Upcoming Schedule of Events – Summer/Fall 2013
Sunday, May 19th, 2013 | Uncategorized | No Comments
May 30, 11 a.m. – Mike will be the featured speaker at the Iowa Hall of Pride annual volunteers celebration, in Des Moines. He will talk about the impact of such famous Iowans as Nile Kinnick and Fred Becker, both All-American football players at the University of Iowa who lost their lives during war time. The event is not open to the public.
June 13, 5:30 p.m. – Kirk Ferentz, Iowa head football coach, and Mike will be the guests at Fred Becker Day at the Becker-Chapman American Legion Post 138 in Waterloo, to help raise funds for a new sign in front. The post is named for Fred Becker, Iowa’s first All-American football player who was killed in action during World War I, and Carl Chapman, a pilot who was also killed in World War I. Both men are natives of Waterloo. Mike will give a talk about Fred Becker’s heroism on and off the field. Mike’s book Triumph and Tragedy: The Inspiring Stories of Football Legends Fred Becker, Jack Trice, Nile Kinnick and Johnny Bright. will be available for purchase and Kirk and Mike will sign items. There will also be a chill supper and silent auction. Admission is $5 per person and the public is invited. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the supper begins at 5:30 p.m. Call the American Legion Post at 319-234-8511 for more information.
June 28-30 – Bev and Mike will have a booth at Sturgis Falls in Cedar Falls, with Iowa History Journal magazines and many of Mike’s 26 books on display and for sale. Sturgis Falls began in 1976 to honor William Sturgis, who in 1845 settled the area that became known as Cedar Falls. There are a wide variety of events, attractions and exhibitors, and the entire event is free and open to the public.
July 9 - Mike will be giving a speech on the life and legacy of Frank Gotch, former world heavyweight wrestling champion, on Tuesday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m., at Joe Sheldon County Park in Humboldt. The talk is being sponsored by Project AWARE, which is a volunteer weeklong river cleanup. Each year, hundreds of Iowans join together for a week in canoes to remove trash from 80-90 miles of a different river. To date, more than 2,500 AWARE volunteers from across the state have cleaned up over 780 river miles, removing more than 250 tons of trash (70% of which has been recycled) from rivers all across Iowa. This year’s event will be held July 6-13 on the Des Moines River from Algona down through Humboldt and Fort Dodge.The event is open to the public.
July 19 - Mike will be the featured speaker at the Des Moines Metro Scandinavian group meeting at 7 p.m. at the Aldersgate Methodist Church located at 3600 75th Street in Urbandale. He will talk about famous Iowans and plans for the upcoming movie “Lowell Park,” based on his novel of the same name. The event is open to the public.
August 8-18 – For the fourth straight year, Iowa History Journal will have a booth during the Iowa State Fair. The booth is on the second floor of the Ag Building and will feature a wide variety of Iowa History Journal items, most of the 26 books that Mike has authored, and other Iowa related items. Stop by and say “hi” and purchase some of the back issues of Iowa History Journal or Mike’s books and have them personally autographed.
Fall of 2013 – Mike will be a guest at the grand opening of the refurbished movie theater in Forest City and will give a talk about the life and career of Bob Baker, the Forest City native who went on to become a Hollywood star during the golden age of “B” cowboy movies in the 1930s and ‘40s. Bob Baker was on the cover of the January-February issue of Iowa History Journal, and Mike wrote the article. That issue was very popular and helped create new interest in the career of Bob Baker. The exact date of the event is yet to be determined.
New book offers wrestling trivia & history
Friday, April 19th, 2013 | Books, Wrestling | No Comments
“How much do you know about Mankind’s Oldest Sport?”
That is the question posed on the cover of the new wrestling book written by the sport’s most prolific writer. Mike Chapman’s Super Book of Wrestling Trivia brings to the reader some of the most memorable events in the history of Mankind’s Oldest Sport.
“The three main goals of the book are to educate young people about the grand heritage of the sport and to entertain older readers with a nostalgic trip into the past,” said Chapman. “And to have a little fun along the way.”
Wrestling has been around for at least 5,000 years. The book has separate chapters on wrestling in antiquity, in early America, in the NCAAs, and international wrestling, including the Olympics. There are also sections on professional wrestling, wrestling as a part of mixed martial arts, wrestling in the military, and wrestling in pop culture.
The 176-page book features nearly 50 photos. Included are a classic sketch of the Hebrew patriarch Jacob wrestling the angel of the Lord, as described in the Bible in Genesis; photos of Kirk Douglas wrestling in the 1955 movie “Ulysses,” about the Greek hero during the time of the Trojan War, and Tom Cruise wrestling in the 1989 film “Born on the 4th of July.”
