Jack Trice
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John G. Trice (May 12, 1902 – October 8, 1923) was an American
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
player who became the first
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
athlete for Iowa State College. Trice died due to injuries suffered during a game against the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
on October 6, 1923. He is the namesake for Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State's football stadium.


Background

Trice was born in
Hiram, Ohio Hiram is a village in northern Portage County, Ohio, United States. It was formed from portions of Hiram Township in the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 996 at the 2020 census. Hiram is part of the Akron metropolitan area. It ...
, in 1902, the son of a former Buffalo Soldier, Green Trice. As a child, Trice was active in sports and demonstrated outstanding athletic skills. In 1918, Trice's mother sent him to
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
to live with an uncle. Trice attended East Technical High School, where he played football. In 1922, Trice followed five of his teammates, as well as his former high school coach, Sam Willaman, to Iowa State College in
Ames, Iowa Ames () is a city in Story County, Iowa, United States, located approximately north of Des Moines, Iowa, Des Moines in central Iowa. It is the home of Iowa State University (ISU). According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Ames ha ...
. While attending Iowa State, Trice participated in track and football (primarily as a tackle). He majored in
animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, animal fiber, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, management, production, nutrition, selective breeding, and the raising ...
, with the desire to go to the South after graduation, and use his knowledge to help African-American farmers. In the summer before his freshman year at the age of 19, Trice married Cora Mae Starland, who was only 15. They both found jobs in order to support themselves through school. Trice also was a member of
Alpha Phi Alpha Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. () is the oldest intercollegiate List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was initially a literary and social studies club organized in the ...
fraternity, and initiated through the Alpha Nu chapter (
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
and
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
). On October 5, 1923, the night before his second
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
game, Trice wrote the following in a letter on stationery at a racially segregated hotel in
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
/ St. Paul (the letter was later found in Trice's suit just before his funeral):


The game, Trice's death, and aftermath

On October 6, 1923, Trice and his Iowa State College teammates played against the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...
in
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
. On the night of the game, Trice got to stay at the same hotel as his teammates who stayed at the Radisson Hotel, but he could not eat with them in the dining room. In the third quarter, while attempting to tackle a Minnesota ball carrier, Trice ended up on his back after a roll block (a play which is now banned) and was trampled by three Minnesota players. Although he claimed to be fine, Trice was not able to stand and was removed from the game and sent to a Minneapolis hospital. The doctors declared him fit to travel and he returned by train to Ames with his teammates. On October 8, 1923, Trice died from hemorrhaged lungs and
internal bleeding Internal bleeding (also called internal haemorrhage) is a loss of blood from a blood vessel that collects inside the body, and is not usually visible from the outside. It can be a serious medical emergency but the extent of severity depends on b ...
as a result of the injuries sustained during the game. There was a great deal of speculation surrounding the play that resulted in Trice's death. Iowa State teammate Johnny Behm told the '' Cleveland Plain Dealer'' in a 1979 interview that "one person told me that nothing out of the ordinary happened. But another who saw it said it was murder." Iowa State dismissed all classes after 3 p.m. on October 9, 1923, in honor of Trice. Trice's funeral was held at the Iowa State College's Central Campus in Ames on October 16, 1923, with 4,000 students and faculty members in attendance. His casket was draped in cardinal and gold (Iowa State's school colors) before he was buried. Trice's casket was transported to Hiram, Ohio for burial at Fairview Cemetery. As a result of his death, Iowa State did not renew its contract to play against Minnesota for 66 years. The teams did not play again until 1989.


