New Duke Slater book

[DCRozehawk]

Hey, Hawk fans! Just wanted to let everyone on the forum know that my new book on Duke Slater has been released and is available for purchase. If you have Paypal, you can order your copy of the book through my website by clicking here. I can also take an order by mail; just send me a PM and I’ll give you the address.

I’m sure many here know all about Duke Slater, but just in case…Duke was one of the greatest Hawkeyes of all time. He was named the first black All-American at Iowa in 1919, and he was a key member of the undefeated 1921 Big Ten championship team. In 1922, he became the first African-American lineman in NFL history, and he played ten years in the league. After retirement, Duke was elected as just the second African-American judge in Chicago history. In short, Duke Slater lived an incredible life.

If you’d like to buy the book, please consider ordering it from my site. Of course, the book is available from online sites like Amazon as well, but if you order directly from me, it would be greatly, greatly appreciated…and I can send the book out right away with no wait time. You’ll also want to check out the link above so you can tour the website I’ve set up in recognition of Slater. Take a look around, and keep an eye out for some projects on the horizon that will be taking shape on Duke’s behalf.

If you guys have any thoughts and opinions on Duke Slater, I’d love to hear them in this thread! I think you guys will love this book. Go Hawks!

 

[Hawknick]

Thanks for posting. If I could choose just one team in Iowa football hiatory to watch it would be the 1921 team. Duke Slater opened the holes for other greats Devine and Locke to gash opposing defenses. I can only imagine what it would have been like to walk into Iowa Field and see such a team play. My avitar shows him blocking 3 players in the big win over Notre Dame.

 

[DCRozehawk]

I agree, Hawknick, it would have been incredible to see that team play! Hopefully the throwbacks against Iowa State will give us a chance to squint and imagine.

There are over two dozen Slater photos in the book, too, and that 1921 Notre Dame picture is one of them. It's such a great shot...pretty much defines Duke Slater as a player.

 

[blkngldFRO]

I agree with you there should definitely be some type of mention of Slater inside Kinnick. Maybe a statue or wall freeze like the grid iron gang. I bet we could get some donations going on Indiegogo and see if the University will match. Hey they built a plaza with donations. Maybe start a movement to get the practice field renamed to Slater field, and place a statue horning him outside of that? Somewhere the public can get to, but also where the players pass it everyday.

Just a thought.

 

[Scorpio79]

I agree with you there should definitely be some type of mention of Slater inside Kinnick. Maybe a statue or wall freeze like the grid iron gang. I bet we could get some donations going on Indiegogo and see if the University will match. Hey they built a plaza with donations. Maybe start a movement to get the practice field renamed to Slater field, and place a statue horning him outside of that? Somewhere the public can get to, but also where the players pass it everyday.

Just a thought.

Iowa named a dorm after him. What moar do you want??

 

[DCRozehawk]

Iowa named a dorm after him. What moar do you want??

It's true that naming a dorm after him was a grand gesture, and I don't want to downplay that at all. But Slater Hall could definitely use some upgrading. I wrote a post on this topic a few days ago.

As for the Kinnick Stadium idea, it doesn't need to be a grand tribute. Just a small plaque or something seems appropriate.

I like the spirit of the practice field and statue idea, but it seems very expensive. I'd rather have Hawk fans save their money, because I'll be making a major announcement next week regarding a huge project in the works to honor Slater. I just need to get all the legal i's dotted and t's crossed, so bear with me! This upcoming project will require some serious fundraising, so I appreciate the Indiegogo link...I'd never heard of that.

Thanks for the comments, everyone...very much appreciate the feedback.

 

[Scorpio79]

Good work, DCR. Looking forward to your announcement.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

DCR, I just finished "75 Years of Iowa Football" by Lamb and McGrane. I am now reading Al Grady's "1964-1988" continuation.

Duke Slater was obviously a heck of a player, but also mentioned as just a great guy and teammate.

 

[uofihawkInation]

Iowa named a dorm after him. What moar do you want??

