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Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-December 1941

1941-10-29: Front

Wednesday      October 29,  1941
Dear Folks:
I am going to tell you of my activities over the weekend just past.  The
ball club traveled to Lafayette, Ind. for their game against Purdue, but I was
sent down to South Bend to scout the Notre Dame-Illinois game, .Although the
boys were beaten once again, I understand they looked considerably better than
they did against Wisconsin. Do you remember the first time I went to Purdue to
play? We were beaten two touchdowns by a team headed by Cecil Isbell now playing
with the Green Bay packers. You will remember him as the fellow who passed so
often and successfully to Hutson in the All-Star game two years ago. After the
game, or, perhaps, it was before, I don't recall, the Bucks presented themselves
as old friends of my parents. I believe he wrote a page-length letter to father
after the game saying that I looked like a "comer", but that you, pap, were a
better open field runner!! I took the Rocket into Chicago on Friday morning,
the same train as the team took. After registering at the Morrison Hotel I
walked over to Marshall Fields to look up Elsie Louise.  I thought that I would
take her out to dinner, and then we could go to a play together. Several
inquiries finally led me to the proper floor, and I strolled into the French
Room with which we have come to associate Elsie Louise's employment.  It was
a beautiful room, or rather, a series of rooms, all done in light blue and
cream colors. There were nothing but women sitting around and I felt quite
conspicuous and out of place. After some hesitation, 1 bolstered up the courage
to ask some woman who looked like she might be in charge if I could see E. L.
Clarke whom I understood worked there. She was very courteous and quite willing
to call Els. It was but a moment or two before Elsie hurried out to greet me.
In the brief chat that ensued I found out that she was leaving on a 6:30 train
for Cedar Falls to attend the wedding of Barbara Moss. I was sorry to hear that
she wouldn't be able to go to a play with me, but,nonetheless, asked if she would
like to have me escort her to the station right after she got off work. She said
that she would, so I met her at the State and Randoph entrance at 5:45, hailed
a cab and rushed her over to the Northwestern R. R. station. On arriving there
we discovered the train didn't leave until 6:30 C. S. T. , therefore, we had
forty-five minutes to spare. This gave me an opportunity to take her to dinner
after all. We had a very nice visit although quite brief.  Before entraining
she called up a friend of hers from Indiana U. who works in the same department
and got me a date for the play to which I had already bought tickets. I had
tried to get tickets for "Claudia" or "Louisina Purchase" but they were both
sold out for that night. The next best thing I could find was "The Theatre",
a comedy starring Cornelia Otis Skinner. It was very enjoyable, and I had a
pretty good time all the way around, I hope to see "Louisiana Purchase" when
we stop in Chicago over night on our way down to Champaign for the Illinois
game next week. I certainly unloaded a pot full of dough in a short time in
there what with dinners for two, cabs, and plays. However, I am so glad that I
have the wherewithal to do that sort of thing now and then, and especially enough
to do nice things for others if I feel so inclined.  I saw a pretty good game
at South Bend for three quarters. Illinois went to pieces in the fourth quarter
allowing ND. to score more points than they really earned.  Bertelli of ND. is
as good a passer as I have ever seen. He hits them in the eye at any distance.
This week I am going down to Illinois to scout their Michigan game. This means
Anderson is giving me the entire responsibility for the scout report on Illinois.
No one else will have seen them before we play them.  I hate to miss Homecoming
this weekend, but on the other hand 1 feel rather pleased that he will trust me
with such an assignment entirely. Illinois is the toughest team in the conference
to scout. They use several different formations featuring flankers, spreads, and
unorthodox plays of every kind. It will test my mettle a bit.

Saving...

Wednesday October 29, 1941 Dear Folks: I am going to tell you of my activities over the weekend just past. The ball club traveled to Lafayette, Ind. for their game against Purdue, but I was sent down to South Bend to scout the Notre Dame-Illinois game, .Although the boys were beaten once again, I understand they looked considerably better than they did against Wisconsin. Do you remember the first time I went to Purdue to play? We were beaten two touchdowns by a team headed by Cecil Isbell now playing with the Green Bay packers. You will remember him as the fellow who passed so often and successfully to Hutson in the All-Star game two years ago. After the game, or, perhaps, it was before, I don't recall, the Bucks presented themselves as old friends of my parents. I believe he wrote a page-length letter to father after the game saying that I looked like a "comer", but that you, pap, were a better open field runner!! I took the Rocket into Chicago on Friday morning, the same train as the team took. After registering at the Morrison Hotel I walked over to Marshall Fields to look up Elsie Louise. I thought that I would take her out to dinner, and then we could go to a play together. Several inquiries finally led me to the proper floor, and I strolled into the French Room with which we have come to associate Elsie Louise's employment. It was a beautiful room, or rather, a series of rooms, all done in light blue and cream colors. There were nothing but women sitting around and I felt quite conspicuous and out of place. After some hesitation, 1 bolstered up the courage to ask some woman who looked like she might be in charge if I could see E. L. Clarke whom I understood worked there. She was very courteous and quite willing to call Els. It was but a moment or two before Elsie hurried out to greet me. In the brief chat that ensued I found out that she was leaving on a 6:30 train for Cedar Falls to attend the wedding of Barbara Moss. I was sorry to hear that she wouldn't be able to go to a play with me, but,nonetheless, asked if she would like to have me escort her to the station right after she got off work. She said that she would, so I met her at the State and Randoph entrance at 5:45, hailed a cab and rushed her over to the Northwestern R. R. station. On arriving there we discovered the train didn't leave until 6:30 C. S. T. , therefore, we had forty-five minutes to spare. This gave me an opportunity to take her to dinner after all. We had a very nice visit although quite brief. Before entraining she called up a friend of hers from Indiana U. who works in the same department and got me a date for the play to which I had already bought tickets. I had tried to get tickets for "Claudia" or "Louisina Purchase" but they were both sold out for that night. The next best thing I could find was "The Theatre", a comedy starring Cornelia Otis Skinner. It was very enjoyable, and I had a pretty good time all the way around, I hope to see "Louisiana Purchase" when we stop in Chicago over night on our way down to Champaign for the Illinois game next week. I certainly unloaded a pot full of dough in a short time in there what with dinners for two, cabs, and plays. However, I am so glad that I have the wherewithal to do that sort of thing now and then, and especially enough to do nice things for others if I feel so inclined. I saw a pretty good game at South Bend for three quarters. Illinois went to pieces in the fourth quarter allowing ND. to score more points than they really earned. Bertelli of ND. is as good a passer as I have ever seen. He hits them in the eye at any distance. This week I am going down to Illinois to scout their Michigan game. This means Anderson is giving me the entire responsibility for the scout report on Illinois. No one else will have seen them before we play them. I hate to miss Homecoming this weekend, but on the other hand 1 feel rather pleased that he will trust me with such an assignment entirely. Illinois is the toughest team in the conference to scout. They use several different formations featuring flankers, spreads, and unorthodox plays of every kind. It will test my mettle a bit.