Home of the Iowa Hawkeyes

Kinnick Stadium is the home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team.... more

by J Laughlin

Title

Home of the Iowa Hawkeyes

Artist

J Laughlin

Medium

Photograph

Description

Kinnick Stadium is the home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team.
It was known as Iowa Stadium until 1972 and then named in honor of Nile Kinnick.
Nile Kinnick was the 1939 Heisman Trophy winner who died in service in World War II.
The stadium was constructed in only seven months between 1928 and 1929. Workers worked into the night using lights and used horses and mules as the primary heavy-equipment movers. Kinnick Stadium is well known for its pink visitors' locker rooms, a tradition started by Iowa coach Hayden Fry. A more recent feature is the 20-foot-tall bronze statue of Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick, the statue depicts Kinnick dressed as a scholar, rather than in his football uniform. The bronze statue is placed near the team entrance to the stadium. When the renovation of the stadium was completed, and the statue unveiled, a tradition among the players began: one player, before entering the locker room, reached out and touched the helmet that was placed at Kinnick's feet. From that point on, all Iowa players, before entering the locker room, and after getting off the bus, walk up to the statue and rub the helmet, as a token of respect for Kinnick - the only Iowa player to ever win the Heisman Trophy.

Uploaded

July 12th, 2015