Fred ‘Duke’ Slater, Hawkeye right tackle, 1919
F.W. Kent Collection of Photographs (RG 30.0001.001), Athletics series
This guide describes materials available in the University of Iowa Archives, Department of Special Collections, that pertain to intercollegiate athletics. RG numbers refer to the described collection’s record group number.
If you have questions about our holdings, please feel free to contact us.
All-Americans from the University of Iowa. Lists of Hawkeye athletes representing basketball, football and other sports who have been honored as All-Americans are online at hawkeyesports.com.
Alumni and Former Students Vertical Files. Over 500 noted alumni and former students are documented by files in this collection, containing newspaper clippings and other material. Frank Kinney Holbrook, a running back who was Iowa’s first African American football player in the 1895 and 1896 seasons, is among those athletes represented. RG 01.0015.001.
Alumni magazines, including The Iowa Alumnus (1903-1925), The Iowa Alumni Review (1947-1993), The Iowa Alumni Quarterly (1993-2000), and The Iowa Alumni Magazine (2000- ). Back issues of all alumni publications, with the exception of the most recent five years, are available online as part of the Iowa Digital Library. RG 01.0009.002.
Athletics Department-related collections. Five collections pertaining to various aspects of the department: Printed Matter and Publications (RG 28.0003.001); Administrative Records (RG 28.0003.002); Guides, Programs and Tickets (RG 28.0003.003); History and Special Events (RG 28.0003.004); and Board in Control of Athletics (RG 28.0003.005).
Big Ten Records Book. Issued since 1948, compilations of Big Ten conference team and individual records in all categories of sports dating to 1922, the year the conference office of the commissioner was organized. Available online at bigten.org; select the men’s or women’s sport desired, then the link to its record book. Also in the University Serials and Journals Collection (RG 01.0009.002).
Amos Currier Scrapbooks Collection. Scrapbook number two (1882-1906) holds football programs and Field Day announcements. RG 99.0326.
Daily Iowan Historic Newspapers Collection. The student newspaper has been published under various titles since 1868. This online collection covers all issues from its inception to within the last calendar year. RG 02.0011.001.
Faculty and Staff Vertical Files. Over 20,000 current and former administrators, faculty, staff, and coaching staff are represented in this collection. Files contain newspaper clippings, academic vitae, obituaries and other material. RG 01.0015.003.
Football season records and rosters, 1889-present. Includes win-loss records, lists of players and positions, coaching staff, and other information, listed by season. Click on season entry for expanded information about that season. A sports-reference.com site.
Game films. A limited number of films of Hawkeye football and basketball games are available on video. RG 30.0003.001.
Game programs and media guides. Team rosters, player descriptions, Hawkeye and Big Ten conference records and other information may be found in the Archives’ collection of programs and media guides for women’s and men’s athletics. The media guides also include all-season won-lost records, information about which bowl games were played in which seasons, and all-time lists of student athletes and the years in which they lettered (RG 28.0003.003). Current media guides are online: Go to hawkeyesports.com and from “The Hawkeyes” drop-down menu, select the sport, then click on “media guide.”
Gridiron Glory: 100 + Years of Iowa Football. An online chronology of Hawkeye football, this website is maintained by the University of Iowa Alumni Association and is searchable by year.
Hawkeye annual. The University of Iowa’s yearbook chronicled campus life from 1892 until 1992, and includes many athletics-related photographs. It is available online as part of the Iowa Digital Library. RG 02.0010.001.
Internal Allocations. Also known as the “budget book,” this set of volumes lists the salaries and positions or rank of all University staff – academic, professional, scientific, and merit – from October 1925 to the present. RG 25.0001.001.
Papers of Nile C. Kinnick. Nile Kinnick, for whom Iowa’s football stadium is named, received the Heisman Trophy following the 1939 season.
Papers of faculty members. Over 300 collections of the papers of University professors, administrators and others are housed at the Archives (RG 99 series). In addition, the Presidential Correspondence Papers (1916-1976) include indexed references to individuals who corresponded with the University administration (RG 05 series).
Photographs. Photographs of many teams and events, particularly from prior to 1970, are available in the Frederick W. Kent Collection of Photographs (RG 30.0001.001). Also, visit the Iowa City Town and Campus Scenes online collection, part of the Iowa Digital Library, where images from the Kent collection are featured.
Publications. University-produced publications often include references to athletics. Titles of over 200 such publications may be searched in the University Serials and Journals Collection (RG 01.0009.002). Of particular note is Voice of the Hawkeyes, published 25 times each year by the Department of Athletics since 1984. Each issue summarizes athletic events of the previous two weeks and includes a variety of feature articles.
Realia and Artifacts Collection. Includes commemorative badges (buttons) from bowl games, past Homecoming celebrations, and other athletics-related occasions. RG 31.0001.001.
Subject Vertical Files. The athletics category in the archives’ subject vertical files covers a wide range of sports-related issues, from the 1920’s to recent times. RG 01.0015.005.
The University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. Located in the Roy G. Karro Building at the northwest corner of Melrose Avenue and Mormon Trek Boulevard in Iowa City, the Hall of Fame has photos, biographies, interactive displays, and Nile Kinnick’s Heisman Trophy.
University of Iowa Physical Education for Women Digital Collection. The Department of Physical Education for Women at The University of Iowa was a pioneer in the development of graduate study and professional training as well as athletic opportunities for women. The records of the department held by the Iowa Women’s Archives span more than 100 years and include pamphlets, correspondence, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, and films. Featured here are nearly 1,000 digitized photographs from the collection.
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