Jack Trice facts for kids
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| No. 37 | |
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| Position | Tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | May 12, 1902 Hiram, Ohio |
| Died: | October 8, 1923 (aged 21) Ames, Iowa |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | Iowa State (1922–1923) |
| High school | East Technical |
John G. Trice (born May 12, 1902 – died October 8, 1923) was a talented football player. He became the first African-American athlete at Iowa State College. Trice sadly died from injuries he got during a college football game. This game was against the University of Minnesota on October 6, 1923. Today, Jack Trice Stadium, Iowa State's football stadium, is named in his honor.
Jack Trice's Early Life
Trice was born in Hiram, Ohio, in 1902. His father, Green Trice, was a former Buffalo Soldier. As a child, Jack loved sports and showed great athletic skills. In 1918, his mother sent him to Cleveland, Ohio. He went to live with an uncle there.
Trice attended East Technical High School in Cleveland. He played football there. In 1922, Trice moved to Ames, Iowa. He followed five of his teammates and his old high school coach, Sam Willaman, to Iowa State College.
While at Iowa State, Trice played track and football. He mainly played as a tackle in football. He studied animal husbandry. He hoped to use his knowledge to help African-American farmers in the South after he graduated. In the summer before his first year, at age 19, Trice married Cora Mae Starland. She was 15. They both worked jobs to pay for their schooling. Trice was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
On October 5, 1923, the night before his second college football game, Trice wrote a letter. He was staying at a hotel in Minneapolis/St. Paul. This hotel had rules that separated people by race. The letter was found in his suit before his funeral.
He wrote:
My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life: The honor of my race, family & self is at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will! My whole body and soul are to be thrown recklessly about the field tomorrow. Every time the ball is snapped, I will be trying to do more than my part. On all defensive plays I must break through the opponents' line and stop the play in their territory. Beware of mass interference. Fight low, with your eyes open and toward the play. Watch out for crossbucks and reverse end runs. Be on your toes every minute if you expect to make good. Jack.
The Game and Trice's Death
On October 6, 1923, Trice and his Iowa State teammates played against the University of Minnesota. This game was in Minneapolis. On the night of the game, Trice was allowed to stay at the same hotel as his teammates. However, he could not eat with them in the dining room.
During the second play of the game, Trice broke his collarbone. Trice said he was fine and went back into the game. In the third quarter, he tried to tackle a Minnesota player. Trice ended up on his back after a "roll block." This type of play is now against the rules. Three Minnesota players then trampled him.
Even though he said he was okay, Trice could not stand. He was taken out of the game and sent to a Minneapolis hospital. Doctors said he was well enough to travel. He returned to Ames by train with his teammates. On October 8, 1923, Trice died. He died from bleeding in his lungs and internal bleeding. These were caused by the injuries he got during the game.
There was much talk about the play that led to Trice's death. An Iowa State teammate, Johnny Behm, spoke in a 1979 interview. He said, "one person told me that nothing out of the ordinary happened. But another who saw it said it was murder."
Iowa State canceled all classes after 3 p.m. on October 9, 1923. This was done to honor Trice.
Trice's funeral was held at Iowa State College's central campus in Ames. It took place on October 16, 1923. About 4,000 students and teachers attended. His casket was covered in cardinal and gold. These are Iowa State's school colors. Trice was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Hiram, Ohio.
Because of his death, Iowa State did not play against Minnesota again for 66 years. The teams finally played each other again in 1989.
Jack Trice's Lasting Legacy
In 1973, people started working to honor Jack Trice again. They wanted to name Iowa State's new stadium after him. In 1974, Iowa State University's student government voted to support this idea. The Jack Trice Stadium Committee also collected over 3,000 signatures from supporters. However, a special committee at Iowa State voted to suggest naming the stadium "Cyclone Stadium" instead.
In 1984, the stadium was named Cyclone Stadium. The playing field, however, was named "Jack Trice Field." The ISU student government wanted to do more for Trice. They raised money to build a statue of him in 1987. Students, alumni, teachers, staff, and other supporters kept pushing for the name change. Famous people like Paul Newman and Nikki Giovanni also supported the cause. Finally, in 1997, the football stadium at Iowa State University was named Jack Trice Stadium.
Jack Trice Stadium is special. It is currently the only Division I FBS stadium or arena. It is named after an African-American person.
Some people believe Jack Trice invented the "shovel" pass. This is a short forward pass in football. It usually goes to a running back behind the line of scrimmage. The story says Trice thought of the idea and showed it to coach Sam Willaman. When Willaman tried the play in a game, the ball was dropped. The official incorrectly called it a fumble. The play was not used again for many years. It reappeared in college football in 1957.
In 2015, people were trying to make a movie about Jack Trice's story. A successful play about his life had already started in 2010.
See also
- Johnny Bright incident