It's true that naming a dorm after him was a grand gesture, and I don't want to downplay that at all. But Slater Hall could definitely use some upgrading. I wrote a post on this topic a few days ago.As for the Kinnick Stadium idea, it doesn't need to be a grand tribute. Just a small plaque or something seems appropriate.I like the spirit of the practice field and statue idea, but it seems very expensive. I'd rather have Hawk fans save their money, because I'll be making a major announcement next week regarding a huge project in the works to honor Slater. I just need to get all the legal i's dotted and t's crossed, so bear with me! This upcoming project will require some serious fundraising, so I appreciate the Indiegogo link...I'd never heard of that.Thanks for the comments, everyone...very much appreciate the feedback.

Slater was upgraded both last summer, this summer, and more next summer. they are basically redoing the entire building.

 

[DCRozehawk]

Slater was upgraded both last summer, this summer, and more next summer. they are basically redoing the entire building.

Yeah, upgraded probably wasn't my best choice of words. I'm sure Slater Hall is a very livable building...I don't really know; I never lived there. (I didn't pass the physical fitness exam. I'm only kidding. Actually, when I was at Iowa, I was a nerd with no social life...so I lived in Daum. I'm only half kidding with that one. )

Allow me to clarify. When I said upgrade, I didn't mean putting in new restrooms and piping and such, although I can see why it sounded that way. I just meant that while Slater Hall has Slater's name on the building, there are no mentions of Duke Slater the man anywhere in or around the building. No photos of him...nothing. I think the university can easily (and should) fix that. Sorry for not being clearer!

 

[blkngldFRO]

It's true that naming a dorm after him was a grand gesture, and I don't want to downplay that at all. But Slater Hall could definitely use some upgrading. I wrote a post on this topic a few days ago.

As for the Kinnick Stadium idea, it doesn't need to be a grand tribute. Just a small plaque or something seems appropriate.

I like the spirit of the practice field and statue idea, but it seems very expensive. I'd rather have Hawk fans save their money, because I'll be making a major announcement next week regarding a huge project in the works to honor Slater. I just need to get all the legal i's dotted and t's crossed, so bear with me! This upcoming project will require some serious fundraising, so I appreciate the Indiegogo link...I'd never heard of that.

Thanks for the comments, everyone...very much appreciate the feedback.

That's cool look forward to hearing about it, and glad I could share the link. Just one question will your book be available for digital purchase? For a simple way you could create a PDF. I will still buy the book ether way just wondering.

 

[DCRozehawk]

DCR, I just finished "75 Years of Iowa Football" by Lamb and McGrane. I am now reading Al Grady's "1964-1988" continuation.

Duke Slater was obviously a heck of a player, but also mentioned as just a great guy and teammate.

HawkeyeBob,

That's some good reading there! For my money, Lamb and McGrane's book is the best book ever written on Hawkeye football, bar none. And if Lamb and McGrane's work is "The Godfather" of Hawkeye football books, then Grady's book is "The Godfather Part II". Both are just outstanding.

Slater really was a heck of a guy...and he LOVED the University of Iowa. I feel lucky to have had a chance to write about him.

 

[DCRozehawk]

That's cool look forward to hearing about it, and glad I could share the link. Just one question will your book be available for digital purchase? For a simple way you could create a PDF. I will still buy the book ether way just wondering.

The good news is my publisher assures me the book will be released as an e-book. The bad news is they can't say when.

From my experience with my last two publishers, it took several months for either of them to get it up for sale in e-book form. Could be sooner, but I hate to give anyone false hope in that regard.

It's too bad, since a lot of book buyers are moving toward Kindle-only, and I'd like to accomodate them. You wouldn't think it would be that hard to get it up as an e-book or, as you say, as a PDF. But that's easy for me to say...I've never had to do it myself.

 

[Scorpio79]

The good news is my publisher assures me the book will be released as an e-book. The bad news is they can't say when.

From my experience with my last two publishers, it took several months for either of them to get it up for sale in e-book form. Could be sooner, but I hate to give anyone false hope in that regard.

It's too bad, since a lot of book buyers are moving toward Kindle-only, and I'd like to accomodate them. You wouldn't think it would be that hard to get it up as an e-book or, as you say, as a PDF. But that's easy for me to say...I've never had to do it myself.

Have you ever looked in to Smashwords? They convert into every e-form (kindle, nook, pdf, etc etc) and it's cheap.
Smashwords — Ebooks from independent authors and publishers

 

[Ozhawk]

Iowa named a dorm after him. What moar do you want??

I would like Duke Honored at the ISU game..so the idiot Clown Fans can get their facts straight in the reality that Jack Trice wasn't the first black football player in history of the world...or iowa for that matter...

 

[Scorpio79]

I would like Duke Honored at the ISU game..so the idiot Clown Fans can get their facts straight in the reality that Jack Trice wasn't the first black football player in history of the world...or iowa for that matter...

I don't disagree, but wasn't Trice the victim of some awful bigotry? I don't know the story, but I recall something like this?

 

[DCRozehawk]

Have you ever looked in to Smashwords? They convert into every e-form (kindle, nook, pdf, etc etc) and it's cheap.
Smashwords — Ebooks from independent authors and publishers

I've heard good things about Smashwords. If I decide to self-publish a book in the future, I'll definitely consider using them.

This book, however, has a trade publisher in McFarland Books, which means they have both the print and e-book rights. So I'm not allowed to put a Duke Slater e-book on Smashwords...it's in my contract. I have to wait on McFarland to do it.

Thanks for the heads up, though...really appreciate all the comments from you guys!

 

[papathawki]

My Mom and Dad were at Iowa while Duke was there. They knew him personally and talked of him often. They were impressed not just with his football skills, but an outstanding student and person. I met and talked to Nile Kinnick at our football banquet in Hawarden, Iowa in 1940 and am still thrilled to have talked to him. Hawkeye history always excites me!

 

[DCRozehawk]

I don't disagree, but wasn't Trice the victim of some awful bigotry? I don't know the story, but I recall something like this?

Jack Trice was the victim of more than just bigotry; he was trampled to death in a game against Minnesota in 1923. It was just the second game of his career. Trice was the first black athlete in Iowa State history, and that, coupled with his untimely death, are the main parts of his legacy at ISU.

While Trice's death was tragic (and thank goodness nothing like that has happened at Iowa), it also wasn't completely unheard of. Back in those days, there were numerous fatalities in college football every year. It's not shocking that it happened at a school like Iowa State, but it's extremely coincidental that it just so happened to happen to their first black player.

It's altogether appropriate that Iowa State memorializes Jack Trice, but it does create a bit of a false narrative about how receptive Iowa State was toward African-Americans. Iowa had a long, remarkable history of African-American participation in sports before World War II, and I think some fans erroneously assume that because Trice played at Iowa State in 1923, ISU was the same way.

That wasn't the case. After Trice died in 1923, ISU had just one more black player in the late-1920s. The Cyclones didn't have a third black varsity athlete until 1956. In reality, Iowa State had very few black athletes back then, and Trice was more of an exception than the rule...unlike Slater at Iowa.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

HawkeyeBob,

That's some good reading there! For my money, Lamb and McGrane's book is the best book ever written on Hawkeye football, bar none. And if Lamb and McGrane's work is "The Godfather" of Hawkeye football books, then Grady's book is "The Godfather Part II". Both are just outstanding.

Slater really was a heck of a guy...and he LOVED the University of Iowa. I feel lucky to have had a chance to write about him.

Frank Gilliam lives in our area (he may have moved in the last year, but his e-mail hasn't bounced back on our newsletter) and has come to several of our game watches. It has never occurred to me to ask him about Cal Jones and some of his other teammates. But he definitely still has great fondness for Iowa, as well. And you would never guess he played in the early-to-mid 1950s. I just turned 50, and he could pass for being slightly older than me.

If he comes to any game watches this year I'll ask if he ever got a chance to know Duke Slater and the other folks that would have been "legends" when he was at the U of I. If Slater's last season was 1921 or 1922, he'd have had 35 years or son on Gilliam.