DIY History | Transcribe | Nile Kinnick Collection | Nile Kinnick and Nile Kinnick Sr. letters to William C. Stuart, 1941-1983

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Nile Kinnick and Nile Kinnick Sr. letters to William C. Stuart, 1941-1983

1989: Page 01

Nile Kinnick
I am a procrastinator.  For many years I have intended to
record some personal recollections of my association with Nile.
I never got around to it.  The many articles about Nile that
appeared the 50th year after he led the Iowa University football
team to its best season since the 1920s and the death of his
father gave me the incentive I needed to share with others my
personal experiences with this outstanding young man.  The fact
that articles are being written about his prowess on the
football field, scholarship, leadership,and character 46 years
after his tragic death attest to  his stature.
I do not intend to review once more the 1939 football
season or the accomplishments of the "Iron Men".  Nor do I plan
to repeat the stories that all Iowa football fans have heard
many times.  I will just list the many honors he received after
the 1939 season.  He set fifteen University records.  He won the
Heisman Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player in
the United States. He was also honored with the Robert W.
Maxwell Trophy, The Walteer Camp Memorial Trpphy and the
Chicaago Tribune's Silver Football Award as the Big Ten's most
valuable player.  He became the first college athlete since Red
Grange to be named the outstanding male athlete of the year.
His closest competitors were Joe Dimaggio and Joe Louis.  That
summer he was the top vote getter for the All Star game and
starred in a losing cause.  Those who want more information
about Nile's career and the Iowa Iron Men are referred to
Kinnick, The Man and the Legend by D. W. Stump, The Iron Men by
Scott M. Fisher and the article from the August 31, 1987 issue
of Sports Illustrated entitled Nile Kinnich by Ron Fimrite.  The
rest of this paper will consist of my reminiscenses  about Nile
as a person rather than a hero.  In 50 years many things have
been forgotten or become hazy, but other seem to have happenned
last year.
I first met Nile during rush week in the fall of 1938 at
the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.  He had pledged  the spring
before.  In spite of the poor 1938 football season, and Nile's
ankle injury, his All Big Ten honors as a sophomore made him a
valuable asset during fraternity rushing. The fraternity was
anxious to have prospective members know Nile was a Phi Psi.  He
was shy and unassumiing, but his friendly manner made a strong
impression on me.  I pledged Phi Psi.  I cannot say that Nile's
presence was the deciding factor because the mambers made an
unsophisticated youngster from a small Iowa town feel
comfortable,but the fact that he was going to be there assured
me that this was the kind of fraternity I was looking for.  The
chapter had led the university in sports and scholarship for
many years and had the highest scholarship ranking in the
national fraternity.

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Nile Kinnick I am a procrastinator. For many years I have intended to record some personal recollections of my association with Nile. I never got around to it. The many articles about Nile that appeared the 50th year after he led the Iowa University football team to its best season since the 1920s and the death of his father gave me the incentive I needed to share with others my personal experiences with this outstanding young man. The fact that articles are being written about his prowess on the football field, scholarship, leadership,and character 46 years after his tragic death attest to his stature. I do not intend to review once more the 1939 football season or the accomplishments of the "Iron Men". Nor do I plan to repeat the stories that all Iowa football fans have heard many times. I will just list the many honors he received after the 1939 season. He set fifteen University records. He won the Heisman Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player in the United States. He was also honored with the Robert W. Maxwell Trophy, The Walteer Camp Memorial Trpphy and the Chicaago Tribune's Silver Football Award as the Big Ten's most valuable player. He became the first college athlete since Red Grange to be named the outstanding male athlete of the year. His closest competitors were Joe Dimaggio and Joe Louis. That summer he was the top vote getter for the All Star game and starred in a losing cause. Those who want more information about Nile's career and the Iowa Iron Men are referred to Kinnick, The Man and the Legend by D. W. Stump, The Iron Men by Scott M. Fisher and the article from the August 31, 1987 issue of Sports Illustrated entitled Nile Kinnich by Ron Fimrite. The rest of this paper will consist of my reminiscenses about Nile as a person rather than a hero. In 50 years many things have been forgotten or become hazy, but other seem to have happenned last year. I first met Nile during rush week in the fall of 1938 at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He had pledged the spring before. In spite of the poor 1938 football season, and Nile's ankle injury, his All Big Ten honors as a sophomore made him a valuable asset during fraternity rushing. The fraternity was anxious to have prospective members know Nile was a Phi Psi. He was shy and unassumiing, but his friendly manner made a strong impression on me. I pledged Phi Psi. I cannot say that Nile's presence was the deciding factor because the mambers made an unsophisticated youngster from a small Iowa town feel comfortable,but the fact that he was going to be there assured me that this was the kind of fraternity I was looking for. The chapter had led the university in sports and scholarship for many years and had the highest scholarship ranking in the national fraternity.