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Nile Kinnick correspondence, August-December 1940

1940-10-04: Page 03

2
divided which I think was toobad for he otherwise would have gotten a much more
spontaneous and  stimulating welcome.    Well, we proceeded slowly up the street with Willkie and his wife and Governor Geo. Wilson's wife in the back seat and with 
me and the Gov in the  front seat. As we rode along everybody was yelling hi
Wendell, etc. but not with as much enthusiasm as  I had anticipated. Arriving at
the park we climbed up on the platform and before I could get my breath some dude
was saying "and this is Nile Kinnick" and somebody shoves me up in front of the
mike whereupon I presented "your friend and my friend and the present and future
governor of this state the Hon.  Geo. A. Wilson":  I turned around and stepped down
expecting his Honor to blat off a little but he just smiled and waved and sat
down and somebody shoved me up there again. Whereupon I once more delivered myself of an introduction which went  in substance as   follows-:  "This  state  of Iowa
is a great state and her people are a great people and they demand a great  leadership.    The Republican party offers that kind of leadership to you this year.
We have as our presidential candidate a man who is a friend of labor, a friend
of business and a friend of the farmer; and he will translate that friendship
into positive action  when elected this fall.    He has gained everything in
the Am. way and epitomizes our ideal of Americanism.    It gives me great pleasure
to introduce to you the next president of the US.;, Wendell Willkie. 1 liked
what he   said up there  and have liked  generally speaking those  speeches that I
have read throughout the campaign.    As an old time stump speaker,  a personal
debate  campaign,   as  it were,   he would be unbeatable.    However,  as I have  said
before  I  am afraid that there are  too many who  just  come and admire and respect
but aren't enthusiastically convinced enough to vote the right way.    The cause
of course  isn't lost as present but it doesn't look too good.    If there should
be a lot of enthusiasm whipped up in the next few weeks it may be closer than
most people think.    Following Willkie's departure I  fought off the autographers
for about three quarters of an hour then went back to the hotel to get something
to eat.    There I ran into Bob Hogan who had come up with Clint Knee head of the
Ia,  highway patrol.     Bob is doing some publicity work for them.
We had dinner together and I convinced him that it would be a good idea for him
to go on up to Soo City with me  and I would take  him back thru D. Moines  on Sun.
as I headed for Ia. City. He agreed much to my enjoyment.    After dinner 1 gave
a short address at a  small gathering of Young Repubs --it was supposed a state
convention but kind of weak in that respect -a copy of which I am enclsing as
printed  in an Ottumwa paper. Not good but not bad. Immediately after that we
started for Soo City.    We got in about seven oclock, took up our reservation at
th hotel,  I made a phone call to the Miller residence and we both had dates--Bob with Barbara's  sister--she has  two of them and both are  as pretty as  she
is.     The  next morning I  had breakfast with the  coach and President  of Morningside and made  some plans for the game that night.    At noon Bob and I and Barbs
took out for Vermillion Where for 15 minutes before the game started I was busy
signing autographs.     At the half I was   interviewed  over  the  radio but  in spite
of all this I managed to do a  faairly decent job scouting. We had to drive  like
mad back to Soo City where I was to be on a broadcast at 5:30; we made it with a
minute or two to spare.    Following the first broadcast I was rushed to another
station for the  same thing.    Finally I  got to the hotel and was given 5 minutes
in which to clean up before  the  banquet at which I was  to  get to  eat and wouldn't
have  to talk.    As  I  got  off the  elevator  on the mezzanine   lo and behold here was
another  radio interviewer.  Finally  into the banquet we went and after the meal
they changed their mind and decided they would like to hear a little about the
All-Star  game  -I  obliged them having figured  on it all along.     I met  Barbs  father
following the talk whereupon without more ado he  asked  Bob and me  out to breakfast on Sun.  morning before we  left.     Feeling the need of some   substantial nourishment before starting such a long trip we accepted.    A rush upstairs to change
into my  refereeirng outfit  and a  dash out to the   stockyds   for the  game  I was  going
to headline between Morningside and Midland which the former won quite handily.
I called on offside and in general got along quite alright.    At the half I kicked
punts,  dropkicks and did a  little passing with either hand.     The punting was the
best I have done  at any time  anywhere-- just happened to be hitting them just
right.    I worked clear back to the opposite thirty and could still put them in the
corners.     After the  game a wade  thru autographers to Bob and the  girls,  a rush to
the hotel to change clothes and thence out to a dance.    After dance out to Miller's
house for bacon and tomato sandwiches and ice cream--to bed in the early morning.
Out to  breakfast  at nine  and there met Mrs.  Millers brother and his two boys--as   fine  a  looking lads as you ever  saw and on their way to Sunday School.   Her
Brother went to school with you, his name is McCorkingdale.    Finally, we get
started for Ia. City.    We alternated driving and getting a little shuteye until

Saving...

