feeling good. I was feeling great. I was in shape. No one knew I’d been training except my younger brother.</p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/FcYGzFxLakI?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_10_48_27.Still020-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_10_48_27.Still020-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/perseverance/">Perseverance</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>So we were running around the track and about the second lap, something said, “Herschel, you’re not going to win.” I’m running and I’m thinking, “Okay, wait a minute.” Third lap, something said, “Herschel, you’re not going to win.” And I’m up front. There’s only like — I’m in second place. I’m right up front. I’m feeling good. I’m not even tired. And going into the last lap, something said, “Herschel, you’re not going to win. You’re not going to win this race. You better get out of it. You better get out of it.” So I started thinking, “Oh, geez, I’m not going to win, so how can I get out of this race without embarrassing myself?” And I’m like in second, whereas I probably could have won it if I had kept running. And I said, “Okay. What am I going to do? I’m going to pretend like I pulled a muscle.” So on the last curve, I walked off the field and grabbed my hamstring and pretended like I hurt my leg. And Willie Jenkins ended up winning this race and all day it bothered me. I remember going home and getting off the school bus. My younger brother ran up to me and said, “How did it go? How did it go?” And I said, “Well, I hurt my leg,” and I lied about it. He said, “Oh, you know, you’ll get them next time.” That made me feel so bad, because I lied, and I think the thing is I didn’t try. I said then, no matter whatever happened in my life from then on — I don’t care what happened — I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. It’s funny because I see so many people today that don’t want to try, and I say I don’t care what I ever do, I never give up at anything anymore. I don’t care what it is, you’ll never see me give up.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"> <html><body><p>People think I’m crazy because I do so many crazy things, but I think because of that race in my life, I’m what you call the renegade of professional sports.  You know, I’ve done everything.  I’ve done boxing, karate, dance, to just about anything.  Now, I’m not going to say I’m the best at it, but I guarantee you, I give most people the run for their money at just about everything.</p> <figure id="attachment_43043" style="width: 1186px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43043 " src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748.jpg"></noscript><img class="size-full wp-image-43043 lazyload" alt="" width="1186" height="1692" data-sizes="(max-width: 1186px) 100vw, 1186px" data-srcset="/web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748.jpg 1186w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748-266x380.jpg 266w, /web/20180505105343im_/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748-533x760.jpg 533w" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">1996: Dallas Cowboys running back Herschel Walker with an 89-yard kickoff return. (Credit: AP Photo/Jon Freilich)</figcaption></figure><p><strong>What do you say to a kid who’s in high school and all he can think about is being an athlete? He doesn’t study; that’s all he thinks about.</strong></p></body></html> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/9V4JswIcRHE?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_16_15_04.Still026-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-1994-MasterEdit.00_16_15_04.Still026-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Herschel Walker: Being an athlete is being a competitor, not on the football field, but in life. And you’ve got to be able to compete in the classroom because you can always be president when you are 60, but when you turn 30, they’re going to say you’re too old for football. So knowledge can take you a long way; being an athlete can only take you a short little sprint. You want to study hard because then you’ve always got something. Like I say, it is so great to be able to understand something. To sit down with the president and understand what’s happening, and then to go sit out there on the street with anyone and still understand. That is beautiful to do that. Just to go out and run a touchdown is only great for that time. The next week, if you don’t do it, they don’t want you around no more.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><strong>What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?</strong></p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/ahU7mqFVzWg?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_39_15_05.Still008-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_39_15_05.Still008-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/perseverance/">Perseverance</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>Herschel Walker: The hardest thing I’ve had to overcome in life? I think racism. That’s so difficult because I don’t think anyone can ever understand it. It’s not the point that people don’t want to understand it, but they don’t want to touch it. Like, “That’s a subject we can’t touch. Let’s get away from it.” But you know it’s there. And as long as it’s there, you’ve got to cope with it. With me, I’m always the type of person, if something is in front of me, let me deal with it. Let’s not push it under the rug or push it to the side because no matter what, it’s going to keep coming up. If you never deal with that dirt up under the carpet, it’s going to get larger and larger, and it’s going to keep coming up. Little bit by little, it’s going to seep from underneath that carpet. So you deal with it now. You’re going to try to get those piles out. I think that’s been the most difficult thing.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/R58pXb317O4?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_37_10_24.Still006-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_37_10_24.Still006-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/courage/">Courage</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>I grew up in the South. My senior year was a very big racial — the tension in my hometown was a very big deal. It’s tough, but you’re knowing who you are, and you’re knowing that “No white’s no better than you are, Herschel. You’re no better than they are.” And I think the biggest thing to help me to overcome it is, when it’s all said and done, God is not going to have a list and say, “Oh, geez. You’re white, so you are going in. You’re black, you’re not,” or “You’re black, you’re coming in. You are white, you’re not.” God don’t care. My mother once told me — this is almost similar to it — I was going to church one Sunday, and I didn’t want to go. I was tired of going to church and stuff. And I hid my shoes. I didn’t want to go. It’s funny because I went in to my mother, and she said, “You ready to go to church?” And I said, “No, I can’t go.” She said, “Why?” I said, “I don’t have any shoes.” You know, you only had one pair of Sunday shoes. And I said, “I don’t have any shoes to go.” And she said, “No, you can come on and go,” and I said, “I don’t have any shoes.” She said, “God don’t care how you look.” I thought about it, and you know, that’s true. God don’t care how you look. He don’t care whether you are white, black, pink, as long as you’ve been a good person and you believe in Him. And I said, “That’s the key.” I think we are always putting things in categories. We’ve got to put someone in a category. He’s this, he’s that, he’s this. You know, that doesn’t matter, as long as he can do the job. I think that’s what counts.</p> </div> </div>      <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><strong>What did it take for you, Herschel Walker, to go from being the runt of the family to the winner of the Heisman Trophy?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: It takes a lot of hard work. I’m talking mentally, physically, it takes a lot of hard work. You’ve just got to dedicate yourself. I think that’s why I never let anyone read my poetry; I never let anyone see it. I don’t think they could ever understand it. When I speak about this, people think I’m absolutely crazy.</p> </div>     <div class="achiever__video-block"> <figure class="achiever__interview-video"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <iframe class="embed-responsive-item embed-responsive--has-thumbnail" width="200" height="150" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180505105343if_/https://www.youtube.com/embed/2bmSXyjd7DU?feature=oembed&autohide=1&hd=1&color=white&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&theme=light" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="embed-responsive__thumbnail ratio-container__image lazyload" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_37_10_24.Still006-380x214.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Walker-Herschel-1991-Upscale-1of1.00_37_10_24.Still006-760x428.jpg"></div> <i class="embed-responsive__play icon-icon_play-full text-brand-primary"></i> </div> <figcaption class="achiever__interview-video-terms"> <span>Keys to success —</span> <a class="comma-item" href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/keys-to-success/vision/">Vision</a> </figcaption> </figure>  <div class="achiever__interview-video__copy"> <p>I don’t drink. I’ve never tasted alcohol. I don’t smoke. I never did any of that, but I can get so high off my belief and my will, that it’s almost like you’re invincible. You know, I’m so high off God that, I don’t care what you do to me, you can never destroy me.</p> </div> </div>     <aside class="collapse" id="full-interview">    <div class="achiever__interview-copy"> <p><strong>What were your dreams as a young man?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Well, coming from a small town is — it was tough really to dream big. You know, my biggest dream when I grew up in a small town in Georgia, my biggest dream was one day to be able to go to Atlanta, Georgia. You know, to be able to go to Atlanta, which, Atlanta was about two hours, forty-five minutes from my home. So, to dream about going to Atlanta was it, you know, and you’d think about that, you’d think about that. And I never dreamed about football. I never dreamed about being an actor because, you know, that was out of reach. Coming from a small town that was big in farming and also big in clothing factories, you don’t dream about being a professional football player or an actor. So you go to Atlanta, and you’re in the big city now, you know, you are there. And that was — that was the dream.</p> <p>And the majority of the people that I looked up to — not looked up to; I hate that. I don’t like that word. But the majority of the people that I was growing up with were going off into the military. So a lot of my classmates, you know, thought of going into the military. That was something more worthwhile that had a purpose. And you know, I was more of a kid that was always by himself. And I didn’t drink. I’m not a big partyer, so I love being by myself. So, by seeing that, then taking everything in, and putting it deep down inside of me, I realized then that, you know, the military has got a purpose. And you know, I just said I wanted to go into the military at that time.</p> <p><strong>Let’s talk some more about your childhood. What was it like growing up in a small town in rural Georgia?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I think growing up in a small town gave me a lot of values. It has helped me to mature as an individual as well as a person. I think as an individual because it helped me to have confidence in myself. I think today we have to help our youth to gain its confidence within themselves. People use so many excuses. Peer pressure was our biggest excuse. There’s no such thing as peer pressure. If you believe within yourself, there is no peer pressure because you believe what is right and what’s wrong. I think every individual know what’s right. You can take your most violent criminal, and you have a talk with him, and he will say, “I wanted to get caught because I knew what I was doing wasn’t right, but I couldn’t stop.” So I say there is no peer pressure if you believe within yourself.</p> <p>Growing up, I started developing confidence. I felt my parents helped me to believe in myself. I wasn’t the best-looking guy, I wasn’t the best athlete in the world, but they made me feel good about myself. “Herschel, you are somebody. You know, whether you are black, white, it doesn’t matter, you are a person, and God loves you.” So that made me feel good, so I was able to feel good about myself, growing up in a small town. And then again, there was a real hard work ethic. That’s what we need today. Young people, adults, we need good work ethics because nothing is going to come to you easy. We’ve got too much of a competitive world for anything to come easy to you. People are competing in everything. It doesn’t matter what it is. Football, that’s just athletics. But in the business world, doing everything — people are competing. So you’ve got to get those very good work ethics — and I think that helped me to develop good work ethics, in a small town.</p> <p><strong>What kind of a kid were you? What were you like when you were growing up?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I was a little different. I still say I’m a little different because my dreams are — success to me is not having the most money or having the biggest car or the biggest house. Success is just being happy. And I try so many different things. I do a lot of different things because I think God has helped me to love myself. I know who God is, and I love God. So I think — growing up as a kid, I used to write all the time. I was always by myself. It’s not that I wanted to be by myself, but when you live in a small town — we lived out in the country — there was no one around, so I was not going to use excuses and wander away from home going over to someone else’s. I sit at home, I write. Whatever I could get my hands on, I read, and I just was a different little kid, I think.</p> <p><strong>Did you have favorite subjects in school? You said you liked to read and you liked to write. What did you like to read and what did you write about?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: My favorite subject probably was math. I love math. I think figures just intrigue me. I was really good at math. English probably was my worst subject, but I used to write a lot of poetry. I used to write poetry all the time. It’s a little different because I just can’t sit down and write. It’s something that just came to me. A lot of people say, “Herschel, maybe you’re writing because you’re depressed” or “You’re writing this…” and I say no. I say I write happy things. I write from life to death, write about space — just something that I’m thinking at the time. It’s not anything that I can think of right now. If I had to come up with something that just came to me, I think, growing up in a small town, I want knowledge. I still think today, knowledge is one of the keys. Because when you’re able to understand, life is a lot more beautiful then. And when you’re able to hear another language and understand it, it is literally more beautiful than just hearing it. When you’re able to see a painting up on the wall and understand what you are looking at, it is literally more beautiful. So I usually like to just read anything. I can remember getting a Sears catalog and reading about how this was done and where and stuff. I don’t know why in the world I’m reading about women’s dresses, how to make women’s dresses. I don’t think I’m ever going to become that. But just reading things. I was just intrigued by it.</p> <p><strong>What did you read that had an influence on you?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I’d usually read the Bible a lot. Read little short Bible stories. And today, whenever I give speeches, I bring up a few of those Bible stories because those are inspirations to me. The reason why? You have some people get up and they tell you their life story. Like a boxer who always comes out and says, “Well, I was never a tough guy, and this guy stole my bike.” Like Muhammad Ali: “So I went into boxing and the next thing I know, I’m the heavyweight champion.” You know, anyone could do that. I don’t mean anyone could do it, but anyone can do like one of those stories. But no one can die and come back alive again. It hasn’t been done. There is only one person that has done something like that. So that inspired me. I said, “Hey, this guy’s my hero. If he can do that, I’m going to believe in this guy here. And to see him — who can help the blind to see, people that are sick he can cure — so he became the guy that I looked up to. So I used to read anything. Whenever my parents or anyone started talking about religion or God, I eased over there and listened a little bit, because I said, “That’s knowledge.” And you know, I’m not a big guy that’s going to try to throw religion on anyone because that person has to be accountable for himself. I think that’s what we have to do in society today is to be accountable for yourself. I think we have the tendency to always want to live someone else’s life. We want to tell that person what to do, how to act, but yet we don’t go by that. And I think first if we learn to act, maybe we can help that other person. That’s the way I try to be brought up.</p> <p><strong>Did you have a favorite poet or a favorite poem?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: No, I really didn’t. I never really had a favorite poem, and I never really had a favorite poet, per se. It’s not a poem; it’s something I read about the footprints in the sand. That has stuck in my mind so much, and I think about it with friends. God is walking along with you in the sand, and all of a sudden there is one set of footprints, and when you look back, and times are hard, and you ask God, “God, when things were going well, I look back and there were two sets of footprints in the sand, and now, where things were a little bit tougher, you left me. Why?” God says, “It’s not that I left you, it’s just that I’m carrying you.” That stuck in my mind because it is so strange how we sometimes just forget. I think growing up, I think today, it kept making me drive forward — just thinking about the people in my hometown that encouraged me, and the people that stood behind me, that helped me. And I say, “I’m not going to forget those people because they knew me before anything.” They knew me before anything, and they were right there with me. No matter what, they were right there, and they were cheering me on. They didn’t care whether Herschel ruined that 100-yard dash. But as long as Herschel went out and competed hard, they were proud of me.</p> <p><strong>You first came to the Academy as a high school student — valedictorian of your class and the most sought-after high school football player in the country. What was that like?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I was sort of embarrassed because coming from a small town, and this and that, and I’m seeing all these kids from all over the country and seeing what they’ve done, and they had a few whiz kids here that were in college. It made me proud just to be a part of it. I didn’t care if I was riding on the coattails, as I felt then. It just made me proud to be a part of it, where it inspired me, and I said, “Herschel, you can get better. Why don’t you get a little bit better because the Academy means something.” The Academy of Achievement, that’s always there, it means something. It just made me real proud when I came up as a student, and it’s like, man, all these older kids here. I’ve been — as an individual, sometimes I think I’m the only one from a town that’s so small, if everyone breathed at the same time, you’d run out of oxygen. Man, there is nothing there! So it’s so strange when I came up to this place that has so many students that knew everything. I thought I knew everything! I thought my mother and father knew everything. Here is this little kid here that knows about trying to put together this sphere that can tell you when the speed of light — how fast is the speed of light, this and that — that was stunning to me. That was stunning.</p> <p><strong>Where do your values come from? Is this from your family, from your parents?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: It definitely comes from my parents. My parents, growing up, they worked hard. Everyone in my family woke up early in the morning. I used to see my mother and my father go off to work and come back, and no matter what, they had time for the kids. They disciplined us; they’d do what was right. You knew what to do, and you knew what not to do. Whenever a child in the house — a kid in the house — went off to work, my parents made him be sure of himself that when he went he was going to work. He was not going there to clown around. He was not going there just to pass time away. He was going to work. He was not going to just try to make a dollar by sitting down. He was going to give everything he’s got. And I think because of that, that’s why I’m always going to give everything I’ve got because God is going to be proud of you then. There is no such word in my family as “lazy,” because there is no such thing. I think “lazy” or “I quit” is a bad word in the vocabulary.