Mike and Nile Kinnick

Wednesday, September 7th, 2022 | Other | No Comments

A very professional film group in Iowa has made a stunning documentary about Nile Kinnick, Iowa’s 1939 Heisman Trophy winner who lost has life in World War II at the age of 24, and Mike was honored to play a key role in the production.

It has been getting rave reviews and sellout crowds at  a huge movie theater in Des Moines. In fact,  it drew the largest audiences of any movie playing in all the movie houses in the Des Moines area over the August 26-27 weekend.

Bev and Mike went with his son Jason and his wife Mindy on the opening night and were greeted by producer Scott Siepker, and given the red carpet treatment.

The film begins with Mike telling the story of what Ronald Reagan told him in a face to face meeting in 1990, about Nile Kinnick. President Reagan had worked at WHO radio station in Des Moines in 1937, broadcasting Iowa football  games,when Nile was a sophomore., and he is seen throughout the film.

“It’s a wonderful tribe to a great man, and takes us back to a time in America that we should all know about,” said Mike. It is available on Vimeo right now.

The trailer is viewable below:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/737322694?h=7554cd1fa4

Tags: Kinnick Documentary, Nile Kinnick, Scott Siepker

Waterloo Hall of Famers

Thursday, July 7th, 2022 | Wrestling | No Comments

 Recently, these four men, all natives of Waterloo, Iowa, got together for a photo session. They are (from right to left):

• Jim Duschen, an All-American at Iowa State, two-time Greco-Roman national champion, 1973 World team member, and a legendary high school coach in Henderson, Nevada;
• Dan Gable, the single most publicized figure in the history of American amateur wrestling, two-time NCAA champion at Iowa State, 1971 World champion, 1972 Olympic champion, coach of 15 NCAA championship teams at the University of Iowa, and 2021 Medal of Freedom honoree;
• Bob Buzzard, two-time All-American at Iowa State, national freestyle champion, 1972 Olympic team, 1969 World team, and a legendary high school coach in Oregon;
• Mike Chapman, author of 32 books, 17 about wrestling, national Wrestling Writer of the Year five times, and created WIN magazine, WIN Memorabilia Show, the Dan Gable Museum, and the Dan Hodge Trophy, called “the Heisman Trophy of wrestling”.

All four are members of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in Waterloo, the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in Cresco, and the Battle of Waterloo Hall of Fame in their hometown, as well as many other halls of fame.

Dan is from West High while the other three went to East High. They are all members of their high school halls of fame, as well.

Tags: Bob Buzzard, Dan Gable, Jim Duschen

Mike to be featured speaker at 2022 annual Tarzan Dum Dum – June 3 and 4

Thursday, April 7th, 2022 | Book Signing, Books, Speaking, Tarzan | No Comments

For the fourth time in the last 20 years, Mike will be a featured speaker at the annual Dum Dum, which will be held at the Drury Plaza Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, June 2 – 4, 2022. The annual event is hosted by the Burroughs Bibliophiles to honor the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan and John Carter, Warlord of Mars.  Burroughs wrote 24 Tarzan books and the character has been featured in over 50 films.   The convention is open to the public both days for a $5 ticket. The Huckster Room will have over a dozen exhibitors with many rare Tarzan memorabilia items on display and for sale. At the closing banquet on June 4, Mike will talk about two movie Tarzans and the books he wrote about them — Herman Brix (aka Bruce Bennett) and Glenn Morris. Brix was a silver medal winner in the shot put in the 1928 Olympics and was a football star at the U of Washington, playing in the Rose Bowl. He made his two Tarzan films in the mid 1930s, portraying the ape-man as an intelligent and literate jungle hero, like in the books. He changed his name to avoid being typecast and starred in nearly 100 movies as Bruce  Bennett, including blockbusters “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” and  “Mildred Pierce.” Mike spent 5 days interviewing Bruce in his Hollywood home and wrote the book, called “Please Don’t Call Me Tarzan”  in 2001.  Glenn Morris won the gold medal in the decathlon in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and played Tarzan in 1938. He served in World War II and suffered post traumatic stress disorder. Mike wrote his biography, called “the Gold and the Glory” in 2003. He will have both books and other Tarzan items for sale.

Details on the event can be found here: THE ERB DUM DUM DOSSIER (erbzine.com)

Tags: Bruce Bennett, DumDum, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Glenn Morris, Herman Brix, Tarzan

Waterloo Warriors: The Inspiring Stories Behind Becker-Chapman Post 138

Sunday, March 27th, 2022 | Books | No Comments

Mike’s latest book is called “Waterloo Warriors: The Inspiring Stories Behind Becker-Chapman Post 138.” It tells the stories of two young men from Waterloo who lost their lives at age 22 while fighting for freedom’s cause in World War I. Fred Becker was a standout student-athlete at East High School and in 1916 became the very first All-American football player at the University of Iowa. It was just his sophomore year, but he signed up to serve his country in “The War to End All Wars” and was a Marine officer in France when he was killed on July 18, 1918. It is an amazing story of courage and sacrifice. Carl Chapman (ironically, no relation to Mike) was a fine athlete at West High on the other side of the river and was attending college in Amherst, MA, when he signed up and became a pilot. His plane was shot down and he died on May 3, 1918. Mike wrote the booklet (just 36 pages but with some very rare photos) as a tribute to the men – and to help raise funds for the American Legion Post named in their honor. Mike donated his time work, as well as some of the printing cost. He held a book signing at the Post last November. Anyone wishing to buy the booklet and support the Post should call Dennis Sommer, Post Historian, at 319-232-6993. The booklet is just $10.00 plus $5 for S&H – and all proceeds, 100%, go to the American Legion Becker Chapman post 138.

Tags: American Legion Post, carl chapman, Fred Becker, Waterloo Iowa, Waterloo Warriors