1917

Iowa Field

February
After posting a 4-3 record for the 1916 season, Coach Howard Jones initiated spring football practice “at the earliest date such practice was ever attempted here. Promptly with the opening of the second semester the squad began work three times a week on the dirt floor in the basement of the gymnasium.”

September 14
The Board in Control of Athletics named Howard Jones athletic director retroactive to September 1.

Writing for The Iowa Alumnus, Jones commented that “before the United States became involved in the European war the football outlook for the season of 1917 at Iowa was very encouraging…. [But] at the present time it is difficult to line up the men who will return on account of the national conditions….”

October 13
Nebraska trounced Iowa 47-0 at Lincoln, but fans noted an innovation off the field. The Cornhuskers introduced three girl cheerleaders to rouse the fans. It wouldn’t be long before this revolutionary idea was to gain acceptance across the U.S.

October 20
Iowa played her final game with Grinnell, losing by a score of 10-0. After 28 years and 17 games between the intrastate rivals, the record showed the Hawkeyes with 11 wins, 5 losses, and a tie.

Iowa vs Ames 11/24/1917 W(6-3)

November
The Big Ten became a reality for the first time when the University of Michigan, which had withdrawn from the Western Conference in 1908 in order to play more teams from the east, accepted an invitation to resume memebership.

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