</p> <p><strong>Who have been the most important people in your life?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: God is the only one. My parents. My wife. I don’t have a lot of friends. Because I’m always moving around, I don’t have a lot of friends. I don’t drink, so I don’t hang out in bars. But they’ve been very big in my life because they have helped to encourage me. Sometimes things get so tough, and all of a sudden you see people start easing away from you. They say to themselves, “Hey, I’ve got problems, and I don’t need to hear his problems, and I’m going to ease away.”</p> <p>But no matter what, I can call my parents any time of the night. I’m in Europe sometimes, and there is such a big time difference. I remember calling my mother; it was about 3:00 in the morning. I just wanted to talk. She was so happy for me to call. She is waking up and she is so happy for me to call. It sort of brings tears to your eyes because sometimes a boy grows up in his family and he’s not able to say, “I love you” and stuff. Over the last year or so is the first time I ever told my parents that. It’s so weird because I say you grow up and you don’t even say it, and the word is such a four-letter, short little word. And you just can’t even say, “I love you.” I started saying it, and it comes so easy now. If I don’t say it when I hang up the phone, I have to call her back and say, “Oh, I forgot to say, ‘I love you,’” and all that stuff. It’s so funny where now it comes so easy. You know, we are sometimes so macho, we forget who we are. That’s something I’m not going to do. I love to work. I love to learn new things. I love to see a lot of new things. I’m not a person that’s going to try to impress anyone because I think as long as I’m myself, you either like me or you don’t. But I can’t help that and there is nothing else I can do.</p> <p><strong>Were there other people who served as role models or inspired you?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I didn’t have role models like football players in my life when I was growing up. I never thought, “You can be a football player,” so I never watched it as a little kid. But what I did see was my mother and father getting up early in the morning, going to work and coming back late in the afternoon, and they never complained about it. I’d see my mother saying, “I love God,” and my father loving God. So they put that love on me and they threw all that on me to love God. So my role models in life would be my parents because they never complained about anything they’d ever done — and that was seven kids!</p> <p>My father has six sisters. He was the only boy, and when he was 12, his father was killed. So he took the responsibility to raise his six sisters. He never complained. He never said anything about it. <em>That’s</em> my role model in life.</p> <p>It’s strange because I never said anything to him about it. I was at Innsbruck, Austria one time, a long way away from home, and I started thinking. I said, “You know, I always tell my mother I love her but I never told my father that. And I said, “It is so funny because he means so much to me in my life,” and I just never said that. I happened to call him up. It took me a couple of days to get him because of the time difference. But when I called him up, I told him. My mother said, “You don’t know what that really meant to him.”</p> <p>Those are the people that I look up to in life that have given me this, and I think if I go out in life now and do something crazy, I’d embarrass them. I don’t care about embarrassing myself but to embarrass people that I love or to embarrass people that I’ve drawn so much from, I think it would destroy me worse than anything.</p> <p><strong>We’ve read about this chubby kid, this runt of the family, who wasn’t much interested in sports when he was growing up. How did that chubby kid become Herschel Walker, All-American?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I think dedication, hard work. I wanted to be an athlete because at that time being an athlete was considered cool. I was not cool. I was not the prince of the school or Mr. Big Man on Campus. I just wanted to be acknowledged. I wanted people to come up to me sometimes and say, “Hey, Herschel, how you doing?” rather than laughing at me because I couldn’t talk. So I just started training myself. We didn’t have weights, we didn’t have a lot of money, but if I could get any little book on the human body, I’d read about it, and I just started training myself. I liked the way I felt, you know. I felt good about myself, and I love that. That motivated me. Not just in sports but it motivated me in the classroom. It just made me feel good.</p> <p><strong>What did it mean to you when you found out that you’d been awarded the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in America?</strong></p> <p>I never knew what the Heisman Trophy was. I was one of the first freshmen ever to be nominated for the Heisman. My sophomore year, they said I should have won, and in my junior year I ended up winning. I never knew what the Heisman Trophy was. I knew it meant something big, but I never really knew, and that I won it meant that I was the best college athlete. I was ashamed because there are so many good athletes out there, and for me to be singled out, I was sort of ashamed. But after I won the award, I said, “Now this is going to be an inspiration for me to stand out for all the guys that didn’t get a chance to win it.” To continue to go out there and work hard so they can say, “That’s the guy that won. He took it from me, and he deserved it.” I don’t want them saying, “Okay, , but I should have got it, because look what I’m doing now.” I think it’s an inspiration for me.</p> <p><strong>When did you first know you wanted to play pro football?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: That’s a good question because I don’t think I knew that until the last minute. Until I was on a professional field playing a game is about the first time I ever knew that I was going to be paid to play football. When I grew up, I didn’t think you would get paid to play football. Who’s going to pay you to play football? And when I went to college, I went to college to really get my criminal justice degree. I wanted to be in the FBI. My dream, you know, as a little kid — kids dream to be a fireman or a policeman, and as they turn 15, they forget about that dream. Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to be in the FBI. So as I grew up, that was my dream. That’s all I wanted to do. When I got a chance to go to college, I was going for my criminal justice degree, and I wanted to go to law school and go into the FBI. I was playing football, and I never really thought it was going to be a reality until, my first day, I was out on the football field and I realized then that I was going to play football and not have a chance to really go into the FBI until later in my career. I don’t regret it. I think it’s been a blessing for me.</p> <p><strong>What was it like going from college to the pros?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: That was exciting because I got better. I think that’s where you get better. And for me, I learned more. That’s the reason it’s exciting for me. As long as I can mature mentally, it’s really more exciting for me. I want to learn more, and going to professional football, it helped me to play guys that had been there a little bit longer. Whereas, “Herschel, you can be the fastest guy, you can be one of the strongest guys, but you’re not going to be better until you are a little bit wiser.” And I learned that. I learned different ways to do things that were a lot easier, didn’t take as much strength and as much speed, just took knowledge. I had that open mind to listen.</p> <p><strong>Are you still learning?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Oh, yes. I’m learning every day. I think when it gets to the point where I’m not learning, or where I’m just pushing myself, I’m giving it up. Because then I think I’m not going to perform well, I’m just going to be there. I don’t want to just be there. I don’t want to just show up. If you’re not going to show up and dance at the party, don’t go. It’s called a party, so you’ve got to have fun. And because I don’t drink, I reckon I’ve got to dance.</p> <p><strong>For all those 15-year-olds who would love to ask you this question, can you describe what it is like to be out there on the field, before a full stadium, carrying the football?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: For me, it’s exciting. I don’t get nervous. Knock on wood. I don’t get nervous before a game, I get excited because this is an opportunity for me to go out there and show what the Lord has done for me. I’m so excited that the Lord has given me this ability. I’m so excited just to go out there, to put on those shoulder pads, put that helmet on, and then go out there and go with it. It’s funny because it’s not in my nature. I’m more low-key, but when I get ready to perform, I don’t care if there is no one in the stands. I want to go out there and play because I’m ready to go out there and get better. It’s like a high. When you’re running the ball sometimes, you can’t even see behind you, but you can feel a person there. It’s so wild that you can just feel things you don’t even have to see. You get the ball and everything opens up for you. It’s like everything is so slow, but yet you see it on film, and it happened so quick. You can tell how many cleats this guy has on his shoes, but yet it’s so quick you don’t know how in the world you counted. You can see this guy coming to tackle you; you can see his eyes. You can almost — if you had time, you could say what he’s thinking. Sometimes the guy is saying, “Oh, geez, how am I going to tackle this guy? Whether I’m going to hit him at the legs or whether I’ll try to jump on him and hold him.” You can see all this, yet when you see it on film, it all happened so quick. So it’s a real big high for me.</p> <p><strong>Have you ever gone into the huddle and said, “Give me the ball. I want it”?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: No. I never really ask because I hope that the quarterback knows that I want the ball. I think he can look in my eyes and see that I want the ball. I’m not being selfish, but I want to play. If the clock is winding out and we are behind, then I want the ball. I think he can look in my eyes and say, “Hey, Herschel wants the ball. Let me see if I can get it to him.” I think some guys — all of them want the ball. If you’re a professional, you want the ball. That’s the type of team I want to be with. I want to be with guys that are not afraid to take that last shot. You have a lot of guys that are afraid to lose, but if you’re afraid to lose, you’re never going to win.</p> <p><strong>Even in the fourth quarter, when you’ve carried the ball 30 times, you’re beaten up and dog-tired, do you still want the ball?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Yes. That’s part of the game. That’s a part of the game, to go out and carry the ball. That’s a part of the game, to go out and catch the ball. You become mentally weak when you say, “I’m too tired to go on.” I’ve trained all week. How can I be tired? So I say, “You can’t get tired. There is not time to get tired. We don’t have enough time for you to get tired. You can get tired tomorrow.”</p> <p><strong>What about teamwork? What about working with others?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: That’s important. Teamwork is very important — football, basketball, baseball, very important —because you’re as strong as your weakest link. I never knew what it meant until — I knew mentally what it means because there are 45 guys on the team. And I made this statement to my teammates, that if there is one guy that doesn’t believe that we can win, I don’t want to play with you because I don’t want your negative influence over the other 44. I don’t want a negative atmosphere around me. I want something positive. I don’t care if we’re losing, but I want something positive. I want you to believe we can win. Because once it happens, it’s going to happen big. I don’t want no one that you have to carry because sooner or later you’re going to get heavy. I can carry you a little ways, but sooner or later you’ve got to stand up and say, “I’ve got to carry myself the rest of the way.”</p> <p><strong>Does that work in business as well?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Oh, there is no doubt. If you’re running a business, and you got employees, and you’ve got one that doesn’t want to do anything but goof off, and the other ones are working hard and they’re carrying him, sooner or later he’s going to get heavy. He’s got to stand up — or she’s got to stand up —and be accounted for. If they can’t do that, you don’t need them around. You hate to say you’ll fire them, but you’ve got to make a change. They may not understand it, but that’s the way life is. This is a business; this is a football team. If you want it to be something else, you’re in the wrong line of business.</p> <p><strong>You’re out there in the public eye. You’re a professional athlete. What do you think when you read about yourself in the sports pages?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: No, I never read an article about myself. Since I’ve been playing, I’ve never read anything about myself. I’m not a big sports page reader. I don’t read sports pages. One reason was, I don’t read about myself because I know myself better than the person that’s writing the article. I don’t read a lot of the sports because I think people sometimes either build it up, or you have this guy that hates sports that is going to write bad about it, so I figure I’m not going to read it because I’m not going to let him put an idea into my head. I think reporters do not realize that they do that. They will continue to say, “We are giving the news,” but you put an idea in someone’s head. They take an athlete, they build this athlete up — the kids look up to him and make him the best thing in the world — and this athlete makes one mistake, they write bad about him, saying he’s a bum, he’s this, he’s that. Then the next day, they build him back up again. So a kid may get that idea, and say, “Hey, I can do that. I can be great. I can be great, and I can make a mistake, and I’ll go down and come right back up.” That’s not the way life is. I think when you’re writing an article, I feel you’ve got to put what’s true. You can’t fabricate. You can’t just build it up. If you want to write for the <em>National Enquirer</em>, you do that, but if you are going to write for the people, let’s write. You’ve got to use the pen in the correct way. So that’s the reason why I don’t read a lot of sports stuff.</p> <p><strong>Of all the things that you’ve done, what gives you the most satisfaction?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Of all the things I’ve ever done? I think getting married. The reason I say that is I was a person that was always by myself a lot. I always wrote, and I think getting married gave me a best friend. It gave me a person that — she may not know all of Herschel — but she knows me better than anyone else. They always say you want to marry someone like your mother. I don’t want to say that my wife is like my mother, but my mother knows me, but then my mother says she doesn’t know me, where my wife says she knows me, and then she says she doesn’t. But it gave me a best friend, and someone that I can rely on, and I can act silly sometimes, and they are not going to judge me on that act. People sometimes judge you, but you have a right to be free a little bit. You have a right just to laugh and act up as long as it’s not in a bad way.</p> <p><strong>You say you don’t read the sports pages. But growing up as an athlete, you’ve had to take criticism; you’ve been judged in one way or another. How do you deal with that?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: You can’t satisfy everybody. Growing up, I knew you can never satisfy everybody, so I’m not going to try to satisfy everybody. I’m going to go out and do the very best athletically on the field that I can, for my teammates, my friends, for me. If someone doesn’t like it, I can’t do anything else. When we try to satisfy everybody — you can’t satisfy everybody. That’s tough. That’s tough to do. And if you do it once, you’re going to be doing it all your life. I think I started out early not doing it. And I think today I am able to. Everyone else hated criticism. I can let it run off my back because if someone is criticizing, he’s not doing what they’re supposed to do. If we are running a race, and he’s thinking about, “Geez, Herschel is running with his knee not in the correct way,” sooner or later Herschel is going to be easing up in front of him because he’s not concentrating on what he’s supposed to do. Not speaking of the movie critics, but it’s so funny because they criticize so many movies, but yet a lot of the movies they criticize, I like. Who says that they are the people who decide about the movie? That’s the way I look at life.</p> <p><strong>Like it or not, people look up to you. What kind of responsibility do you feel, as an athlete, as a very well-known and admired person?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I don’t feel a big responsibility. The reason why? I think, as an adult, we all are role models because if little kids see an adult doing something, they think that it’s okay. For myself, I don’t feel responsibility. I think, no matter what, I’m going to do the very best I can do. I’m going to be the very best I can be because I think if a kid can see me doing that, he’s going to be the best he can be. That’s the way I am. I think we all should be like that because I say, “A role model? What is that? Something that inspires you to do better?” I think if we all do better, it will make this world better. So I don’t think it’s responsibility because I think if I didn’t do that, I’m cheating myself. <em>And i</em>f I can be the best I can be, I’m helping someone else out anyway.</p> <p><strong>Clearly, sports — football — is not the only thing you’re interested in.</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: No, I’d love to be in the FBI. The FBI has always been a dream, even though I don’t think I’ll get a chance to do it. I’ve spent two weeks in Quantico, Virginia at the FBI training center. While I’m in Dallas, Texas now, I may go out with the FBI there and do a few things. I really enjoy that. That’s a lot of fun and I love that. I’m on the U.S. bobsledding team, so I do different things with that. I’m very big on martial arts; I love martial arts. I want to get into a movie with Chuck Norris and do martial arts movies. And I’ve danced with the ballet! So I do a lot of things because I think that’s what you’ve got to do.</p> <p>Life is almost like a tree for a 15-year-old, where, if you don’t know where you’re going to branch off to — but if you try to stay at just one thing — then you’re never going to blossom. The reason why is because you don’t know your talent. I never thought I was going to be a football player, but now I’m a football player. I’ve been a football player. I was able to go into the business world and do well. I was able to do this; I was able to do that. But yet, I think if I had said, “Okay, Herschel, you’re a basketball player. Stay with basketball,” I never would have done anything because I’m not. I can play, but I’m not a professional basketball player. So think, when you’re young, sometimes you’ve got to have an open mind. Take on other challenges. You may get into it, and you may like it a little bit more than you think.</p> <p><strong>You’ve had a lot of great moments in your career. Can you tell us what some of the most exciting achievements were?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: My most exciting achievement has been on an Olympic team in bobsledding. One reason I say that is because there was a lot of controversy going on about whether I should have the chance to compete on an Olympic team. My problem with that is when you try for an Olympic team, I think they ask for the very best the United States has to offer. If those guys have been practicing for years and cannot beat me, who’s only been practicing for a few weeks, they do not deserve to be on the team. To have an opportunity to go and become the best pusher for the U.S., I think was my biggest accomplishment.</p> <p>And then, I think dancing in the Fort Worth Ballet. Ballet is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. When I was asked to dance in the Fort Worth Ballet, I first declined, and then they asked me to come to the first rehearsal. So I went, and after being with professionals, I said, “I better decline because there’s no way I could do it.” And I stayed with it and I finally performed with them.</p> <p>People always said, “Why did you never say the Heisman Trophy?” Well, I never say the Heisman Trophy because, as a freshman, they said, “Herschel should have won the Heisman Trophy.” As a sophomore, they said, “Herschel should have won the Heisman Trophy.” As a junior, Herschel wins the Heisman Trophy, and I say “Herschel” in the third person because that’s what people say about me all of the time. But I feel my junior year, did I win the Heisman Trophy, or did they give it to me because they say, “He should have won it this year. He should have won it that year. So let’s give it to him now.” Even though I had a good year, I don’t know whether I won it because I deserved it — which I could have — or did I win it because they gave it to me? So I never say the Heisman Trophy, and people get upset with me about it, but I say, “I must tell the truth. My mother’s going to get upset with me.”