By Darin Before modern turf and high-traction cleats, football was a game of grit, luck, and occasionally, absolute mud. On one such afternoon in 1921, Cornell halfback Eddie Kaw didn’t just play; he performed a miracle. Slithering through a rain-soaked “quagmire” at Franklin Field, Kaw delivered a performance so dominant it remains etched in Ivy League lore as one of the most remarkable individual feats in the history of the sport.
🏈 The Slip and Slide to Immortality
Football Bio
January 18, 1897 – Houston, Texas – The great Cornell Halfback Eddie Kaw was born. According to footballfoundation.com, in 1921, when the Penn Quakers hosted underdog Cornell, Eddie Kaw had what was probably his greatest day in football. The undersized Cornell halfback maneuvered his way through a quagmire of mud and slop on the field, scoring five of Cornell’s six touchdowns as the Big Red handed Penn its worst defeat since the series started between the two schools back in 1893. The final score was 41-0. In that contest. Kaw was named an All-American in 1921 and again in 1922. The National Football Foundation selected Eddie Kaw to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
The Legacy of the “Big Red” Ghost
Eddie Kaw’s legacy goes beyond a single stat line; he represents the golden era of Cornell football under the legendary coach Gil Dobie. To score five touchdowns in a single game is a feat in any era—to do it on a field described as a “slime-covered quagmire” while playing with 1920s equipment is the stuff of legend. His back-to-back Consensus All-American honors and induction into the Hall of Fame serve as permanent reminders of a player who could outmaneuver any defense, regardless of the conditions.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame Inductee (Class of 1954)
- 2-Time Consensus All-American (1921, 1922)
- 2-Time Retroactive National Champion (1921, 1922)
- Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame (Charter Member, 1978)
- Undefeated Seasons: Led Cornell to back-to-back 8-0 records in 1921 and 1922.
- Leading Scorer in the East: Ranked as the top individual scorer in the East during the 1921 season.
- Team Captain: Served as the leader for the 1922 Big Red squad.
- Historic Performance: Holds the record for most touchdowns (5) in a single game against the University of Pennsylvania (1921).
