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Nile Kinnick correspondence, 1935-1938
1938-09-26: Front
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Sept. 26, 1938 from cousin W B Kinnick, Piedmont, Cal. Dear Nile: [Sr.] Well, the football game was played as scheduled and we saw it likewise. The trip wasn't as strenuous as we had anticipated, John and I alternating at the wheel. Dad spent most of the time stretched out behind, and I really think he got more sleep while on the trip than he would had he not gone. Our seats were excellent, perfect in fact, smack on the 50-yard line. John wired Dick Macy we would be down and through some mixup Dick got an extra ticket with his party, so John sat with Dick, Jack Frush, their gals and Harry Macy on the other side of the field. I saw D ick and Jack, but missed Harry. Dick is selling cars for his papa, Jack is a dentist in Burbank, and Harry is still in the finance business, and, according to John, looks very good. I don't believe the game gave me a bit bigger thrill than bumping into Nile in the lobby of his hotel before the game. He's sure a swell looking kid. We waited over an hour to see him and weren't even sure we could manage it then, Tubbs having turned us down cold, saying the boys were being refused visitors until after the game. We waylaid him however when he came down for supper, and had a very satisfying visit. We certainly regretted the necessity of returning to Piedmont that night, since he was to be free part of Saturday. We hammered.on the dressing room door after the game as long as we dared. I hope Dick Macy managed to get hold of him Saturday. He was anxious to see him at closer range. The game itself was a good one and I'm glad we saw it. The second half was painful, needless to say. Nile was out all of the 3rd quarter too. The biggest disappointment about the whole thing was that Nile wasn't called on enough. The Iowa fullback did practically all the punting and passing, and did a mediocre job on most of it, several of his passes being cleanly intercepted. I'm damned if I can figure out Tubbs' strategy in handing over such an assignment to Balacs, or whatever his name is. It's all right to confuse the opponents, I suppose, but Balaca did so much of it the confusion element was dulled. Nile did some splendid running early in the game, and did a lot of work at safety. UCLA would have scored heavier if Nile hadn't made some nice tackles from his last-ditch position. As I recall, the last play of the game would have been a touchdown if Nile hadn't forcibly embraced a ball carrier with a clear field ahead. Eicherly performed very nicely the quarter he replaced Nile. Personally, I'd like to see them in the backfield at the same time. T he team has a lot of weight as it is, but I'd like to see them sacrifice some weight for speed and shiftiness. Incidentally, Iowa's ends were terrible. Give Iowa a couple of ends, and Eicherly to work with Nile, and Iowa would go places. A lady from Iowa City had the seat next to Dad. Said she had driven out to see the game. When Dad informed her he was Nile's uncle she began, or rather resumed, a glowing speech of Nile's virtues and remarkable reputation on the campus. That was a cue for me to pull the three pictures you sent from an inside pocket. She Oh'd and Ah'd over them, passed them finally to her neighbor, who in turned passed them to his, and they went a long, long ways before being finally returned. A lot of Iowa people in our section, quite a few of them Legionnaires. A sailor sat behind us, rebuking the negro Washington and praising Iowa. The news about the corn crop was encouraging. I wish the price were as good, We'll look forward to hearing more about the land, Nile and yourself. Sincerely yours, Bill
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Sept. 26, 1938 from cousin W B Kinnick, Piedmont, Cal. Dear Nile: [Sr.] Well, the football game was played as scheduled and we saw it likewise. The trip wasn't as strenuous as we had anticipated, John and I alternating at the wheel. Dad spent most of the time stretched out behind, and I really think he got more sleep while on the trip than he would had he not gone. Our seats were excellent, perfect in fact, smack on the 50-yard line. John wired Dick Macy we would be down and through some mixup Dick got an extra ticket with his party, so John sat with Dick, Jack Frush, their gals and Harry Macy on the other side of the field. I saw D ick and Jack, but missed Harry. Dick is selling cars for his papa, Jack is a dentist in Burbank, and Harry is still in the finance business, and, according to John, looks very good. I don't believe the game gave me a bit bigger thrill than bumping into Nile in the lobby of his hotel before the game. He's sure a swell looking kid. We waited over an hour to see him and weren't even sure we could manage it then, Tubbs having turned us down cold, saying the boys were being refused visitors until after the game. We waylaid him however when he came down for supper, and had a very satisfying visit. We certainly regretted the necessity of returning to Piedmont that night, since he was to be free part of Saturday. We hammered.on the dressing room door after the game as long as we dared. I hope Dick Macy managed to get hold of him Saturday. He was anxious to see him at closer range. The game itself was a good one and I'm glad we saw it. The second half was painful, needless to say. Nile was out all of the 3rd quarter too. The biggest disappointment about the whole thing was that Nile wasn't called on enough. The Iowa fullback did practically all the punting and passing, and did a mediocre job on most of it, several of his passes being cleanly intercepted. I'm damned if I can figure out Tubbs' strategy in handing over such an assignment to Balacs, or whatever his name is. It's all right to confuse the opponents, I suppose, but Balaca did so much of it the confusion element was dulled. Nile did some splendid running early in the game, and did a lot of work at safety. UCLA would have scored heavier if Nile hadn't made some nice tackles from his last-ditch position. As I recall, the last play of the game would have been a touchdown if Nile hadn't forcibly embraced a ball carrier with a clear field ahead. Eicherly performed very nicely the quarter he replaced Nile. Personally, I'd like to see them in the backfield at the same time. T he team has a lot of weight as it is, but I'd like to see them sacrifice some weight for speed and shiftiness. Incidentally, Iowa's ends were terrible. Give Iowa a couple of ends, and Eicherly to work with Nile, and Iowa would go places. A lady from Iowa City had the seat next to Dad. Said she had driven out to see the game. When Dad informed her he was Nile's uncle she began, or rather resumed, a glowing speech of Nile's virtues and remarkable reputation on the campus. That was a cue for me to pull the three pictures you sent from an inside pocket. She Oh'd and Ah'd over them, passed them finally to her neighbor, who in turned passed them to his, and they went a long, long ways before being finally returned. A lot of Iowa people in our section, quite a few of them Legionnaires. A sailor sat behind us, rebuking the negro Washington and praising Iowa. The news about the corn crop was encouraging. I wish the price were as good, We'll look forward to hearing more about the land, Nile and yourself. Sincerely yours, Bill
Nile Kinnick Collection
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