</p> <p><strong>There must be some football moments that stand out.</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Oh, football! I think winning the national championship as a freshman. I was a starter on a freshman team and won the national championship on a team that no one picked to do anything. It was funny because we were not picked and I watched from the year. I was on the cover of <em>Sports Illustrated</em> once and they had the college teams listed. University of Georgia was like number 16. So I have another one where the University of Georgia is number 11. And then I have another one where the University of Georgia is number one. So people never picked us to do anything, and all of a sudden, we end up winning the national championship and people were just, “That was amazing!” What that taught me was that it doesn’t matter what people think about you. It absolutely does not matter what people think about you. What matters is what you think about yourself because everybody on that team felt that we were the best team in college football. No one else outside that team felt that, but we all felt that way. So I learned then what matters most is what you feel about yourself, not what someone else feels about you.</p> <p><strong>Is there any one moment in your athletic career that stands out for you? </strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: All of it means a great deal to me. It’s hard to say because all of it means so much. I don’t think I put one over the other. And this is for all the 15 years. Everything should be looked at in a positive way, whether it was something bad happening in your life, but it helped you to get better. Sometimes your parents say, “Don’t touch that. It’s hot.” But if you never touch it, you’re never going to know. So even though that was a negative response, it made a positive response in your mind because now you know not to touch it anymore. So mistakes should be taken as a training tool to help you to get better. I lost a brother, and I was so mad at God. I was mad at everyone, but it helped me to understand God a little bit more. Because God is never going to give me a burden I can’t handle. But I was being selfish. “Herschel, you are being selfish, and God is going to take care of your brother better than you could have done if he was here.” And I <em>was</em> being selfish. So that negative response came out to be positive because now I know God a little bit more. I know that “Herschel, you were selfish.” So now I know how to react the next go-around.</p> <p><strong>Which personal characteristics do you think are most important for success, in any field?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I think believing in yourself, being able to lay your head on your pillow at night and rest in peace, meaning you’ve given it your all. You’ve given everything you’ve got to give. Not worrying. You’ve got to believe that what you’re doing is right because there are some people who know what they’re doing is wrong, but they believe it so much they still do it. So you’ve got to believe what you’re doing is correct. You’ve got to believe in yourself. You have so many people that pray but yet they don’t do anything. It’s sort of like you can’t win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. You can’t hit a home run unless you take a swing at the ball. So you’ve got to be willing to work at it and believe in yourself.</p> <p><strong>What kind of advice would you give to a young person who wants to go into professional sports?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: I think the most important thing is to, like I said, believe in yourself. Be willing to take chances. Be willing to work harder than your fellow man because in professional football, maybe only two percent — if that many — of guys coming out of college make a professional football team. Maybe even less of a percent of basketball players. So the chance that you’ll make it is very tough, so you’ve got to believe in yourself and work a little bit harder, because the guy right behind you is watching what you do, and he’s trying to work hard. Through hard work, good things you’re going to accomplish.</p> <p>But I always say education is so important because you can be president at 60. As a professional football player, they’re going to say you’re old at 32. They’re trying to get rid of you then. But you can be president at 60. Plus, athletes must realize in college, we’re starting out in high school because they need a foundation. I think high schools are not giving athletes the foundation to even prepare themselves for college. When they get to college, they’re not prepared for professional football. The reason why is, they have no study habits. A football player does not just go play the game. He must become a student of the game. They give you a playbook with 500 pages in training camp and say, “Learn this.” Most guys can’t learn it. Most guys do not make it. So they must have good study habits, and you get that through paying attention in school.</p> <p>I never said I was smart. I was valedictorian because I just paid attention. I went to school. I sat there and I just shut my mouth and I wrote down things and that was it. That’s all you’ve got to do is go to class. College — I hate to say “athlete” because there’s a lot of college <em>students</em> that just don’t go to class until the exam. Then they go and they try to cram. Well, you just go and pay attention. Somebody once said, “It’s better for them to think that you’re stupid by you saying nothing than for you to open your mouth and they know you’re stupid.”</p> <p><strong>What would you say to a 15- or 16-year-old who comes to you seeking advice?</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Believe in yourself. Strive to be the very best you can be. Run the race against yourself and not the guy in the other lane. And the reason I say that is, as long as you give it 110 percent, you’re going to succeed. But as long as you’re trying to beat the guy over there, you’re worried about him, you’re not worrying about how you’ve got to perform. But believe in yourself, because I think that’s the very big key, and to work hard. To dream, it takes work. To have a nightmare takes nothing. I think if you’re going to dream, you got to be willing to work because then it can be possible. If you’re going to have a nightmare, you don’t have to do anything but just hide in the closet. I say dreams are possible through a lot of hard work. I know I talk a lot, but it’s funny because people pray sometimes. People pray, and yet they’re going to sit there with their hands out hoping God is going to drop money in their hands. It doesn’t work like that. If you’re going to pray, you’ve got to get out and do something. You can’t just sit in the bed. If you’re going to pray, you’ve got to make an effort. That’s the way it is. If you’re going to dream, you’ve got to make an effort to get out and do something.</p> <p><strong>Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.</strong></p> <p>Herschel Walker: Thank you.</p> </div>  </aside>  <div class="read-more__toggle collapsed" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#full-interview"><a href="#" class="sans-4 btn">Read full interview</a></div> </article> </section> </div> <div class="tab-pane fade" id="gallery" role="tabpanel"> <section class="isotope-wrapper">  <header class="toolbar toolbar--gallery bg-white clearfix"> <div class="col-md-6"> <div class="serif-4">Herschel Walker Gallery</div> </div> <div class="col-md-6 text-md-right isotope-toolbar"> <ul class="list-unstyled list-inline m-b-0 text-brand-primary sans-4"> <li class="list-inline-item" data-filter=".photo"><i class="icon-icon_camera"></i>16 photos</li> </ul> </div> </header> <div class="isotope-gallery isotope-box single-achiever__gallery clearfix"> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.70394736842105" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1.jpg" data-image-caption="March 8, 1984: New Jersey Generals owner, real estate tycoon Donald Trump, shakes hands with Herschel Walker at a press conference in New York after agreeing to a four-year contract. Walker signed pro football’s richest contract ever, jumping from his junior year at the University of Georgia to the New Jersey Generals of the fledgling USFL." data-image-copyright="Donald Trump" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1-380x267.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1984-AP_16188680510369-1-760x535.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.65131578947368" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103.jpg" data-image-caption="November 1982: University of Georgia’s running back Herschel Walker (34) in action, leaping, versus the University of Florida Gators in Jacksonville, Florida. In three seasons at Georgia, between 1980 and 1982, Walker rushed for 5,259 yards, a school record that stands. As a freshman, he led Georgia football to the 1980 national title. Walker won Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year all three seasons at Georgia, was a consensus All-America selection all three seasons and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. (© Tony Tomsic /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103-380x248.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-Georgia-GettyImages-89184103-760x495.