Sidney "Sid" Luckman

(1916 - 1998)

An All-America tailback at Columbia University l937 and 1938, Sid Luckman blossomed as "The Master of the T-Formation" with the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and was elected to the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame in l965.

In nine seasons as quarterback of the Bears (1939-1947), his "Monsters of the Midway" won four NFL Championships (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946) and five Western Conference titles. Enroute, Luckman set numerous offensive records and was named All-Pro five times--l941-l944 and l947.

He also played full-time defensive backfield throughout his career.

Luckman was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in l943, the year he threw a single game record seven touchdowns against the New York Giants, and 28 TDs during the Bears ten-game regular season. The seven TD spectacular led to a 56-7 rout of the Giants on Sid Luckman Day at New York’s Polo Grounds. Later that season, he tossed five touchdowns in a 41-21 NFL title game romp over the Washington Redskins.

Luckman's mastery of the new T-formation system helped "open up" and popularize professional football. In his nine pro seasons, Luckman completed 904 of 1,747 passes, for 14,683 yards (8.42 yards per pass), and 139 touchdowns.

Sources: International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame