“Wild Bill” Donovan, who played football and rowed while a student at Columbia, went on to become the “father of American intelligence” after creating and leading the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which eventually became the CIA.
 
Donovan spent four years at Columbia, two as an undergrad and two at the law school, where he was a classmate of future president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Donovan was a two-sport athlete during that time, including playing quarterback for the football team. Donovan joined the Army when World War I broke out and receiving many honors for his efforts, highlighted by the Distinguished Service Cross, the Medal of Honor, the Légion d’Honneur, and the Order of the British Empire. Donovan’s endurance impressed the younger soldiers in his command so much that they gave him the nickname “Wild Bill.”
 
Donovan continued to serve his country after returning to civilian life, first traveling abroad on intelligence missions for the U.S. military and State Department and then as assistant to the Attorney General. His former classmate FDR tabbed him to join the cabinet in 1940, eventually giving Donovan the Coordinator of Information position, where he was in charge of wartime intelligence and unconventional warfare. The office was re-named the OSS in 1942, and then essentially became the CIA in 1947.

According to reports, Donovan was also instrumental in pushing Columbia to accept the Rose Bowl bid in 1934, where the Lions would defeat No. 2 Stanford, 7-0.

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