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.5139442231076" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970.jpg" data-image-caption="1982: Herschel Walker becomes the seventh junior and second Georgia Bulldog to win the Heisman Trophy. The 6-foot 1-inch, 222-pound Walker amassed 5,097 yards rushing in his career, an NCAA record for yards rushing in three seasons. Walker, Glenn Davis and Doak Walker are the only players to log three top-three Heisman finishes. "I’m happy to win the Heisman Trophy,” said Walker. "I’ve always tried to be a person who strives to succeed.” (© Getty)" data-image-copyright="u821807-17.jpg" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970-251x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-GettyImages-515174970-502x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium1-WALKER.jpg" data-image-caption="Herschel Walker addresses Academy delegates and members at a symposium session during the 2001 Salute to Excellence program in San Antonio, Texas." data-image-copyright="wp-1988-podium1-WALKER" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium1-WALKER-380x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium1-WALKER-760x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008.jpg" data-image-caption="2008: <i>Breaking Free: My Life with Dissociative Identity Disorder</i>. In his memoir, Herschel Walker shares the inspiring story of his life and diagnosis with dissociative identity disorder. Despite the acclaim he won as a football legend, track star, Olympic competitor, and later a successful businessman, he realized that his life was out of control. He often felt angry, self-destructive, and unable to connect meaningfully with friends and family. He was ultimately diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. (Simon & Schuster)" data-image-copyright="wp-2009-Breaking Free Book 2008" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008-380x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-2009-Breaking-Free-Book-2008-760x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.75" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10.jpg" data-image-caption="1995: New York Giant Herschel Walker during minicamp in Madison, New Jersey. The Giants signed Walker as a free agent to a three-year contract worth $4.8 million. (Photo by Chuck Solomon/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10-380x285.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1995-Walker-Herschel-SI-Pix-92003706_10-760x570.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.005291005291" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362.jpg" data-image-caption="June 5, 1981: NCAA Outdoor Championships: University of Houston’s Carl Lewis (2L) and University of Georgia’s Herschel Walker in action during the men’s 100m race at Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Walker competed for Georgia’s track and field team, where he was a two-time All-America selection (outdoor 400-meter relay, indoor 60-yard dash) and a member of the SEC champion 400-meter relay in 1981. (Andy Hayt/Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362-378x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-trackandfield-georgia-GettyImages-83384362-756x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-Douglas-Michael-and-Herschel-Walker.jpg" data-image-caption="1988: Awards Council member Herschel Walker presents the Golden Plate Award to actor Michael Douglas, recipient of the Oscar for Best Actor, during the American Academy of Achievement's Banquet of the Golden Plate ceremonies at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. (© Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="wp-1988-Douglas Michael and Herschel Walker" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-Douglas-Michael-and-Herschel-Walker-380x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-Douglas-Michael-and-Herschel-Walker-760x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.4258911819887" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748.jpg" data-image-caption="1996: Dallas Cowboys running back Herschel Walker with an 89-yard kickoff return. (Credit: AP Photo/Jon Freilich)" data-image-copyright="WALKER BUSH" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748-266x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1996-AP96102002748-533x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.4931237721022" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514.jpg" data-image-caption="1981: Herschel Walker in front of Johnson County’s Lovett Stadium. Walker attended Johnson County High School, where he played football, basketball and competed in track. In his senior year of 1979, he rushed for 3,167 yards, helping the Trojans to win their first state championship. The valedictorian of his class, he was awarded the first Dial Award as the 1979 national high school scholar-athlete of the year. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="University of Georgia Bulldogs" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514-255x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-lovettstadium-GettyImages-52286514-509x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-delegates-Walker-Herschel-scans-2001.jpg" data-image-caption="May 2001: Golden Plate Awards Council member Herschel Walker with Academy delegates and guests during the American Academy of Achievement’s 40th annual Salute to Excellence program in San Antonio, Texas. (Academy)" data-image-copyright="wp-1988-delegates-Walker Herschel scans 2001" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-delegates-Walker-Herschel-scans-2001-380x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-delegates-Walker-Herschel-scans-2001-760x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.675" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-GettyImages-824362916.jpg" data-image-caption="1981: Running back Herschel Walker (#34) of the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. Walker played at the University of Georgia from 1980 to 1983. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)" data-image-copyright="wp-1981-GettyImages-824362916" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-GettyImages-824362916-380x257.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1981-GettyImages-824362916-760x513.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.4990138067061" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium2-WALKER.jpg" data-image-caption="2001: Herschel Walker addresses the Academy delegates and members during the American Academy of Achievement's Salute to Excellence program San Antonio, Texas. (© Academy of Achievement)" data-image-copyright="wp-1988-podium2-WALKER" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium2-WALKER-253x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1988-podium2-WALKER-507x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="1.5109343936382" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035.jpg" data-image-caption="December 9, 1982: Herschel Walker of the University of Georgia is named the winner of the Heisman Trophy. He received the 48th Heisman at a nationally televised show in the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. (AP Photo/Mario Suriani)" data-image-copyright="Heisman Trophy Winner" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035-252x380.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-1982-heisman-black-and-white-AP821209035-503x760.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.63289473684211" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ.jpg" data-image-caption="1986: Academy member Herschel Walker with 1986 Heisman Trophy receipient Bo Jackson during the American Academy of Achievement's 25th anniversary Achievement Summit in Washington, D.C." data-image-copyright="wp-Herschel Walker Bo Jackson 1987 Summit Scottsdale AZ" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ-380x241.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-Bo-Jackson-1987-Summit-Scottsdale-AZ-760x481.jpg"></div>  </figure> <figure class="isotope-item ratio-container--gallery photo" data-category="photo" data-ratio="0.81451612903226" title="" data-gtm-category="photo" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Achiever - ">   <div class="lazyload ratio-container__image" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#imageModal" data-image-src="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-with-Mary-Lou-Retton-1987-Summit-Scotsdale-AZ.jpg" data-image-caption="1986: Academy members Herschel Walker (Class of 1981) and Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton (Class of 1985) during the Academy of Achievement's 25th Anniversary Summit in Washington, D.C." data-image-copyright="wp-Herschel Walker with Mary Lou Retton 1987 Summit Scotsdale AZ" data-sizes="auto" data-bgset="/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-with-Mary-Lou-Retton-1987-Summit-Scotsdale-AZ-380x310.jpg [(max-width:576px)] | /wp-content/uploads/2018/02/wp-Herschel-Walker-with-Mary-Lou-Retton-1987-Summit-Scotsdale-AZ.jpg"></div>  </figure>    </div> </section> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <footer class="editorial-article__footer col-md-8 col-md-offset-4"> <div class="editorial-article__next-link sans-3"> <a href="#"><strong>What's next:</strong> <span class="editorial-article__next-link-title">profile</span></a> </div> <ul class="social list-unstyled list-inline ssk-group m-b-0"> <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="" class="ssk ssk-facebook" data-gtm-category="social" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Shared Achiever on Facebook"><i class="icon-icon_facebook-circle"></i></a></li> <li class="list-inline-item"><a href="" class="ssk ssk-twitter" data-gtm-category="social" data-gtm-action="click" data-gtm-label="Shared Achiever on Twitter"><i 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</main> </div> </div> <footer class="content-info main-footer bg-black"> <div class="container"> <div class="find-achiever" id="find-achiever-list"> <div class="form-group"> <input id="find-achiever-input" class="search js-focus" placeholder="Search for an achiever"/> <i class="icon-icon_chevron-down"></i> </div> <ul class="find-achiever-list list m-b-0 list-unstyled"> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/hank-aaron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Hank Aaron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/kareem-abdul-jabbar/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/edward-albee/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Edward Albee</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tenley-albright-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tenley Albright, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julie-andrews/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Julie Andrews</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/maya-angelou/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Maya Angelou</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-d-ballard-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert D. Ballard, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-roger-bannister-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Roger Bannister</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-banville/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Banville</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ehud-barak/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ehud Barak</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lee-r-berger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lee