Machlowitz, Nate

Nathan Machlowitz

Machlowitz was a back at New York University in the 1930s, and was team captain in 1935. Nate was also a member of the baseball and basketball teams at NYU (he played on the 1935 National Championship team), and played one year of professional football in 1936.

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Career Highlights:
Machlowitz, who played as a back at NYU for three seasons, was a star at James Monroe High School before his college days. In the middle of his sophomore season, Machlowitz stepped into the starting line-up due to an injury to team captain Harry Temple and joined fellow sophomore Charley Siegal in the backfield. That season, the Violets finished with a record of 2-4-1.

In 1934, Machlowitz scored six touchdowns during the season and was considered one of the most versatile players in the East. Slated for the quarterback position, Nate played that position as well as fullback and halfback during the year due to injuries to his teammates. In the opening game of the 1934 season, in which Machlowitz was the starting fullback, NYU routed Johns Hopkins and Nate scored two touchdowns in the game. After a loss to West Virginia Wesleyan, NYU defeated Lafayette by a score of 12-7 with Nate scoring both touchdowns for the victors. In the final game of the season, a 39-13 loss to rival Fordham, Machlowitz was awarded the annual Madow Trophy as the MVP of the game (voted on by local newspapers). NYU finished the year with a record of 3-4-1.

Unanimously voted team captain prior to the 1935 season, Machlowitz was terrific all year as he scored eight touchdowns (the most of any Jewish player in the East) and helped lead them to a record of 7-1-0 (they outscored their opponents 206-47); their only loss came to Fordham in the final game of the year, 21-0.

After graduating in 1936, Nate played one season of professional football in the American Football League for the Brooklyn Tigers. The league was started by Dr. Harry March, a former New York Giants official, as a "player's league." Although the games were covered by the New York Times and they had some big names, the league folded after two seasons due to lack of attendance and finances. Machlowitz and the Tigers finished the 1936 season in last place with a record of 0-6-1.

Origin:
New York

Career Dates:
Machlowitz played as a back at New York University from 1933-1935. He then played as a halfback in the AFL with the Brooklyn Tigers in 1936.

Physical description:
5'9", 180 pounds

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