Upcoming Speeches and Appearances
Sunday, February 10th, 2013 | Book Signing, Iowa History Journal, Speaking, WIN Magazine, Wrestling | No Comments
February 20 – Mike will be talking to the Knoxville Rotary Club on Wednesday, February 20, at noon at the Swamp Fox Pub and Grille in Knoxville. His speech is about famous Iowans and Iowa History Journal.
March 21-23 - Mike and Bev will be appearing at the WIN Memorabilia Show between sessions of the NCAA Wrestling Tournament in Des Moines on March 21-23. Mike and Bev created the WIN show 23 years ago and they will be greeting wrestling fans and showing memorabilia, as well as selling books, posters and videos. Numerous Olympic champions will be the special guests and an estimated 10,000 wrestling fans are expected to attend the WIN show. It will be located inside of the NCAA Fan Festival in the HY-Vee Hall. There is no charge to attend the WIN show.
July 9 – Mike will be giving a speech on the life and legacy of Frank Gotch, former world heavyweight wrestling champion, on Tuesday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m., at Joe Sheldon County Park in Humboldt. The talk is being sponsored by Project AWARE, which is a volunteer weeklong river cleanup. Each year, hundreds of Iowans join together for a week in canoes to remove trash from 80-90 miles of a different river. To date, more than 2,500 AWARE volunteers from across the state have cleaned up over 780 river miles, removing more than 250 tons of trash (70% of which has been recycled) from rivers all across Iowa. This year’s event will be held July 6-13 on the Des Moines River from Algona down through Humboldt and Fort Dodge.The event is open to the public.
Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 6 Now Available
Sunday, November 4th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments
In early November of 1942, the focus of the entire nation was on Waterloo, Iowa, as word came out that five brothers from one family were killed in action in the sea battle of Guadalcanal. The five Sullivan boys became a rallying point for the war effort and President Roosevelt called their loss one of the biggest tragedies any American family has been forced to endure. In a stirring account, professor Jeff Stein paints a vivid picture of the tragedy and how Waterloo has kept alive the memory of the Sullivan brothers.
Readers will also be treated to feature stories on many other fascinating persons and moments in Iowa history – ranging from the fabulous work of sculpture Christian Petersen to the overcoming of tragedy by James Hearst, Iowa’s farmer poet…..to the twelve Iowans who sought to be President of the United States, and much more.
Also included in this issue:
- Strange airships haunted Iowa skies in 1897
- Two new books “celebrate” Iowa history
- The city of Cresco calls itself “one in a million”
- Fayette dentist was also heck of a coach at Upper Iowa University
- Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman
- Iowa History Quiz
- Letters to the Editor
…and much more!
Upcoming Schedule for Mike
Thursday, September 13th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal, Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments
October 4 – Mike will be part of the program at the prestigious RaySociety, a community of lifelong learners from a variety of backgrounds who share a common interest in continuing to seek learning experiences and intellectual stimulation. The organization is supported by Drake University and named for two distinguish graduates, Robert D. and Billie Ray, the former governor and first lady of Iowa. Mike will be speaking at the “Extraordinary Iowans” discussion on Thursday at 1:30 pm in the Hall of Pride.
October 18 – Mike will be making a double appearance on this day in Charles City. In the afternoon, he will talk to a group of high school students about the great athletic tradition in the state of Iowa, concentrating on the legends of Nile Kinnick and Frank Gotch. That evening, he will be the guest speaker at the Floyd County Community Foundation (FCCF) banquet.
October 20 - For the second year in a row, Mike will be the guest speaker at the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions event in Minneapolis. Each year, the hall of fame inducts outstanding Greco-Roman wrestlers into the hall of champions. Mike will give a talk on the importance of understanding the sport’s rich and vital heritage, dating all the way back to Jacob wrestling the Angel in the Bible. For details, people can call the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo.
November 18 - Steve Knight has invited Mike to be the guest speaker at the Excel Wrestling “Hall of Heroes” banquet at the Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines. Several annual awards will be given out and Bill Smith, 1952 Olympic champion, will be the main honoree. Bill was also an undefeated, two-time NCAA champion during his career at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). Originally from Council Bluffs, Bill now lives in Bode, Iowa. The cost for dinner is $50 per plate. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Excel Wrestling office at 515-331-4419
Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 5 Now Available
Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments
Jean Seberg has emerged in recent years as one of the most enigmatic figures in Iowa history. In the latest issue of Iowa History Journal, Michael Swanger explores the many aspects of the life and career of this film legend. Swanger traces her life from humble origins in Marshalltown to her stunning selection by legendary producer, Otto Preminger, to star in the movie “St. Joan” and through her storied career in Hollywood and overseas. He discusses the role the FBI played in the later stages of her life and her tragic death at the age of 40, which is still a subject of controversy today.
Readers will also be treated to feature stories on many other fascinating persons and moments in Iowa history – ranging from a bank robbery in Adel that could have influenced history in many ways to the famous candy company begun by the Stovers.