R. Berger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-timothy-berners-lee/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Tim Berners-Lee</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/yogi-berra/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Yogi Berra</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeffrey-p-bezos/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jeffrey P. Bezos</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benazir-bhutto/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Benazir Bhutto</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/simone-biles/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Simone Biles</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/keith-l-black/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Keith L. Black, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elizabeth-blackburn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Elizabeth Blackburn, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-boies-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David Boies</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/norman-e-borlaug/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Norman E. Borlaug, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-c-bradlee/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Benjamin C. Bradlee</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sergey-brin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sergey Brin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carter-j-brown/"><span class="achiever-list-name">J. Carter Brown</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/linda-buck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Linda Buck, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-burnett/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carol Burnett</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-h-w-bush/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George H. W. Bush</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/susan-butcher/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Susan Butcher</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-cameron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Cameron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/benjamin-s-carson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Benjamin S. Carson, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jimmy-carter/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jimmy Carter</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/johnny-cash/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Johnny Cash</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/william-j-clinton/"><span class="achiever-list-name">William J. Clinton</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/francis-s-collins/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/denton-a-cooley/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Denton A. Cooley, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/francis-ford-coppola/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Francis Ford Coppola</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-dalio/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Dalio</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/olivia-de-havilland/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Olivia de Havilland</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-e-debakey-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/michael-dell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Michael S. Dell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ron-dennis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ron Dennis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joan-didion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joan Didion</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rita-dove/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rita Dove</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sylvia-earle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sylvia Earle, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/elbaradei/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mohamed ElBaradei</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/gertrude-elion/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Gertrude B. Elion, M.Sc.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-j-ellison/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry J. Ellison</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nora-ephron/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nora Ephron</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/julius-erving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Julius Erving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tony-fadell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Tony Fadell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/paul-farmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Paul Farmer, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzanne-farrell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzanne Farrell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-field/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally Field</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lord-norman-foster/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lord Norman Foster</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/milton-friedman-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Milton Friedman, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-fuentes/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Fuentes</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/athol-fugard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Athol Fugard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernest-j-gaines/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernest J. Gaines</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/william-h-gates-iii/"><span class="achiever-list-name">William H. Gates III</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-gehry/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank O. Gehry</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/murray-gell-mann-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Murray Gell-Mann, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-ghosn/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Ghosn</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/vince-gill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Vince Gill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ruth-bader-ginsburg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ruth Bader Ginsburg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louise-gluck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louise Glück</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/whoopi-goldberg/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Whoopi Goldberg</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jane-goodall/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dame Jane Goodall</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/doris-kearns-goodwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mikhail-s-gorbachev/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mikhail S. Gorbachev</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nadine-gordimer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nadine Gordimer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-jay-gould/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen Jay Gould, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carol-greider-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carol Greider, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-grisham/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Grisham</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/dorothy-hamill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Dorothy Hamill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lauryn-hill/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lauryn Hill</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-edmund-hillary/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Edmund Hillary</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/reid-hoffman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Reid Hoffman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/khaled-hosseini/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Khaled Hosseini, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ron-howard/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ron Howard</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-hume/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Hume</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/louis-ignarro-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Louis Ignarro, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/daniel-inouye/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Daniel K. Inouye</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jeremy-irons/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jeremy Irons</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-irving/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John Irving</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/kazuo-ishiguro/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Kazuo Ishiguro</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sir-peter-jackson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sir Peter Jackson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/donald-c-johanson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Donald C. Johanson, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-m-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank M. Johnson, Jr.