Well now, let me tell ya, folks, there’s somethin’ mighty special about them Iowa Hawkeyes, and I ain’t talkin’ ’bout just the folks who live there, neither. No, I’m talkin’ ’bout that mighty fine bird they got all over the place – the Tiger Hawk. You can see that fella on the football field, on them t-shirts, and even on the back of cars all over the country. I reckon it’s part of the whole Iowa way of life now, and it’s been around for a long while. But how did all this come about? Let me tell ya what I know, though it ain’t a hundred percent clear, I’ll tell ya that.
Now, if you ask around, you might hear that the nickname “Hawkeye” got its start way back in 1859, when folks started callin’ them Iowans “Hawkeyes.” Some say it was a fella named Judge David Rorer from Burlington who came up with the idea, all based on a character from that book “The Last of the Mohicans.” Can you believe that? A book! But then, there’s others who say it was another fella by the name of James G. Edwards, from Fort Madison, who helped make it stick. Anyways, ever since then, they been known as the Hawkeyes, and that name ain’t goin’ nowhere anytime soon.
Now, if you’ve ever been to a University of Iowa football game, you might’ve seen some pretty wild folks in the crowd. But there’s one fella I gotta tell ya about – Greg Suckow. This here fella, he don’t just go watchin’ the game like most people. No, sir, he gets all dressed up like Elvis Presley himself, singin’ them old tunes and all. And you know what’s real special about it? It ain’t just about the game for him. Turns out, his relationship with his mama, who’s got dementia, is part of what makes his Elvis act so dang important. Ain’t that somethin’?
Now, about that Tiger Hawk logo. If you don’t know it, it’s a mighty fine-lookin’ symbol that you’ll find just about everywhere in Iowa. Back in 1979, the Iowa Hawkeyes gave their blessing to use them Steelers uniform designs, and since then, the Tiger Hawk just seems to show up more and more. It’s on hats, t-shirts, flags – you name it. And that ain’t all, folks. The mascot for the University of Iowa is none other than Herky the Hawk! He first made his appearance in 1948, all drawn up as a cartoon, and by 1959, he was out there on the field with the rest of ’em. Ain’t that a sight to see!
That Herky, he’s been a big ol’ part of the Iowa landscape for many years now. I reckon you can find him in all sorts of places around the state, from car bumpers to garages and everything in between. Folks love ‘im, and I can see why. Herky’s got that spirit, that energy, that lets you know that if you’re rootin’ for the Hawkeyes, you ain’t just rootin’ for a football team – you’re rootin’ for a whole way of life. It’s like a part of the air you breathe once you get to Iowa.
Now, you might be wonderin’ where all this Tiger Hawk business fits into the whole Iowa spirit. Well, it’s simple, really. The Tiger Hawk ain’t just a bird or a logo – it’s a symbol of the heart and soul of Iowa. You see, folks in Iowa take pride in their football team, and they take pride in that ol’ Tiger Hawk, too. It’s part of the pride of being from that state, whether you’re watchin’ the game from the stands or just walkin’ down the street seein’ that logo on a bumper sticker. It’s a way of sayin’, “Iowa’s my home, and I’m proud of it.”
And when you get down to it, that’s what the whole Hawkeye spirit’s about. It ain’t just about football or fancy uniforms or even logos. It’s about community, pride, and a whole lot of folks workin’ together to build something bigger than themselves. So, the next time you see that Tiger Hawk on a hat or a t-shirt, remember – it ain’t just a mascot. It’s a symbol of what it means to be from Iowa, and what it means to be part of somethin’ bigger than yourself. And believe me, that’s somethin’ special.
Tags: Iowa Hawkeyes, Tiger Hawk, University of Iowa, Herky the Hawk, Iowa Football, Hawkeye Mascot, Iowa Pride
