Project Editor: Jeffrey Miller, History 470: Digital History, Spring 2008

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Steve Hokuf Sacrificed-But Why

After listening to public opinion and reading many columns on the subject, one thing, to our mind, is proven—Steve Hokuf is the victim of circumstances of which he had no knowledge or control.

Sports writers, who are on the inside of all things athletic at the state university, are unanimous in their defense of Holly, who is innocent of wrongdoing, insofar as the charge causing his suspension is concerned, as is the bystander who receives a bullet or brickbat during a riot.

Steve Hokuf was not in Lincoln when a raid was made on the apartment house where he happened to have rooms. Five students were caught in the meshes of the law. Two were convicted on a liquor charge and fined, and all drew suspensions from the university.

Steve Hokuf was not accused by the Lincoln police; they had no charge to make against him. There appears but one reason for involving Steve in the mess—he is prominent, and popular, and justly so, being a "good and earnest student," as well as an artist in athletics.

Fred Ware says in his World-Herald Sportolog:

"Hokuf wasn't a darling of the campus, a prominent, gaudy sports hero, trying to get away with something.

"He is not that sort. He hasn't attempted to present himself as one who enjoys special privileges because of his prowess.

"Every time I have seen him, and I have seen him often, he has been a gentleman.

"There have been bright young men on the campus who paraded their rowdyism and got away with it for quite a spell. Hokuf isn't a rowdy.

"But then, the legislature wasn't in session when those bright young men were cutting up."

John Bentley, State Journal:

"A good man may be down but he's never out!"

"Paraphrasing the Salvation Army's belief slightly, we find Steve Hokuf, a youngster who has won a place in the hearts of Nebraska sports followers. At the moment, he stands suspended from Nebraska university because the apartment in which he lives was raided. He wasn't there at the time but he maintained his residence there. In other words, at the moment, he's down.

"But he's not going to stay down.

"Steve is coming back next fall and altho he won't be eligible for participation in athletics until the following year, he's going to stick.

"One of the greatest all around athletic performers in the history of the school, Hokuf is going to stick. Some way, from a fellow like Steve, modest as they make 'em, you'd expect exactly that sort of thing."

Other writers have been just as free in their expression of faith in the Crete man. The daily papers have been full of the episode the past ten days. No word of criticism has so far been made of Hokuf in connection with the liquor raid, or his past deportment on or off the university campus.

Crete, where Hokuf was born and raised, is 100 per cent for him. His friends here feel that for some unknown reason he has been framed. Steve has been temporarily banned from university activities, but he has lost nothing of the esteem of home folks because of an unjust punishment.

Steve has steady employment to carry him through his enforced absence from his studies. A line on his attitude is expressed when he says:

"Naturally, I'm not cheering over my position but I'm going to make the best of it. I don't think I've reached my prime in basketball and with next year to learn how to play in the backfield of the football team, there's plenty of work ahead for me."