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Above is one of my most prized pieces. Its an original photograph of Nile Kinnick in his famous football pose, once owned
by the 1939 Head Coach Eddie Anderson. Three of these originals were printed around 1939 by the famous Iowa photographer Fred
Kent.
Anderson's son writes in a letter: "My father gave me this picture many years ago. He said that only three were ever
made and that one was given to the University, one to Kinnick, and one to my father, Dr. Eddie Anderson." He also writes:
"Apparently the process that the picture was made under was quite unique for its day along with other things concerning
it."
If you watch the video below done by the University in 1944, you will see they used one of these prints. The frame immediately
surrounding my photo is original and is the exact same as whats in the video. I added the outside frame to make it more displayable.
1944 Nile Kinnick tribute video
| Amazing Nile Kinnick Letter |
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Above is an absolutely amazing piece that I'm extremely lucky to own. The content in this letter is unbelievable and epitomizes
everything Nile Kinnick stood for. I obtained this from the son of "Jack" who Nile was writing to in this letter. Jack's brother
was a fraternity member and close friend of Nile while he was at the State University of Iowa. He must have told Nile about
his brother Jack (who was still in high school) and how he was down about an injury. Nile took it upon himself to write Jack
and 77 years later Jack's son found this remarkable letter in the family attic. He said his uncle always talked about Nile,
but his dad Jack never spoke of this letter.
Below is another absolutely great Kinnick autographed piece.
This is a 1939 Iowa vs. Notre Dame football program autographed by Nile Kinnick by his picture. This was the game that
won Kinnick the Heisman Trophy that year when Nile Kinnick scored the winning touchdown in the game to capture the 7-6 victory.
This program came from the same estate as the autographed letter shown above.
| 1939 Autographed Iowa vs Notre Dame Program |
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The above autographed 1939 program is from the game
that won Kinnick the Heisman. What is possibly better? The Heisman Banquet Award Ceremonies program
in which Nile Kinnick accepted the 1939 Heisman Trophy Award in New York City. This was autographed by Nile Kinnick
by his picture in the program the night of the event. It was also autographed Drake Football Standout Pug Manders
that night. You will also see an original 1939 Ballot cast for "Niles" Kinnick. That was such a unique name that
reporters around the nation got it wrong. :) Also pictured is a RARE original Wire Photo of Kinnick in the Heisman pose.
| 1939 Original Wire Photo of Kinnick w/ Heisman |
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| 1939 Original Heisman Ballot cast for Nile Kinnick |
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| 1939 Original Wire Photo / Kinnick in Heisman Pose |
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Below is another amazing collectible. This is a table
decoration (Leaf) from a high school athletic banquet at West Branch high school on November 18, 1941. What makes this
piece so amazing is that it is not only signed by Nile Kinnick, but by the great Duke Slater as well.
Both not only inductees in the first class of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, but the first Iowa Football players
to etch their name with other Greats of the Gridiron. These two autographs are not only the rarest Iowa autographs out there,
but to have them both on one piece is simply amazing! Duke played in 1921 and Nile played in 1939, so for them to be
together and sign something is very rare. Below that is the original ticket stub to the athletic banquet that night.
| Leaf autographed by Nile Kinnick and Duke Slater! |
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| Original ticket to athletic banquet |
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Below are a couple of my favorite collectibles. They are two Nile
Kinnick bronze statues (some refer to them as Bookends). One has the schedule and the scores of 1939 on the base.
The other has just IOWA. These are SUPER rare and I've heard many stories about their existence. Some say
they were given to just the players/coaches of that 1939 team, others say they went to donors, and I've also heard
the public could buy them. I still haven't narrowed it down, but with the rarity that you see them, I would guess you
had to be connected to the program in some way to get your hands on one/both of them.
| Close-up of Kinnick Statue |
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| Original Newspaper with Statue Article |
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| Made with 1939 Schedule and other with IOWA base |
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| 1940 Iowa News Bulletin with Statue Pictured |
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Below is a basketball program from February 12th, 1940 that
was for Nile Kinnick night at the old Field House. Nile was honored by the Chicago Tribune and given the Big Ten's most
valuable player trophy, the Silver Football Award. Very rare and cool piece.
| 1940 Basketball Program for Nile Kinnick Night |
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| Ticket Stub From Game Above |
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| Kinnick holding Silver Tribune after Presentation |
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Below is an extremely rare 1937-1938 Basketball program against the University of Michigan where Nile Kinnick was pictured
on the cover. Basketball programs from this era are rare anyway because they were one piece of very thin paper folded over.
Not only that, Nile Kinnick wasn't well known at this time so how many people actually had the foresight to know what he
would mean to the University someday. I'm honored to own it.
| 1937-1938 Iowa Basketball Program - Kinnick Cover |
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| Ticket Stub from Game Above |
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| Original Wire Photo of Nile in Basketball Uniform |
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Below are a couple other very neat and rare pieces. The first one
is an official Big Ten Coin. Kinnick's face is on the coin of every coin toss in the Big Ten. These are impossible
to find as you had to be a Ref or Captain to obtain these. The second piece is an autographed Bob Feller baseball.
Nile Kinnick was the catcher for Bob Feller when they were young on an American Legion Junior Baseball Team back in 1931-1932.
I had Bob sign a one of a kind black and gold baseball with the slogan "Nile Kinnick was my catcher in 1931-1932".
RIP Bob.
| Official Big Ten Coin w/ Nile Kinnick as head |
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| Tail Side with Big Ten Conference Members |
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| Bob Feller Autographed Baseball |
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| 75th Anniversary replica Kinnick Jersey |
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| Nile Kinnick Replica Heisman Trophy |
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| Junior and Senior High School Yearbooks - RARE |
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