People > Players 1940s-1950s > Bill Swiacki
Bill Swiacki, CC 1948
Bill Swiacki started his college (and football) career at the College of Holy Cross in 1942. After serving as a second lieutenant and navigator in the US Air Force during World War II, he arrived at Columbia in the fall of 1946.
In October 1947, Columbia trailed Army, 20-14 late in the fourth quarter, when quarterback Gene Rossides dropped back to pass from the Army 29. The pass was low, and the crowd groaned as it looked like it would hit the ground. With both arms outstretched and body horizontal, Swiacki reached out and grabbed the pass barely above the ground, a 26-yard gain to the three. Two plays later, Lou Kusserow ran it in from the two and Ventan Yablonski kicked the go-ahead extra point to put Columbia up, 21-20. After time had run out, Swiacki was carried off the field on his teammates' shoulders. It still ranks as one of Columbia's (and college football's) greatest victories.
Swiacki caught nine passes for 148 yards that day, one for a touchdown. He finished the season with Columbia records for receptions and yards, to go with his 23.6 yards per catch in 1946, still the Lions' all-time record. His 18.6 career yards per catch also ranks as a Columbia record. Swiacki was a first team All-American, named to an incredible 16 All-American teams and was eighth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.