Pranksters Burn Out 'Ike' in Stadium Grass

Football enthusiasts may not notice it today but Ike has been immortalized on the Stadium turf. Late Wednesday night vandals scaled the wire fence surrounding the north end of Soldiers Field and burned the name "IKE" on the grass.

Groundkeepers claim the letters were probably etched out with the use of gasoline. They estimate that the culprits broke into the Stadium around 3 or 4 a.m. Wednesday. But no trace of the etched letters will be visible at today's Davidson contest. Caretakers have already worked over seared patches of grass to obliterate any trace of the damage.

Two weeks ago, before the Colgate game, vandals scaled the north fence of the Stadium and burned a large letter "C" in the grass.