Member Biography

Never beaten, never tied. Such was the varsity record of Cornell quarterback George Pfann, in 1921, 1922, and 1923. An ideal combination of brains and brawn, the 5-9, 172-pound Pfann gave coach Gil Dobie plenty to smile about over a three-season career in which the Big Red out-scored the competition by an incredible 1051-81 margin in 24 games. Pfann and fellow Hall of Famer Eddie Kaw gave Cornell one of the nation's slickest backfield combinations as Cornell ran roughshod over the competition. In 1921, sophomore Pfann and junior Kaw led Cornell to one-sided scores such as 110- 0, 55-0, 41-0, 59-0, and 41-7. In 1923 Pfann was captain and scored 15 touchdowns in eight games. He also was on Cornell's lacrosse and basketball teams. After graduating in 1924, he studied law two years while serving as Cornell's freshman basketball coach and assistant football coach. He completed his study in law as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England. He became United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and also served as Swarthmore football coach 1931-35. He was a lieutenant colonel on the staff of General George Patton in World War II and was decorated with seven battle stars. After the war Pfann resumed his law practice and for the period 1964-76 was a professor of law at Cornell University. George Pfann was born Oct. 6, 1902, in Marion, Ohio. He died Dec. 17, 1996 in Ithaca, NY, at the age of 94.