He is regarded as the most proficient long-range passer of his time and was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1943. In 1965, Luckman was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was honored with the prestigious Walter Camp American Award in 1988. After retiring, Luckman continued to be involved in football. He trained college coaches and placed special emphasis on the passing aspect. Read about Sidney Luckman’s life and star career at i-brooklyn.
Columbia University
Luckman was born in Brooklyn in 1916. His parents, Meyer and Ethel Druckman Luckman, were of Jewish origin. They came from Germany. He was eight years old when his father gave him a ball and instilled in him a passion for football. His family initially lived in Williamsburg, but then settled near Prospect Park in Flatbush, Brooklyn. It was there that young Sid began playing with the ball. He played baseball and football at Erasmus Hall High School. His football abilities caught the attention of recruiters from around 40 colleges. He helped his school’s team win two city championships as a quarterback.
Luckman’s meeting with Lions coach Lou Little during the game between Columbia and the Navy at the university’s sports complex motivated him to study at Columbia University. Although Sid was not accepted into Columbia College, he enrolled in the New College for the Education of Teachers. This bachelor’s school is part of Columbia’s Teachers College. He played for New College from 1936 to 1939, after which he transferred to Columbia College.
Sports achievements at Columbia
Coach Little always had trouble recruiting good athletes in high school due to the admission standards at Columbia University. The university’s bachelor’s program did not include physical education. Therefore, the man was happy when New College opened because they had this faculty.
Sid was a member of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity while attending Columbia University. Trying to stay at the university, he earned money by washing dishes, babysitting and couriering around the campus. At Columbia, he made 180 out of 376 passes for 2413 yards and 20 touchdowns, placing third in the 1938 Heisman Trophy voting after D. O’Brien and M. Goldberg.
First professional contract
After hearing about Luckman’s accomplishments at Columbia University, the owner and coach of the Chicago Bears, G. Halas decided that Luckman could become an effective quarterback for his team. So he went to New York to watch Luckman’s play. He persuaded the Pittsburgh Pirates to draft Luckman in the second round, subsequently transferring him to the Bears. Halas believed that Sid would change the team’s offensive game. Even though Luckman did well at Columbia, he initially resisted any further involvement in professional football, opting to join his father-in-law’s transportation firm. Halas began convincing him to change his decision. Coming to dinner at Luckman’s apartment, Halas offered a contract for $5,500 (equivalent to $114,300 today). Sid immediately signed it. Halas and his coaches, particularly Clark Shaughnessy, devised a fairly intricate scheme. But they lacked the appropriate quarterback to do it well. Thus, Luckman mastered the offense and changed football. Later, Sid instructed coaches from the Big Ten colleges, Notre Dame and West Point, explaining the nuances of passing in the game.