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/philip-johnson/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Philip C. Johnson</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/chuck-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Chuck Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-earl-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Earl Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/quincy-jones/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Quincy Jones</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/paul-kagame/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Paul Kagame</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/thomas-keller-2/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Thomas Keller</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-m-kennedy/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony M. Kennedy</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/b-b-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">B.B. King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carole-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carole King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/coretta-scott-king/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Coretta Scott King</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-kissinger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry A. Kissinger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willem-j-kolff/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willem J. Kolff, M.D., Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wendy-kopp/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wendy Kopp</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/henry-r-kravis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Henry R. Kravis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/nicholas-d-kristof/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Nicholas D. Kristof</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mike-krzyzewski/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mike Krzyzewski</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ray-kurzwell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ray Kurzweil</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/eric-lander-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Eric S. Lander, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-s-langer-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert S. Langer, Sc.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-leakey/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard E. Leakey</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/robert-lefkowitz-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/congressman-john-r-lewis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Congressman John R. Lewis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/maya-lin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Maya Lin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-lucas/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George Lucas</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/norman-mailer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Norman Mailer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peyton-manning/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peyton Manning</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wynton-marsalis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wynton Marsalis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/john-c-mather-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">John C. Mather, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/johnny-mathis/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Johnny Mathis</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ernst-mayr-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ernst Mayr, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/willie-mays/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Willie Mays</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frank-mccourt/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frank McCourt</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/david-mccullough/"><span class="achiever-list-name">David McCullough</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/audra-mcdonald/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Audra McDonald</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-william-h-mcraven/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral William H. McRaven, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/w-s-merwin/"><span class="achiever-list-name">W. S. Merwin</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-a-michener/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James A. Michener</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/marvin-minsky-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Marvin Minsky, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/mario-j-molina-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Mario J. Molina, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/n-scott-momaday-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">N. Scott Momaday, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/story-musgrave/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Story Musgrave, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ralph-nader/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ralph Nader</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/peggy-noonan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Peggy Noonan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jessye-norman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jessye Norman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/tommy-norris/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lt. Thomas R. Norris, USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/joyce-carol-oates/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Joyce Carol Oates</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pierre-omidyar/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pierre Omidyar</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jimmy-page/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jimmy Page</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/larry-page/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Larry Page</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/arnold-palmer/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Arnold Palmer</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/rosa-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Rosa Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/suzan-lori-parks/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Suzan-Lori Parks</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/linus-pauling/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Linus C. Pauling, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/shimon-peres/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Shimon Peres</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-david-petraeus/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General David H. Petraeus, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sidney-poitier/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sidney Poitier</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-colin-l-powell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General Colin L. Powell, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/harold-prince/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Harold Prince</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/venki-ramakrishnan-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Venki Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/lloyd-richards/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Lloyd Richards</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-ride-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sally K. Ride, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sonny-rollins/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sonny Rollins</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/anthony-romero/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Anthony Romero</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/james-rosenquist/"><span class="achiever-list-name">James Rosenquist</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pete-rozelle/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Pete Rozelle</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/bill-russell/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Bill Russell</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/albie-sachs/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Albie Sachs</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/oliver-sacks-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Oliver Sacks, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/jonas-salk-m-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Jonas Salk, M.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-sanger-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick Sanger, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/george-b-schaller-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">George B. Schaller, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/barry-scheck/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Barry Scheck</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/richard-evans-schultes-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Richard Evans Schultes, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/general-h-norman-schwarzkopf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, USA</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-schwarzman/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen A. Schwarzman</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/glenn-t-seaborg-ph-d/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Glenn T. Seaborg, Ph.D.</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/neil-sheehan/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Neil Sheehan</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-alan-shepard-jr/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral Alan B. Shepard, Jr., USN</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Ellen Johnson Sirleaf</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/carlos-slim/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Carlos Slim Helú</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/frederick-w-smith/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Frederick W. Smith</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/stephen-sondheim/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Stephen Sondheim</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sonia-sotomayor/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Sonia Sotomayor</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/wole-soyinka/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Wole Soyinka</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/esperanza-spalding/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Esperanza Spalding</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/martha-stewart/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Martha Stewart</span></a> </li> <li> <a href="/web/20180505105343/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/admiral-james-b-stockdale/"><span class="achiever-list-name">Admiral James B. 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