Dr. Tom Skypeck was inducted to the McGill Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Dr. Thomas James Skypeck was born on Sept. 8, 1938 in Turner Falls, Mass., and was raised in nearby Chicopee. The stocky 6-foot-2, 210-pound all-Ivy League quarterback graduated with a bachelor of science from Cornell in 1959 and a doctor of dentistry from McGill in 1963.
A quarterback and punter, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder was nicknamed "Tom the Bomb" for his throwing prowess and was considered by many to be the greatest in McGill history.
In 1960 and again in 1962, he earned all-conference status and captured the Omega trophy as League MVP. He also won the 1961 W.S. Lea Memorial Trophy as team MVP.
Skypeck, who made jersey No. 60 famous with the Redmen, led McGill to a pair of Yates Cup titles, including the 1960 championship -- which was McGill's first title in 22 years. In that game, he threw three touchdowns in a 21-0 victory at Queen's. In the 1960 Churchill Bowl game for the unofficial national championship, Skypeck ran an offence that generated 551 yards and defeated Alberta 46-7 before 9,200 fans at Molson Stadium.
Skypeck served as captain on the 1962 team, which also won the Yates Cup championship -- this time with a 15-13 come-from-behind last-minute victory at Queen's. Trailing 13-8 with less than two minutes remaining, he marched the team 103 yards with five consecutive pass completions, including the game-winning TD toss to Willie Lambert with only 59 seconds left in the game.
In 22 games over his three seasons he three 37 touchdowns and only 21 interceptions. He completed 222 of 453 attempts for 2,612 yards. In an era dominated by the running game, he established numerous McGill records -- some of which still stand some four decades later -- for most TD passes thrown in a game (5), season (17) and career (37).
Skypeck died of a heart attack on Jan. 29, 1999 in Chicopee.
Dink Carroll wrote in The Montreal Gazette that "... Skypeck once more demonstrated that he is the best passer in Canadian College ranks. He has poise, a strong and accurate arm, never seems to lose sight of his receivers, and throws the short one and the deep one with equal facility"
Bob Cohen, who covered the football beat in The Montreal Star, once wrote:"... it is difficult to imagine how completely Skypeck led the Redmen. He did it in such a way that his teammates learned to respect his ability and authority while they embraced him as a sidekick. Skypeck has a keen football mind. He possesses that unique and essential property of being able to perform with the best of them. "
Honours
Team MVP (1961-62)
W.S. Lea Memorial Trophy
