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1919 Rock Island Independents season

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1919 Rock Island Independents season
General managerWalter Flanigan
Head coachRube Ursella
Home fieldDouglas Park
Results
Record9–1–1

The 1919 Rock Island Independents season was the last time that the team played independently, before joining the early National Football League the following year. Playing all of their games at home in front of a friendly crowd, the team only allowed their opponents to score in two of their eleven games and posted a 9–1–1 record, proclaiming themselves "Champions of the USA".

Background

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An offer rejected

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Douglas Park, home of the Independents, circa 1920. Football yard lines can be seen carved in the infield grass, showing field orientation.

The Independents traditionally made use of a 60-40 split of gate proceeds with visitors, but sought to hustle the neighboring Moline Fans' Association club with a winner-takes-all offer made ahead of the season.[1] Moline declined the kind inquiry and eventually met Rock Island on November 9, losing 20–9 but getting paid for their efforts.[1]

Nothing like a uneven matchup

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Coach Ursella of the Independents announced the closing of practice on September 16, seemingly gearing up secret plans to use in the warm-up opener scheduled a fortnight hence against the Rockford Amateur Athletic Club.[2] The Independents managed to eke out a 20-0 shutout over their token opposition.[2]

Fair weather fans?

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As the wins began to accumulate and the weather started to turn cold, the Rock Island Argus began to actively promote the Independents to their readers. Following a 40–0 shellacking of the Columbus Panhandles, the paper ran a five-inch article headed "Fans Just Don't Appreciate Team," upbraiding locals for failing to support "the best football in the country at the lowest prices."[3] Declaring — falsely — that teams in the East averaged a turnout of 9,000 at twice the ticket price, the Argus editorialist declared "Wake up fans! Give the team its due. Akron is coming...and must be assured a huge amount for its appearance so far from home. If you want Canton after that, you will show it on Sunday."[3]

Akron came, all right, but so did frigid temperatures, and only 1,700 fans could be persuaded to sit in the cold watching their Green-and-Whites shut out the Indians, 17–0.[4]

The "World Championship" game

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Halfback Jim Thorpe, one of the most famous athletes of his era, in the uniform of the Canton Bulldogs.

This apparent financial disaster did not immediately bring and end to the 1919 season, however, as after the game Independents manager Walter Flanigan boldly announced receipt of a telegram from his counterpart in Canton, Ralph Hay: "No game scheduled for Sunday. Will come to Rock Island."[5]

A $5,000 guarantee was necessary, and 5,000 tickets were immediately put up for sale with a $2 face value for this final game of the season, touted as the "championship of the world."[5]

The ticket sale started strong, with local merchants buying tickets en bloc and individual orders flooding in.[6] After just one day, Canton's $5,000 guarantee was already covered, the Argus stated, and "the management anticipates little trouble in getting rid of the other 2,500."[6]

The newspaper pushed its readers hard: "It isn't every day, every year, or every decade that Middle-Western people get a chance to see a game such as is coming Sunday, a contest between the biggest professional teams in the country for head place of the nation — which is the same thing as championship of the world."[6]

The dream of an epic finale came to an end on Wednesday, December 3, however, when Canton manager Hay announced that despite Rock Island's agreement to meet the guarantee, the Bulldog team had been disbanded and it would therefore be impossible to meet in Rock Island.[7] Rock Island responded to the news with taunting telegrams to Hay and Canton star Jim Thorpe, emphasizing the $5,000 guarantee would represent "the largest your team has ever received before" and that "if you don't accept, Rock Island fans will say you are quitters."[7]

Hay and Thorpe dodged long distance phone calls made to beg reconsideration.[7] Despite a last-second effort to sweeten the pot by upping Canton's guarantee to $7,000, the Canton disbandment was irreversible.[8] The game was officially canceled on Thursday, and all ticket-holders were refunded.[8]

In a rush Rock Island's Walter Flanigan attempted to fill the date with a game against an all-star team from Hammond, Indiana.[9] This was cancelled almost immediately when a snow storm hit the area, rendering the field unplayable.[9] The season was officially ended.