2 divided which I think was toobad for he otherwise would have gotten a much more spontaneous and stimulating welcome. Well, we proceeded slowly up the street with Willkie and his wife and Governor Geo. Wilson's wife in the back seat and with me and the Gov in the front seat. As we rode along everybody was yelling hi Wendell, etc. but not with as much enthusiasm as I had anticipated. Arriving at the park we climbed up on the platform and before I could get my breath some dude was saying "and this is Nile Kinnick" and somebody shoves me up in front of the mike whereupon I presented "your friend and my friend and the present and future governor of this state the Hon. Geo. A. Wilson": I turned around and stepped down expecting his Honor to blat off a little but he just smiled and waved and sat down and somebody shoved me up there again. Whereupon I once more delivered myself of an introduction which went in substance as follows-: "This state of Iowa is a great state and her people are a great people and they demand a great leadership. The Republican party offers that kind of leadership to you this year. We have as our presidential candidate a man who is a friend of labor, a friend of business and a friend of the farmer; and he will translate that friendship into positive action when elected this fall. He has gained everything in the Am. way and epitomizes our ideal of Americanism. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the next president of the US.;, Wendell Willkie. 1 liked what he said up there and have liked generally speaking those speeches that I have read throughout the campaign. As an old time stump speaker, a personal debate campaign, as it were, he would be unbeatable. However, as I have said before I am afraid that there are too many who just come and admire and respect but aren't enthusiastically convinced enough to vote the right way. The cause of course isn't lost as present but it doesn't look too good. If there should be a lot of enthusiasm whipped up in the next few weeks it may be closer than most people think. Following Willkie's departure I fought off the autographers for about three quarters of an hour then went back to the hotel to get something to eat. There I ran into Bob Hogan who had come up with Clint Knee head of the Ia, highway patrol. Bob is doing some publicity work for them. We had dinner together and I convinced him that it would be a good idea for him to go on up to Soo City with me and I would take him back thru D. Moines on Sun. as I headed for Ia. City. He agreed much to my enjoyment. After dinner 1 gave a short address at a small gathering of Young Repubs --it was supposed a state convention but kind of weak in that respect -a copy of which I am enclsing as printed in an Ottumwa paper. Not good but not bad. Immediately after that we started for Soo City. We got in about seven oclock, took up our reservation at th hotel, I made a phone call to the Miller residence and we both had dates--Bob with Barbara's sister--she has two of them and both are as pretty as she is. The next morning I had breakfast with the coach and President of Morningside and made some plans for the game that night. At noon Bob and I and Barbs took out for Vermillion Where for 15 minutes before the game started I was busy signing autographs. At the half I was interviewed over the radio but in spite of all this I managed to do a faairly decent job scouting. We had to drive like mad back to Soo City where I was to be on a broadcast at 5:30; we made it with a minute or two to spare. Following the first broadcast I was rushed to another station for the same thing. Finally I got to the hotel and was given 5 minutes in which to clean up before the banquet at which I was to get to eat and wouldn't have to talk. As I got off the elevator on the mezzanine lo and behold here was another radio interviewer. Finally into the banquet we went and after the meal they changed their mind and decided they would like to hear a little about the All-Star game -I obliged them having figured on it all along. I met Barbs father following the talk whereupon without more ado he asked Bob and me out to breakfast on Sun. morning before we left. Feeling the need of some substantial nourishment before starting such a long trip we accepted. A rush upstairs to change into my refereeirng outfit and a dash out to the stockyds for the game I was going to headline between Morningside and Midland which the former won quite handily. I called on offside and in general got along quite alright. At the half I kicked punts, dropkicks and did a little passing with either hand. The punting was the best I have done at any time anywhere-- just happened to be hitting them just right. I worked clear back to the opposite thirty and could still put them in the corners. After the game a wade thru autographers to Bob and the girls, a rush to the hotel to change clothes and thence out to a dance. After dance out to Miller's house for bacon and tomato sandwiches and ice cream--to bed in the early morning. Out to breakfast at nine and there met Mrs. Millers brother and his two boys--as fine a looking lads as you ever saw and on their way to Sunday School. Her Brother went to school with you, his name is McCorkingdale. Finally, we get started for Ia. City. We alternated driving and getting a little shuteye until