Sid vs. the Cadets, Part II

Michie Stadium, like Baker Field, is nestled on the Hudson


Game of the Day (Day 73)

October 10, 1937

Army 21 Columbia 18

After the tough loss to the Cadets at Yankee Stadium in 1936, Sid Luckman and the Lions were looking for revenge when they travelled up the Hudson to take on Army at relatively tiny Michie Stadium before 20,000 fans.

And while they gave Coach Gar Davidson's Army squad all they could handle, the victory went to the Cadets as a final desperate Columbia drive fell short.

Luckman threw the ball an incredible, (for that time), 34 times, completing 18 of them for 202 yards. The first big completion was a 26-yard TD toss to John Siegal to make it 6-0. Columbia's Art Waldo missed the extra point and then Army went on an impressive march on the ground and a 66-yard TD drive to take a 7-6 lead.

The Lions answered with a 56-yard drive that ended with another TD pass from Luckman to Siegal, this time for 19 yards. Waldo missed the extra point and it was 12-7 Lions at the half.

The Cadets answered with another ground-intensive 66-yard drive, capped off by an 11 yard TD run by a Cadet actually named Woodrow Wilson.

Then Luckman tried to win the game on his own. He returned the ensuing kickoff for 80 yards and a touchdown and an 18-14 lead.

An impressive Columbia drive was foiled when Sid threw an interception at the Army 2 that was returned all the way back to the Lions 4. From there. Army scored the winning TD late in third quarter.

But Luckman wasn't giving up. He led the Lions to one more drive, fighting the Cadet defenders and the clock until he finally was picked off again at the Army one yard line.

New York Times reporter called Luckman's performance "simply astounding," and described the fans filing out of Michie Stadium as "utterly limp and exhausted."

Who could have known that the 1938 matchup between these two teams would be even more thrilling?