Also included in this issue:
- The history of covered bridges in Madison County
- The reemergence of a beautiful theatre in Toledo
- An Iowa restaurant which has been in existence for 172 years
- A tough baseball manager with strong Iowa connections
- More Iowans involved with the Titanic tragedy
- The city of Humboldt honors Frank Gotch with a statue
- Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman
…and much more!
Contents
3 – Publisher’s Perspective: Story of a miracle that began in Iowa by Mike Chapman
4 – Jean Seberg’s legacy soaring again at home by Michael Swanger
9 – Bank robbery in Adel could have had huge impact on Iowa history by Mark Hanson
12 – Famous candy company has roots in Iowa by John Skipper
13 – Country Roads: Names of Iowa of towns can be confusing by Arvid Huisman
14 – Humboldt statue honors Frank Gotch
18 – Tough baseball manager was a hero to many Iowans by Jim Young
21 – Covered Bridges were hot long before the famous movie by Mary Halstrum
23 – The Way We Were: Remember when TV arrived on the scene by John McNeer
25 – After 100 years, Toledo still has a beautiful theatre by Jeff Stein
27 – Kalmes family has been serving Luxembourg fair for 172 years by Jessica Dunker
29 – More Iowas involved in Titanic tragedy
31 – Iowa History Quiz
36 – Letters to the Editor
Visit IowaHistoryJournal.com to subscribe!
Gotch unveiling makes an ‘unforgettable’ event
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 | Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments
The statue of Gotch
Some 95 years later, on July 4, some 400 fans endured brutally hot temperatures to see a magnificent statue of Gotch unveiled in his hometown of Humboldt, Iowa. The eight-foot tall bronze statue shows Gotch in black tights and top, with hands on hips, gazing out over the land. It stands on a three-foot pedestal in Bicknell Park, the very spot where Gotch trained for his epic match with George Hackenschmidt, The Russian Lion, in 1911.
The statue is surrounded by a brick walkway, with four thick benches at each of the corners. Behind the area, the Des Moines River flows peacefully, just thirty yards away and down a steep bluff – offering a very picturesque setting.
“It was a day that anyone who was there will never forget,” said Scott Casber, owner/founder of Takedown Wrestling Radio. “July 4, 2012, was a great moment in the history of wrestling.”
Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 4 Now Available
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments
The state of Iowa has a long and proud history of involvement in the Olympic Games, dating all the way back to 1904. In a fascinating article written by Don Doxsie, long time sports editor of the Quad City Times and a winner of many writing awards, that Olympic history is discussed in detail. Doxsie has done considerable research and also compiled two graphs – one of which shows which sports Iowans have won medals in, and the other which has a year-by-year breakdown of Iowa medal winners since 1904.
Readers will also be treated to feature stories on many other fascinating persons and moments in Iowa history – ranging from the piano talents of the legendary Roger Williams to the pilot who dropped the atomic bomb on Japan in 1945……to the meteorite that struck what is present day Manson almost 74 million years ago.
Also included in this issue:
- The Honey War between Iowa and Missouri that almost resulted in a real-life battle between the bordering states.
- The story of the Iowa-born attorney and judge who brought down Al Capone, one of the most notorious gangsters in American history.
- How the Wolfe Eye Clinic started from humble origins and developed into one of the top eye health care facilities in the nation.
- A book review on Little Heathens which is a delightful journey back into rural Iowa in the 1930s.
- Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman
…and much more!
Contents
3 – Publisher’s Perspective: Olympic legend Mathias recalled by Mike Chapman
4 – Olympic dreams blossom in Iowa over the decades by Don Doxsie
7 – Corydon still honors hero from 1932: by Mike Chapman
19 – Bill Smith is UNI’s only Olympic champion
11 – Pilot who dropped atomic bomb had roots in Iowa by Jeff Stein
13 – Country Roads: By whatever name, cricks are beautiful by Arvid Huisman
14 – Meteorite was a big hit ….74 million years ago by John Skipper
17 – Piano talents were Rogers Williams’ path to the top by Robert Weast
20 – The Iowans who brought down infamous Capone by Al Nelson
24 – The Way We Were: Ice cream was a very special treat by John McNeer
25 – Wolfe Eye Clinics started in 1919 in Marshalltown by Pete Hussmann
27 – Iowa almost fought Missouri in ‘Honey War’ by Kyle Martin
29 – Book Review: Little Heathens tells of Iowa life many years ago by Mike Chapman
31 – Iowa History Quiz
36 – Letters to the Editor
Visit IowaHistoryJournal.com to subscribe!
More Speeches and Events for 2012
Sunday, June 24th, 2012 | Book Signing, Iowa History Journal, Speaking, Wrestling | No Comments
Mike has added a few new events to his schedule for the next few months.
