1889-1894 – The Hawkeyes’ First Football Rivalry.

Today, when it comes to University of Iowa Football, we often think of Iowa State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska as being the Hawkeyes’ fiercest rivals. Would you believe – in the very beginning (1889-1894) – Iowa’s most hated enemy on the gridiron was none other than the Pioneers of Iowa College – from Grinnell, Iowa!

On September 26, 1889, State University of Iowa (SUI) student – Martin Sampson – led a meeting regarding the organization of a University football team, and it was this suggestion that earned Sampson the title of coach and captain of the new squad! In the following days, Iowa sent out a challenge to any team in the state of Iowa for a game of football. The one team to accept Iowa’s challenge was Iowa College in Grinnell. So, with the game date set for November 16, the preparations for the first collegiate football game played west of Mississippi River began.

Preparations were difficult at SUI, as proper management and leadership was obviously lacking at team practices. That was hardly the case with practices at Iowa College. With the help of Frank Everest and Lou Van Giesen, two men with playing experience back East, the Pioneers were able to field a competitive team. Thus, on a blustery afternoon on Grinnell Field in Grinnell, Iowa, Iowa College beat up on SUI – 24-0. Although a rematch was scheduled to be played on Thanksgiving in Iowa City, it was canceled due to inclement weather. With that, Iowa College had won the first championship west of the Mississippi River. Below, here is how the SUI student newspaper – The Vidette-Reporter – reported on the game…

*The **very first “home” Iowa Hawkeye football game** was played on an empty field west of Old Capitol on **October 18, 1890**.* *A good crowd gathered that day, only to see the Hawks lose for a second time to the Pioneers, 14-6.* *You can read more here.*

Needless to say, the first rivalry in Iowa football history was now with **Iowa College of Grinnell**, and sadly, there was only one win (1892) in the first five games (1889-1893) played between the two schools. Ouch! Which brings us now to the 1894 football season…

The 1894 football season was a season of firsts. For example, on October 1st, the Hawkeyes took on Iowa Agricultural (Iowa State University) for the very first time. Read more here.

*Sadly, the Hawkeyes lost its first meeting with ISU (Ames) 16-8.*

1894 marked the moment that SUI students voted to make Old Gold the “official” color of the State University of Iowa. Read more here. Plus, 1894 was also the first year Iowa played future Big Ten Conference schools – Wisconsin & Chicago – losing to the Badgers (44-0), but holding on to tie the Maroons (18-18). Which brings us now, to the big rivalry game with Iowa College…

Played in Iowa City on November 10th, the SUI/Iowa College game had one strange story line. So, let’s begin unfolding this saga by sharing a few thoughts from an entertaining letter in Our Iowa Heritage collection written by a SUI medical student, and dated November 25, 1894…

(L-0127) Here, a SUI medical student, by the name of Harold, wrote an eight-page personal letter to his good friend, Jim, who was living back in Harold’s home town of Charles City. A true Hawkeye fan, Harold obviously attended Iowa College in Grinnell before transferring to the medical school at SUI that fall. In Harold’s letter – who, by the way, lived at 208 Fairchild Street in Iowa City – we find the details of this intriguing November 10th SUI/Iowa College game…

**Yes, we got away with Grinnell for a wonder. It was just this way. They came here** (Iowa City) expecting a walkaway and started in playing like fiends. And at the end of the first half, the score was 8-6 in their favor. Well, in about the end of 10 minutes of the second half, the score was 12 to 6 in their favor, but here they seemed to be tuckered out or something and we caught up to them, 12 – 12. (We) had the ball and were just rushing things when one of their men picked up the ball, after down was called so that the ball was not in play, and went across the field for a touchdown, (with) no one attempting to stop him. Well, of course, the referee ordered the ball brought back. Then their captain raised a howl and refused to play, and the game was given to us 6-0. The Grinnell umpire said to one of the boys that the decision of the Referee was all right.

Yup, you read it correctly. Apparently, after the underdog Hawkeyes had tied the score, 12-12, and were driving for yet another touchdown, one of the frustrated Pioneers decided to grab the ball (which was ‘dead’ between plays) and head off toward the Hawkeyes’ end zone. And when the ref called the whole incident “illegal” – which it was – the Pioneers, like spoiled brats, decided they didn’t want to play anymore. As a result, the game was forfeited to Iowa – 6-0! Below, is how the local newspapers reported on this interesting game…

But wait! There’s more! Our letter-writer, Harold, continues to write about the Iowa City/Grinnell brouhaha that followed the game…

***The fellows*** (Iowa players) here were disappointed that the game was not played out and some of our players were in favor of allowing the game as they were confident of winning at all events. I enclose you clippings from our Vidette Reporter, also a letter from our President (Charles A.) ***Schaeffer to the Pres.*** (George A.) ***Gates of Iowa College*** (pictured below).

Below are those clippings from the November 13, 1894 Vidette-Reporter that Harold mentions in his letter – published three days after the controversial game in Iowa City…

Like most rivalries in football, when your team wins, one enjoys rubbing it in a bit with your old arch enemy. So, in Harold’s case – being a former student at Iowa College in Grinnell, he apparently took this rare opportunity of a Hawkeye win to send a postcard to an old buddy back in Grinnell with the score – SUI 6, Iowa College 0 – written in bold script! Below, Harold tells his friend, Jim, what happened next…

***You infer that I had written to Milwaukee*** (another friend?) & Grinnell. Well, I have not written to the former, but as to Grinnell. Well – After we trounced the little fellows from Iowa College, I took a card and wrote on it & sent it to Grinnell. Will be darned if I didn’t get an answer in the shape of a Photo of the person in question (the friend in Grinnell). ***By grab! But I was dumbfounded. Well, of course, I had to acknowledge the receipt of said Photo. I took the opportunity to suggest that we keep the engagements made!*** Ah yes, despite the rivalry – the friendship continues!

Sadly, after that exciting – yet controversial “win” over the Pioneers, the Hawkeyes didn’t see any more success the remainder of the 1894 season. Our SUI student, Harold, predicted it well…

***On Thursday*** (November 29 – Thanksgiving) ***we play Nebraska at Omaha and I fear we will not be in it, as Nebraska has shown up strongly the last month.***

Yup, Harold called it, after a November 19th loss to Missouri (32-6), the Hawkeyes went on to lose to Nebraska (36-0), finishing the 1894 season with a 4 win-4 loss-1 tie season. But, the old cheer – “Wait till next year!” was partially fulfilled, because by 1896 – after one more losing season – the Hawkeyes turned things around, bringing to Iowa City some of most exciting football old SUI would ever see!

In 1895, SUI finished with a sad 2-5 record, and as an important footnote – Iowa College refused to play the Hawkeyes that year! But, one year later, under the leadership of SUI’s first head coach – Alfred E. Bull, SUI ran up a 7-1-1 record, winning the first conference championship in school history, and beating Iowa College 15-6 in Grinnell! **Frank “Kinney” Holbrook**, our leading scorer and Iowa’s first African American football player, was the key reason for the team’s success, and Coach Bull would later call Holbrook the best football player he ever coached. Read more here.

So, there you have it. The big rivalry between Iowa College – which eventually changed its name to Grinnell College – and SUI – which eventually changed its name to the University of Iowa – continued on until 1905. After a slow start – losing 4 out of the first 6 games (1889-1894) – the Hawkeyes ended up with an 11-win, 4-loss, 1-tie record with the Pioneers. While the two teams will never meet again on the football field, it’s fun to look back at Iowa’s very first football rivalry. On Iowa! Go Hawks!