Remembering Two Great Iowans on Veterans Day

Monday, November 11th, 2024 | Radio | No Comments

To help celebrate Veterans’ Day, Mike was a guest on the KXEL radio show in Waterloo with Jeff Stein, program director, talking about the legends of Fred Becker and Nile Kinnick. A graduate of East High School in Waterloo, Becker became the first All-American football player at the University of Iowa in 1916 as a sophomore and then volunteered to serve his country in World War I. He died fighting along the Western Front in France on July 18, 1918, and is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Waterloo. Kinnick, from Adel, won the Heisman Trophy for the Hawkeyes in 1939 and lost his life on June 2, 1943, as a pilot off the coast of Venezuela. Mike, a Navy veteran himself, has written extensively about both Becker and Kinnick and his book “Triumph and Tragedy” tells their stories, along with the stories of Jack Trice and Johnny Bright.

Listen to the show here: https://on.soundcloud.com/2Zmx1

Tags: East High School Waterloo, Fred Becker, Jeff Stein, KXEL, Nile Kinnick

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

Upcoming Events – Fall 2021

Tuesday, September 28th, 2021 | Book Signing, Books, Speaking, WIN Magazine, Wrestling | No Comments

October 16 – Mike and Bryan Van Kley, publisher of WIN magazine, will present the Dan Hodge Trophy to Hawkeye wrestling star Spencer Lee during halftime of the Iowa-Purdue football game October 16 at Kinnick Stadium. Mike created the Dan Hodge Trophy in 1995 as a way to honor the nation’s top college wrestler each season, similar to the Heisman Trophy in football.  In fact, the Hodge Trophy is often called “the Heisman Trophy of wresting” by media outlets. The trophy is sponsored by WIN magazine and Culture House, a company owned by Mike and Bev, and is presented by Asics.  To date, over one million sports fans have seen the Dan Hodge Trophy presented at football stadiums around the country. Spencer Lee also won the trophy in 2020 and will be going for his 4th NCAA title this season. 

November 11 – On Veterans Day, Mike will be the featured speaker at the  “One Nation Under God” banquet hosted by the Cedar Falls Exchange Club, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 7213 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls, with social hour starting at 5:30 and dinner at 6:30. His talk will center on the lives of Hawkeye stars Fred Becker and Nile Kinnick. Becker was Iowa’s first All-American football player (in 1916) and lost his life fighting during World War I on July 18, 1918. Kinnick, Iowa’s only Heisman Trophy winner, lost his life on a training flight on June 2, 1943, during World War II. Both Fred and Nile were just 22 years of age, and Mike has written about them in his book “Triumph and Tragedy”. Mike has been asked to bring many of his books for sale, as the event is just a few weeks before Christmas. Tickets are $30 and the pubic is invited but reservations must be made by Oct. 31st. Any questions, please call Dennis Kehoe at 319-464-6336 or email kehoe3@yahoo.com. 

November 12 – The Becker-Chapman American Legion Post 138 at 728 Commercial Street is hosting a dinner and an event to honor Fred Becker and Carl Chapman, the two military heroes for whom the Post is named. Mike has written a booklet telling the story of both Fred, a gradate of East High, and Carl, a graduate of West High. Fred Becker was the first All-American football player in the history of the University of Iowa, and then enlisted in the Marines to serve his country in World d War I. He was killed in heroic action along the Western Front on July 18, 1918, and was awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross, the French Coeur de Guerre, and the Belgian War Cross.  Carl, a pilot, was killed  on May 3, 1918.  Mike has donated his time and effort in writing the booklet, and will be signing copies of the booklet during the dinner. The booklet tells the stories of these two warriors and will serve as a donation for the Post. The cost is $10 per booklet.

Tags: carl chapman, Fred Becker, Hodge Trophy, Nile Kinnick, Spencer Lee, Triumph and Tragedy

Iowa Football Legends Speech – September 16

Monday, August 5th, 2019 | Book Signing, Books, Speaking | No Comments

Four State of Iowa football players will be the subject of Mike’s talk at the Cambridge Memorial Library on Monday, September 16, starting at 6:30 p.m., in Cambridge, Iowa. He will discuss his book “Triumph and Tragedy”, which offers the inspiring stories of of Fred Becker, Iowa’s first All-American football star who died in heroic action during World War I; Jack Trice, for whom Iowa State’s stadium is named; Nile Kinnick, Iowa’s Heisman Trophy winning sensation and star of the famed Ironmen team of 1939; and Johnny Bright, the greatest athletic star in Drake University history. The speech is free and open to the public and Mike will have copies of several of his books for sale.

Tags: Fred Becker, Jack Trice, Johnny Bright, Nile Kinnick