June 17 – Walnut will named a street Earl Caddock Memorial Drive during its big Antique City weekend. Members of the Caddock family came from Maryland and Texas to help celebrate the event. Earl Caddock was world heavyweight wrestling champion from 1917 to 1920 and lived in Walnut. Mike is the author of the book CADDOCK: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, and gave a speech at the 9 a.m. ceremony, and then held a book signing.
July 4 – The Frank Gotch Statue unveiling will take place in Bicknell Park in Humboldt, at 1 p.m. The eight-foot bronze statue is the project of a special committee in Humboldt, the hometown of the legendary professional world heavyweight champion (1908-1916). Mike is on the statue committee and will make a speech about Frank’s legacy. Among the special guests are Bill Smith, 1952 Olympic champion (UNI), and Brad Rheingans, a two-time Olympian who also wrestled professionally for 14 years.
July 6 – The Iowa Cubs have declared this date as Iowa History Journal Day and Mike and Bev will set up a booth in the entryway, with Iowa History Journal items for display and for sale. The first 100 fans to stop by the booth will receive a free copy of Iowa History Journal, some with Bob Feller on the cover. The gates open at 5:45 p.m. and the game starts at 7:30 p.m.
July 15 – Mike will be one of the Iowa authors featured at the Linn Creek Arts Festival in Marshalltown. Over 60 artists, 12 authors and a wide variety of children’s entertainment will highlight the 4th annual festival, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance, at the Fisher Community Center, 709 S. Center Street in Marshalltown. Over 2,000 attended last year and admission is free. Other attractions are the world champion Yo-Yo stars, kite flyers, kite memorabilia, as well as numerous food, wine and beer vendors. For more detail, see: www.linncreekartsfestival.com.
August 9-19– For the third straight year, Iowa History Journal will have a booth at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. The booth will be on the second floor of the Ag Building, above the Butter Cow exhibit. Back issues of Iowa History Journal and over a dozen of the books Mike has written will be for sale.
Mike at Dedication of Earl Caddock Memorial Drive in Walnut
Monday, May 28th, 2012 | Books, Wrestling | No Comments
The city of Walnut has announced the dedication of Pearl Street in Walnut to be designated the Earl Caddock Memorial Drive in honor of the town’s most famous citizen. Author Mike Chapman will be a part of the ceremony on Sunday morning, June 17, giving a short address and signing copies of his book on Earl.
Earl Caddock came off an Iowa farm to become a great amateur wrestler and then won the world heavyweight championship of professional wrestling, back when the sports was a true athletic contest. He was an AAU national champion, in 1914 and 1915, but the cancellation of the 1916 Olympics ended his amateur career. With Frank Gotch of Humboldt, Iowa, acknowledged as the top athlete in America at the time, Caddock decided to follow Gotch into professional wrestling. On April 9, 1917, he took a perfect record of 79-0 (53-0 as an amateur and 26-0 as a pro) into the ring in Omaha to take on the world champion, Joe Stecher. After more than two hours of grueling wrestling, Earl Caddock emerged as the heavyweight champion of the world.
In 1919 and 1920, Caddock was one of the nation’s most popular athletes, standing alongside such legendary figures as Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Jim Thorpe.
At the peak of his sports career, Caddock enlisted in the U.S. Army to fight in World War I and served gallantly in France as a doughboy, suffering lung damage from gas attacks. He returned to make his home in Walnut, Iowa. After three more years of wrestling, Caddock retired from the ring and began a successful career as a businessman in both Walnut and in Omaha. Caddock is buried in the Layton Cemetery just east of Walnut on Pearl St.
A new book, CADDOCK: Walnut’s Wrestling Wonder, was written by Mike Chapman, noted wrestling author and historian, and published by Culture House Books of Newton, in cooperation with the city of Walnut. Mike will be on hand for the dedication and available for book signing after the event. Members of the Caddock family will also attend.
The dedication is June 17, at 9 AM, in conjunction with the Walnut Antique Show. The dedication ceremony will be held in front of the Village Blacksmith Shop antique store located one block east of Antique City Drive on Pearl Street. Earl Caddock built this building as one of his businesses during the early part of the 20th century.
For more information about Walnut or the Walnut Antique Show, go to:
www.WalnutIowa.org or www.WalnutAntiqueShow.com
Upcoming Speeches and Appearances
- March 21, 2013 – Win Memorabilia Show
- May 30, 2013 – Iowa Hall of Pride Volunteer Celebration
- June 13, 2013 – Fred Becker Day
- June 28, 2013 – Sturgis Falls
- July 9, 2013 – Project AWARE
- July 19, 2013 – Des Moines Metro Scandanavian Group
- August 8, 2013 – Iowa State Fair
Calendar of Appearances
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| 29 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 |
30
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31 | 1 | 2 |
Iowa Hall of Pride Volunteer Celebration
Super Book of Wrestling Trivia – Order today!
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