Hawkeye Elvis rocks Iowa games, pays homage to his mother's love for the King

Editor's Note: Gregory Suckow announced on April 1 on X.com that his mother, Margaret, has died. She battled dementia in recent years. She was 79.

The seventh-ranked, undefeated Hawkeye football team took the field at Kinnick Stadium on Halloween in 2009 with an 8-0 record.

Gregory Suckow was one of 70,585 in the stands, a season ticket holder for the last six seasons.

Some of the capacity crowd were dressed to support their beloved Hawkeyes. Dotting the stands were a Hawkeye Darth Vader, a Hawkeye Captain America and many other festive Iowa costumes.

The collective creativity and the passion for University of Iowa athletics inspired Suckow.

“It was really cool,” Suckow said. “So I went back to my mom's house and said, ‘Could you make me a black and gold Elvis jumpsuit that I can wear to the Halloween game next year?’”

A star was born on Oct. 30, 2010, when Suckow dressed up and transformed into Hawkeye Elvis for the first time.

He then donned the outfit at a random men’s basketball game and did it again a bit later. Suckow remembers wearing the Elvis costume to one or two football games and a few other basketball games.

Though he thought of it simply as a novelty, fans began clamoring for Hawkeye Elvis to make more appearances.

“When I wouldn't wear it, the people who sat around me would say, ‘Hey, how come Elvis isn’t here? We gotta have Elvis to win the game!’” Suckow said.

More: Meet the nominees for the Press-Citizen's Student of the Week poll

Suckow and his mother love Elvis

As a kid, Suckow often sat in his grandma’s basement, tossing his mom’s Elvis records on an old record player. He quickly fell in love with the King of Rock and Roll.

Suckow has shared a love for Elvis with his mother, Margaret for many years. She also spent her childhood listening to the legend.

The duo are also passionate University of Iowa fans, though Gregory Suckow was initially torn between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Hawkeyes as a kid.

A historic coaching staff and a distinct logo eventually won the young Gregory over. He became a Hawkeye fan.

“Lute Olsen was the basketball coach and Hayden Fry was the football coach (at Iowa),” Suckow said. “Those were two pretty powerful things for a kid who was interested in sports, and I loved the Tigerhawk.”

More: Iowa dog breeder blames ‘brainless’ women for criminal charges

Hawkeye Elvis' breakout

Hawkeye Elvis hit the big stage in 2014.

Gregory Suckow traveled to Chapel Hill with some of his friends on Dec. 3 to watch the Iowa men's basketball team take on 12th-ranked North Carolina.

Hawkeye Elvis was one of a few Iowa fans in the building on a Wednesday night.

With the game tied with 1:16 to go, junior guard Mike Gesell drove right baseline to the rim, flipping in a go-ahead layup. He drew a foul and landed at Suckow’s feet.

Hawkeye Elvis and his two friends were elated.

So was Gesell, whose celebration drew the cameras' attention.

Right behind Gesell and two of his teammates was Gregory Suckow, decked out in his Hawkeye Elvis gear, highlighted by a black and gold jacket and a jet-black wig. He's pictured pointing and shouting excitedly toward Gesell, his right ring finger bedazzled by a Tigerhawk ring.

“(Gesell) jumps up and he's celebrating with Adam Woodbury and Jerrod Uthoff and I'm standing right there with him,” Suckow said.

The iconic picture was featured on the front of the Press-Citizen’s sports section the next morning, while Hawkeye Elvis was prominently displayed in one of CBS Sports’ photos of the week.

Suckow’s persona was officially exposed to the sports community.

“My profile just sort of grew from there,” he said.

More: Hakes: Six short ‘Irish connection’ stories from blarney-loving Iowans

Being Hawkeye Elvis

Gregory Suckow realizes his costume isn't unique, yet knows he's easily recognizable. Dressing up as Elvis, no matter the situation comes with a high profile.

“In American popular culture and music, there are a few names and few artists who can just stand alone,” Suckow said. “But literally, everybody has heard of Elvis, whether it's in this country or around the world, you've heard of Elvis. Even if you don't like his music or his movies or any of that stuff, you know Elvis when you see him and so it's like it's just an instantly recognizable icon.”

Suckow spent nearly 25 years living in Minnesota, making the trek down to Iowa City for most football Saturdays and many weekend basketball games. He joked that he knew the roads from Minneapolis to Iowa City like the back of his hand.

Suckow has long been a real estate lawyer. He moved to California in August 2023, about 30 minutes from San Francisco.

His two kids, now college-age, were out of the house, and he wanted to take on a new opportunity, though the move created a few challenges for Gregory Suckow and Hawkeye Elvis.

More: Iowa basketball's Owen Freeman named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year

His mother's #1 fan

Gregory Suckow may have chosen the Hawkeyes several decades ago, but he remains his mom’s biggest fan.

He's still captivated by her charisma and sewing talents.

“If Mom hadn't worked for the Department of Transportation for 20-plus years, she could have easily gone to Hollywood, worked in a costume department at any studio because she's an amazing seamstress,” Suckow said, levying high praise for his mother’s work over the years.

Margeret Suckow has helped create several renditions of the Hawkeye Elvis costume over the years. Now age 79, she continues to battle Alzheimer’s disease and lives in a memory care facility in Iowa.

Documentarian and University of Iowa alum Skyler Knutsen’s short documentary highlighted Suckow’s relationship with his mother and the value of the Hawkeye Elvis persona as she began battling dementia.

“Skyler was able to capture so many moments of me and my mom just being together — you know, I don't know how to say this — but while she was still her, before the Alzheimer's and dementia really diminished who she was,” Gregory Suckow said. “(That) is why that disease is so awful.”

Nearly 4,000 people have viewed the documentary. Gregory Suckow was shocked by the outpouring of support he received in person and through emails, many who related to the Suckow family's fight.

More: Leistikow: How Iowa women's basketball won an all-time Big Ten Tournament championship

Using his gravity for good

Gregory Suckow is a staple in the Hawkeye community for more than his outward persona.

He's appeared as Hawkeye Elvis in podcasts and TV interviews and was seen at the Special Olympics Spring Classic March 9-10 in Coralville.

One of Gregory Suckow's most high-profile displays of generosity was when Iowa men’s basketball faced off against the Auburn Tigers in last year's 2023 NCAA tournament.

Hawkeye Elvis and Auburn's Elvis came face-to-face.

The pair bet that the losing team’s Elvis would donate to the other school’s children’s hospital, and each helped raise money for both.

The Hawkeyes lost 83-75.

Hawkeye Elvis has even appeared at classic car shows, including one a few years ago in Adair, Iowa. Gregory Suckow refused payment, but after event organizers insisted, he struck a deal. Hawkeye Elvis would attend as long as his payment was donated to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

“I'm glad that I've been able to sort of use Hawkeye Elvis to highlight some great causes and some great people,” Gregory Suckow said.

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Meet Gregory Suckow: The man behind Hawkeye Elvis at Iowa games