Legacy

In 1973, Jack Trice's legacy was renewed and a promotion began to name Iowa State's new stadium after him. In 1974, Iowa State University's student body government voted unanimously to endorse this effort. In addition, the Jack Trice Stadium Committee compiled more than 3,000 signatures from supporters. However, an Iowa State University ''
ad hoc ''Ad hoc'' is a List of Latin phrases, Latin phrase meaning literally for this. In English language, English, it typically signifies a solution designed for a specific purpose, problem, or task rather than a Generalization, generalized solution ...
'' committee voted to advise then-
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
President W. Robert Parks to name the stadium " Cyclone Stadium." In 1984, the stadium was named Cyclone Stadium and the playing field was named "Jack Trice Field." The ISU student body government, wanting to do more to honor Trice, raised money to erect a statue of Trice in 1987. Due to the persistence of the student body government, students, alumni, faculty and staff, and other supporters (including public figures such as
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and activist. He was the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Paul Newman, numerous awards ...
, and
Nikki Giovanni Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (June 7, 1943 – December 9, 2024) was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. One of the world's best-known African-American poets, her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recor ...
), the football stadium at
Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...
was finally named Jack Trice Stadium in 1997. Jack Trice Stadium is currently the only Division I FBS stadium or arena to be named after an African-American. Under head coach Matt Campbell, Iowa State football has made a major effort to honor Trice's legacy throughout the program. The team has adopted a striped, pentagonal secondary logo, an homage to the uniform design worn during Trice's era and worn on all uniforms. More recently, the Cyclones have added the phrase "I will!", in Trice's handwriting, to the rear bumper of their helmets. Though the statement is disputed, Jack Trice is believed by some to be the innovator behind the "
shovel A shovel is a tool used for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials, such as soil, coal, gravel, snow, sand, or ore. Most shovels are hand tools consisting of a broad blade fixed to a medium-length handle. Shovel blades are usually made ...
", "shuffle", shuttle" or "Utah" pass, a short
forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The legal and widespread use of the forward pass distinguishes grid ...
generally to the running or up back behind the
line of scrimmage In gridiron football, a line of scrimmage is an invisible transverse line (across the width of the field) beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun. Its location is based on the spot where the ball is placed after the end ...
. According to legend, Trice conceived the concept and presented to coach Sam Willaman. When Willaman attempted the play in a game against Drake later that year, the ball was dropped and the official incorrectly called it a
fumble A fumble in gridiron football occurs when a player who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed (tackled), scoring, or going out of bounds. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking, punting, or successful h ...
. The play was not used again and disappeared from college football until it was resurrected by Jack Cortice at the
University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...
in 1957. In 2015, the story of Jack Trice was being shopped around to movie studios with the hopes that a film is made. A successful stage play debuted in 2010. Trice was one of three Iowa college athletes, each from one of the state's three public four-year universities, to be the subjects of butter sculptures at the 2023
Iowa State Fair The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa, every August. It began in 1854 and has been held on the Iowa State Fairgrounds since 1886. It is based in the state capital Des Moines, Iowa over an 11 day period in August ...
. Trice was joined by
Caitlin Clark Caitlin Elizabeth Clark (born January 22, 2002) is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Regarded as one of the greatest female collegiate players, Clark was tw ...
( Iowa basketball) and Kurt Warner ( Northern Iowa football). Throughout 2023 and culminating in a closing ceremony on Central Campus marking the 100th anniversary of his death on October 8, a Commemoration Committee led by Toyia Younger (Senior Vice President for Student Affairs) curated various events to honor his legacy. Programs included exhibitions on campus and at the Iowa State Fair, lectures, grants, the renaming of the street in front of the football stadium that bears his name to Jack Trice Way, dedication of a commemorative sculpture titled Breaking Barriers by artist Ivan Toth Depeña, hosting a Jack Trice Legacy football game on October 7, and finally the presentation of a posthumous degree in animal husbandry accepted by George Trice, a relative of Jack Trice and ISU Graduate.


See also

* Johnny Bright incident, a race-related on-field incident involving a player from a different Iowa school


References


Further reading

* *


External links


Iowa State University's Jack Trice Stadium
cyclones.com
Iowa State University's Jack Trice Digital Collection
digitalcollections.lib.iastate.edu
Jack Trice
at www.isualum.org
Jack Trice
at aaregistry.org
Jack Trice 100
at jacktrice100.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Trice, Jack 1902 births 1923 deaths Iowa State Cyclones football players People from Hiram, Ohio Players of American football from Portage County, Ohio 20th-century African-American sportsmen Deaths from pulmonary hemorrhage Sports deaths in Iowa