Sid Shreds the Quakers

Sid was a great kicker too


Game of the Day (Day 75)

October 17, 1937

Columbia 26 Penn 6


The Lions finished the 1936 campaign at 5-3 and optimism was high on Morningside Heights heading into the '37 season. But the year turned out to be a big disappointment due to injuries and other snafus.

For Penn, 1937 was an in-between year. The Quakers were an impressive 7-1 in 1936, with wins over Michigan, Penn State and Navy. But the true glory years for Penn under the great Head Coach George Munger were a year away as he would not take over the team until 1938. The Quakers came in to the game 1-1 after a close win over Maryland and a big loss to Yale.

Everything was clicking the right way for the Lions in this week three win in front of 28,000 fans at Baker Field. And for Sid Luckman, it would be one of his best days ever in a Columbia uniform.

Luckman struck early and often. He hit Bob Taylor for a 58-yard TD pass to start things off and then found Art Radvilas for a 20-yard score minutes later to give Columbia the 13-0 lead.

The score stayed that way until late in the third, when Luckman went over from the one to make it 20-0.

Early in the fourth quarter, Luckman returned a Penn punt to the Quaker 28 and a few plays later the Lions had their final score of the day and a 26-0 lead. Penn scored a meaningless TD against the Columbia reserves.

Luckman finished the day 5-for-7 in passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns. He ran for 66 yards and touchdown and he returned punts for a total of 78 yards on the day.

But for the Lions, this was to be the last win in a 2-5-2 season. And Columbia would not defeat Penn again until 1960.