Rock Island Independents
Demetrius Clements established a professional football club in Rock Island, Illinois, during 1907. This new team had no ties to any athletic club or social group. There was also no corporate company backing their operations. The lack of external support led the founders to name the squad the "Independents." Walter Flanigan joined the organization as a backup end player in 1912. He later served as assistant manager under Jack Roche for two seasons. Flanigan took ownership of the team in 1915 and began scheduling home games against outside opponents. Two matches against the Minneapolis Marines drew crowds exceeding 6,400 fans at Douglas Park. These contests helped the Independents gain legitimacy within the region. World War I and military drafts temporarily halted plans to expand into new markets.
Representatives from eleven teams gathered on the 17th of September 1920, inside Ralph Hay's Hupmobile dealership in Canton, Ohio. Walter Flanigan attended this historic meeting to represent the Rock Island Independents. The group formed the American Professional Football Association with fourteen total franchises. Jim Thorpe became the first president of this newly created league. Just nine days after the league formed, the Independents hosted an official game on the 26th of September 1920. They defeated the St. Paul Ideals by a score of 48, 0 at Douglas Park. Three thousand one hundred spectators watched Arnie Wyman make his debut for the Islanders. Wyman scored three touchdowns during that contest. This event marked the first National Football League game ever played between member teams.
Jimmy Conzelman served as player-coach for the team during 1921 and 1922. Ed Healey played tackle and guard positions from 1920 through 1922 before joining the Chicago Bears. Duke Slater remained with the squad until 1926 when he retired. Jim Thorpe joined the roster in 1924 and helped the team achieve a five-win season. Joe Guyon played for the club during 1924 before moving on. These athletes would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Flanigan sold Healey's contract to George Halas for $100 in 1922. Thorpe eventually formed a separate team called the Tampa Cardinals after leaving Rock Island. That group played exhibition games throughout Florida including a New Year's Day match against Red Grange's Chicago Bears.
Dale Johnson moved the Independents to the rival American Football League in 1926. This decision made them the only NFL franchise to join a competing organization. The new league featured star Red Grange but paid less than the NFL did. Players left the team seeking higher salaries elsewhere. Johnny Armstrong coached the squad to a two-win, six-loss record that year. They played their first three home games at Browning Field in Moline, Illinois. The rest of the season was spent as a traveling team. The AFL folded immediately after the 1926 campaign ended. The Independents were rejected when they tried to rejoin the original league. They played semi-professional football in 1927 before going out of business entirely.
Douglas Park hosted matches from 1907 until 1925 inside Rock Island, Illinois. The venue sits at the corner of 18th Avenue and 9th Street today. It currently houses baseball fields, soccer pitches, and a playground area. The Quad City 76ers Semi Pro Baseball Club has called this location home since 1986. Annual rivalry games like the Rocktown Showdown still take place there. Browning Field served as the final home for the team during 1926. This stadium is located at 16th Street and 23rd Avenue in neighboring Moline. It now hosts high school sports teams alongside the Wharton Field House. The site remains active with community events and local athletic competitions continuing into the modern era.
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Common questions
Who founded the Rock Island Independents and when was the team established?
Demetrius Clements established a professional football club in Rock Island, Illinois during 1907. The new team had no ties to any athletic club or social group and received no corporate backing.
What role did Walter Flanigan play in the history of the Rock Island Independents?
Walter Flanigan joined the organization as a backup end player in 1912 before taking ownership of the team in 1915. He later served as assistant manager under Jack Roche for two seasons and represented the squad at the league founding meeting on the 17th of September 1920.
When did the Rock Island Independents host the first National Football League game ever played between member teams?
The Rock Island Independents hosted an official game on the 26th of September 1920 against the St. Paul Ideals by a score of 48 to 0. Three thousand one hundred spectators watched Arnie Wyman make his debut for the Islanders during this event which marked the first NFL game between member teams.
Why did the Rock Island Independents join the rival American Football League in 1926?
Dale Johnson moved the Rock Island Independents to the rival American Football League in 1926 making them the only NFL franchise to join a competing organization. The new league featured star Red Grange but paid less than the NFL did leading players to leave the team seeking higher salaries elsewhere.
Where did the Rock Island Independents play their home games from 1907 until 1925?
Douglas Park hosted matches from 1907 until 1925 inside Rock Island, Illinois at the corner of 18th Avenue and 9th Street. The venue currently houses baseball fields, soccer pitches, and a playground area while hosting annual rivalry games like the Rocktown Showdown.