MOMENT OF IMPACT

On a football Saturday in October 1951, Don T. Ultang and John Robinson's photographs became about more than a simple game.

Johnny Bright was a black gridiron star for the Drake University Bulldogs. A mid-season match-up of Bright's team and the Oklahoma A&M Aggies drew tremendous attention, including coverage by two men from the Des Moines Register & Tribune, Don T. Ultang and John Robinson.

The Aggies, an all-white squad, were out to stop Johnny Bright - but how far would they go, and why? Bright's teammate, Gene Macomber, heard the rumors about the Aggies' desire to sideline Bright because of his skin color. Ray Eiland, a Drake track star and close friend of Bright's, warned him of unrest in Stillwater where the game would be played.

As Drake stalked to an early lead, Ultang and Robinson captured the images of the game from their vantage point high-atop the stands. Their equipment allowed for both wide-angle single photographs and sequential frames of entire plays. Although teammates, coaches and referees saw nothing, Bright was repeatedly knocked down illegally during the game.

Ultimately, Bright would be carried off the field for good. His jaw was broken. By this time, Ultang and Robinson were aboard their single engine aircraft heading back to Des Moines to file their photos for the early edition.

Back in Des Moines, Ultang and Robinson developed their film, not realizing what they had documented. Soon it would be evident for all to see. The series of images from an early play showed Bright taking a malicious forearm from Smith, but well-after the ball had been handed off to another player.

The images run across pages of the Des Moines Register & Tribune the following day, as well as in publications as far-reaching as Life magazine. Bright's college football career came to an end because of the injury. Drake University withdrew from their conference and severed all future ties with Oklahoma A&M. As a result of the incident, the NCAA changed its rules mandating facemasks and mouth guards for all players, as well as making such illegal hits grounds for suspensions.

Don T. Ultang knew he wanted to be a photographer at an early age. While testing the waters as a Journalism major at the University of Iowa, Ultang opted to pursue photography full-time. His work would be placed in local Iowa newspapers throughout his college years. Following a few years freelancing and work at a photo shop, Ultang took a staff photographer position with The Des Moines Register in 1940 where he worked through 1958. During his tenure there, Ultang spent time as an aerial photojournalist, which would lead to his induction in the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame.

He worked in the insurance business until his retirement in 1979. Ultang remains active in the field of photography with his work appearing in Gateway and New Mexico magazines. He has also taught photography at Drake University.

Ultang is humble in recalling his Pulitzer-winning work with John Robinson, who died in 1985. "Winning the Pulitzer was wonderful, but I'd say that we were just in the right place at the right time."