A Trip Down Memory Lane
This week's feature game program is from November 9, 1963.
This was a special game for me. I was six and a half (remember when you were young enough you measured your age in half years, too) and it was the first time I stayed for the whole game. To set the scene, Coach Jerry Burns’ Hawkeyes were coming into the game on a three game losing streak.
After starting the season out with a 14-14 tie against Washington State, the Hawks reeled off two straight wins beating Washington at UW, 17-7, and returning to Iowa City to knock off the Hoosiers 37-26.
The Hawkeyes' luck wouldn’t hold though as a series of close losses to #2 Wisconsin 10-7, Purdue 14-0 and #9 OSU 7-3 put the good guys with their backs against the wall at 2-3-1 with three games left. A winning record could be salvaged if the Hawks could win out, or win two and tie one against Minnesota, Michigan and Notre Dame.
The Gophers came to Iowa City hoping to extend Iowa’s 10 quarter touchdown drought, but the Hawkeyes decided to employ air-Cloyd as QB Gary Snook threw for three TD passes. Two were to Cloyd Webb, 21 and 46 yards, and the third went to right half back, Paul Krause. The same Paul Krause that would set interception records at both Iowa and for the Minnesota Vikings. But these were the days of single platoon football and many Hawkeyes played both ways.
Former WMT-AM announcer and Ron Gonder sidekick, Mike Reilly (aka Charley Linebacker) was a standout guard, linebacker and punter for the '63 Hawks.
After the win over the Gophers, Iowa traveled to Ann Arbor to face the favored Wolverines, but Iowa rallied late behind the arm of Snook to salvage a 21-21 tie.
This sent the Hawks at 3-3-2 into their season finale at home versus the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. However, the day before the Hawks and Irish were to tee it up, President John F. Kennedy would be assassinated in Dallas. The game was cancelled with the idea it would be made up later.
However, the schedule conflicts would not allow the game to be played until December 7th. Iowa president Virgil Hancher and UND’s president decided they didn’t want their players to miss any more class so the game was cancelled and the Hawkeyes would finish 3-3-2.
A pair of Hawks would earn post season honors in 1963. Mike Reilly was voted first team All-American guard by the Football Writers Association for Look magazine and second team AA at linebacker by the Associated Press. Reilly was joined on the All-Big Ten team by fellow guard, Wally Hilgenberg.
Reilly would be voted team MVP. The co-captains were Krause and Hilgenberg.
Some note from the player bios:
Paul Krause also played baseball.
QB Fred Riddle, Jr. was a backup forward for the basketball team.
WR Cloyd Webb was a discus thrower for the Iowa track team.
Wally Hilgenberg’s brother Jerry was an assistant coach.
Below is this week's list of uploaded features from the 1963 game program, including the Iowa lineup with heights and weights at the bottom.
Iowa's Lineup
LE - Cloyd Webb 6-5, 208
LT - Leo Miller 5-11, 222
LG - Wally Hilgenberg 6-2, 223
C - Gary Fletcher 6-1, 225
RG - Mike Reilly 6-2, 222
RT - Gus Kasapis 6-3, 226
RE - Tony Giacobazzi 6-1, 213
QB - Gary Snook 6-1, 180
LH - Lonnie Rogers 5-11, 198
RH - Paul Krause 6-3, 178
FB - Bobby Grier 6-0, 206