Cliff Montgomery etched his name into college football history by orchestrating one of the most famous trick plays ever seen to secure an improbable Rose Bowl victory for the Columbia Lions.
Football Bio
On September 17, 1910, we celebrated another legendary birthday: Cliff Montgomery, former quarterback for Columbia University.
Montgomery had his watershed collegiate moment on the big stage. The setting was the 1934 Rose Bowl, and heavily favored Stanford University was having its way with the Lions in the second quarter, but somehow was denied the end zone, and the score was still tied at 0-0.
Montgomery in the huddle then called the play that went down in history as the K.F. 79, a newly devised option-style play that had failed twice earlier.
But Cliff wanted to give it one more chance, so the Lions set up in the unbalanced line formation, Morton took the snap, and then promptly headed off to the speedster Al Barabas, who swiftly weaved his way to an 18-yard touchdown.
It proved to be the only score of the Game, and Columbia won the Rose Bowl 7-0, with Cliff Montgomery voted as the MVP of the Game.
Cliff would go on to earn All-American honors and lead the Columbia Lions to a 22-win, 3-loss, 2-tie record over his three seasons.
After school, Cliff Montgomery played one season professionally with the Brooklyn Dodgers football team, and later became one of the nation’s top football officials.
He also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and became a decorated naval commander. The National Football Foundation voted Montgomery into its College Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Cliff Montgomery cemented his legacy as a brilliant on-field tactician and a dedicated leader off the gridiron. He continuously gave back to the sport as a premier college football official and proudly served his country during World War II.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- Served as a decorated Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II, earning the Silver Star for his actions at Okinawa.
- Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
- Named the Most Valuable Player of the 1934 Rose Bowl.
- Earned All-American honors as a quarterback in 1933.
- Led the Columbia Lions to an impressive 22-3-2 overall record during his three seasons as a starter.
- Played professionally in the NFL for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1934.
- Served as a highly respected, top-tier college football official for more than 25 years after his playing career.
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