Solo's Latest Challenge

There are few things more sobering than seeing an athlete you once idolized brought down by physical adversity.

That’s what has happened to the first genuine offensive star I ever knew at Columbia, Solomon Johnson.

I am more than sorry to announce that “Solo” has been diagnosed with Multiple myeloma.

I AM happy to report that Johnson is in good spirits, and is now on a trial drug.

For the relative newcomers here, it’s hard to understate Johnson’s importance to the Columbia teams of the late 1980’s.

It was Solo, along with Greg Abbruzzese, who comprised the greatest running tandem the Lions had in a generation and haven’t matched since.

It was Solo who led the 1987 freshman team to a legendary 6-0 season.

Then, in 1988 he helped lead Columbia out of the depths of its 5-year-long losing streak by scoring the winning TD in the streak-breaker against Princeton on October 8th at Wien Stadium.

Johnson’s speed was just mystifying. It was too good to keep on the bench on kickoffs and so he became a returner as well.

I know all of our prayers go out to him and his family.


Also...

Please also don’t forget to post your name and school year/affiliation if you support our call for a special halftime ceremony honoring our student veterans.