Leo the Lion

Lou's Lions were mighty indeed

Leo Ward '52, one of Lou Little's players from the late 1940's-early 1950's died Monday in Pennsylvania, he was 78.

Here's a key line from his obituary:

While a student at Admiral Farragut Academy in New Jersey, his defensive moves earned him a nomination to the first New Jersey All-State Prep School team.

He drew the attention of Columbia University football coaches, who recruited him to play for their school. As defensive halfback and later defensive end, Ward played under the legendary coach Lou Little, and recalled team pep talks by former President Dwight Eisenhower, then university president.

Ward went on to become a key football historian and later founded a local historical society.

As more and more of Lou Little's Lions begin to leave us, it becomes more and more important to work to preserve his legacy at Columbia. This is something I know the athletic department is working hard at, as the weekend honoring Little's surviving players back in 2006 proved. We need more events like this in the future.

Lou's men were remarkable indeed.