In 1939, Heisman trophy winner Nile Kinnick, 40BA, strode onto the field wearing jersey No. 24. During a magical season, he and the legendary Ironmen revitalized Iowans worn down by the Great Depression.

Ironman quarterback Al Couppee, 47BSC [deceased], in his book One Magic Year, remembers “the hopelessness of an entire state in every single element of daily living.… All of Iowa’s institutions were in pain, from the statehouse on through the sports scene.… Then…along came a little band of young men and a great football coach named Anderson, and the ‘Iowa Ironmen’ were conceived.… Simple success on the football field lifted a million Iowans out of their run-over shoes and depression-gloom and gave ’em something to feel good about.”

Sixty-five years after those glory days, Kinnick and the rest of the squad would probably feel right at home in the stadium. With an Outback Bowl win under their belts and great plans for the future, Coach Kirk Ferentz’s players are rekindling Iowans’ football fever. And when the Hawkeyes take on Kent State in the first game of the 2004 season, they’ll be paying homage to the Ironmen and their legacy.

As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the construction of the stadium, the university aims to recapture the magic of the Ironmen with “The Throwback Game.” Football players will sport old-style uniforms in white, black, and hornet gold, the marching band will play golden oldies, and the coaching staff will pace the sidelines in vintage garb.

Fans will get in on the act, too, by wearing free straw hats and imitation fedoras—and even in their mode of transport. In the ’30s, spectators would often arrive at the game via train, and for this year’s home games, UI officials have arranged for the Hawkeye Express—a shuttle running from Coralville—to bring the football faithful to the stadium.

Long after the matchup is over, fans will remember “The Throwback Game” and Kinnick Stadium’s special anniversary. For those who want a more tangible memento, some of the retro-look uniforms went on sale in July at www.heroeswanted.net. Despite the $500 pricetag, football devotees snatched up more than 40 Hawkeye outfits the first day.

As one of only two Iowa numbers to have been retired (the other, No.62, was worn by lineman Cal Jones from 1953 to 1955), Nile Kinnick’s famous No. 24 will be absent from the field in September.

But, the head Ironman’s spirit will be present at Kinnick Stadium.