He was also the star player for the Temple University Owls in the inaugural Sugar Bowl game on January 1, 1935, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

[1][7] His family moved to Newark, New Jersey, in 1918, where he played tackle at East Side High School[4][8] in 1929 and 1930, earning all-State honors the second year.

[9] Still in his teens, he returned to Gloversville to live with his oldest brother Lewis and became his apprentice, learning to shear gloves from skins.

[6] In May 1932 he participated in the annual Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute interscholastic track meet in Troy, New York, and broke two state records, the 12-pound shot put and the discus throw.

[9][10] In September 1933 Smukler transferred to Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was chosen to play varsity fullback by Glenn “Pop” Warner one year later.

He is not the type that will get puffed up by praise, either.” Smukler played five consecutive games without ever letting the ball slip from his hand.

He was 212 pounds of speed and power, who asked nothing more of his own line but that it get out of his way and let him run.”[17] Smukler temporarily withdrew from Temple in December 1935 due to a knee injury but returned at the start of the second semester.

[21] Steve Owen, coach of the New York Giants, identified the Eagles as one of the teams he most feared “because they are dangerous any time Dave Smukler, the erstwhile Temple Terror, carries the ball.”[22] Apparently, team owner Bert Bell once said that nobody could stop Smukler “when he was having a good day.” On October 2, 1938, the Eagles played the Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium.

The National Football League (NFL) program described Smukler as a “Powerhouse ball carrier and backer up on defense.

Carried ball from scrimmage 92 times to gain a total of 247 yards.”[23] After playing 34 games with the Eagles,[21] Smukler was suspended in October 1939 for breaking training rules.

[9][28] Smukler considered returning to football with the Detroit Lions,[9] but he never appeared on their gridiron and was sold to the Boston Yanks in 1944.

He founded the Pop Warner Conference in Los Angeles and received the group's first Joe Tomlin All-American Award for “service beyond the call of duty.”[30] At time of his death, Smukler was general sales manager for Bridgestone Tire Co. of America, Inc.

He was stricken with a heart attack at Los Angeles International Airport while preparing to board a plane for a sales meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma.