Columbia-Georgetown Football Series to Honor Lou Little
9/24/2015 8:47:00 AM | Football
Lou Little was a giant among the nation's football coaches. He coached at Georgetown and Columbia from 1924 to 1956. His teams won 149 games while losing 128 and tying 12. At Columbia, he posted 110 victories, 68 more than the second- winningest Lion coach, Ray Tellier. He also served as athletics director for the Hoyas during his time at Georgetown from 1924-1929.
He coached the Lions to two of the most memorable upsets in college football history, a 7-0 victory over Stanford in 1934 and a 21-20 win over undefeated Army in 1947, as well as huge victories over Navy in 1933 and Georgia in 1940. Over a four-year stretch beginning in 1931, his second season at Columbia, the Lions twice went 8-1 and twice 7-1-1. He had a three-year string of successes in the mid-1940s, going 8-1 in 1945, 6-3 in 1946, and 7-2 in 1947.
He was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association and played a key role on college football's Rules Committee. Four of his players — Paul Governali, Sid Luckman, Cliff Montgomery and Bill Swiacki — were elected to the College Football Foundation Hall of Fame, and he soon joined them.
He was one of the best-known figures in New York City, found most nights in one or another of the city's famed nightspots, swapping stories with mayors, sports figures and entertainers. He was justly famous for his wardrobe, especially his shoes, of which it was said that he owned a different one for every day of the year.
Brian Hanlon, of Hanlon Sculpture Studios, was charged with creating the die-cast sculpture trophy, and capturing the famed coach's likeness. The trophy was paid for by the generous contributions of Coach Little's former players from Columbia and ardent fans from Georgetown.
“We are thrilled to be able to honor Lou Little and our alumni that played for him with the establishment of the Lou Little Trophy,” said Peter Pilling, Columbia's Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. “This will add another element of pride to what we hope will be an outstanding series of football games.”
