Frank Kinney Holbrook - The 1896 Missouri Game

The 1896 Missouri Game

After another easy non-conference win, Iowa carried their 4-1 record into Columbia, Missouri, for a game with the Tigers. Missouri had won a share of the conference title the past three years, from 1893 to 1895. Missouri alumni demanded that Iowa play the game without Frank Holbrook. Coach Bull refused and stated that there would be no game if Holbrook were not allowed to play. The Iowa City Vidette-Reporter (the University of Iowa's student newspaper) reported, "When Missouri’s team came on the field, they were heartily cheered with the Tigers’ yell, followed by appeals from the rooters to individual players to ‘kill the nigger’."

During the game, there were several physical confrontations. The Vidette-Reporter continued, "There was hardly a man on Iowa’s team who did not receive a cowardly blow from the Tigers. Several were hit while on the ground. One man received at least three blows from the fists of the Tigers. Not for ten seconds did one of Iowa’s men forget himself or lose his temper. At all times they placed themselves near and about Holbrook."

Iowa won the game, 12-0, on two touchdowns, one by halfback Joe Meyers and one by Frank Holbrook. Iowa refused to play Missouri again until 1902. Before a 1910 game with Missouri, Missouri officials warned Iowa coach Jesse Hawley not to bring black tackle Archie Alexander to the game. Furious, Hawley postponed the Iowa-Missouri football series indefinitely. It has not been resumed since.