End-of-season summary

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The Islanders finished their 1919 season with a record of 9 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie. Playing every game in the friendly confines of Douglas Park, Rock Island outscored their opponents 251 to 21 for the year, holding the visitors scoreless nine times.

The team held its annual end-of-season business meeting the evening of December 12, 1919, at Harper House, with boosters encouraged to attend to help with planning for the 1920 season.[10]

The Independents were organized cooperatively rather than on a conventional employer–employee basis, with net proceeds for the season pooled and split by the team's players. A total of $8,100 was divided, including slightly more than $1,000 contributed by free-will donations of local fans and community businesses, with a payout of $455 per player for the 11-game season indicated.[11]

The decision was made to increase ticket prices next year, with a face value of $1.50 anticipated for the 1920 season.[11]

Schedule

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Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Sources
1 September 28 Rockford A.A.C. W 20–0 1–0 Douglas Park 2,000 [12]
2 October 5 Chicago Cornell-Hamburgs T 0–0 1–0–1 Douglas Park ~2,500 [13]
— October 12 St. Paul Seaton A.C. canceled
3 October 12 Hammond All-Stars L 7–12 1–1–1 Douglas Park 5,000+ [14][15]
4 October 19 Davenport A.C. W 33–0 2–1–1 Douglas Park 6,000 [16]
5 October 26 Cincinnati Celts W 33–0 3–1–1 Douglas Park 3,000 [17]
6 November 2 Pine Village, Indiana T 0–0 3–1–2 Douglas Park 4,000+ [18]
7 November 9 Moline Fans Association W 20–9 4–1–2 Douglas Park < 2,000 [19]
— November 11 Detroit Heralds canceled by Rock Island[20] [21]
— November 16 St. Louis Parks canceled
8 November 16 Hammond A.A. Clabbys W 55–0 5–1–2 Douglas Park 2,000 [22][23]
9 November 23 Columbus Panhandles W 40–0 6–1–2 Douglas Park < 4,500 [24][25]
10 November 27 Davenport A.C. W 26–0 7–1–2 Douglas Park 1,500 [26][27]
11 November 30 Akron Indians W 17–0 8–1–2 Douglas Park 1,700 [4]
— December 7 Canton Bulldogs canceled by Canton [5][7]
— December 7 Hammond All-Stars canceled due to snow [9]
Note: Armistice Day: November 11. Thanksgiving Day: November 27.

Roster

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Team photo of the 1919 Rock Island Independents

The following players saw action in at least one game for the 1919 Rock Island Independents.[28] The number of 1919 game appearances by each follows in parentheses.

Rube Ursella in the uniform of the Green-and-Whites.

Linemen


Backs

References

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  1. ^ a b "Moline Refuses to Play Under Any Other Than a 60–40 Split Gatee Receipts, Flanigan Told," Rock Island Argus, Sept. 15, 1919, p. 12.
  2. ^ a b "Secret Practice is Ordered for Independents: Crowd Handicaps Efforts of Players While at Drill and Coach Ursella Issues Edict," Rock Island Argus, Sept. 16, 1919, p. 10.
  3. ^ a b "Fans Just Don't Appreciate Team," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 24, 1919, p. 12.
  4. ^ a b "Akron Fails to Score or Make More Than One First Down While Islanders Pile Up 17: Anticipated Brilliance of Ohioans Doesn't Show Up in Sunday's Icy Battle," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 1, 1919, p. 12.
  5. ^ a b c "Canton Bulldogs Coming to Play Rock Island," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 1, 1919, p. 12.
  6. ^ a b c "First Day of Drive Nets $5,000: Fans of Rock Island Giving World Championship Contest Best of Financial Support," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 2, 1919, p. 12.
  7. ^ a b c d "Will Thorpe Give Up Title Without Struggle? Canton Calls Off Game After Learning of Defeat Islanders Handed Off to Akron Team," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 3, 1919, p. 16.
  8. ^ a b "Canton Develops Cold Feet; No Chance for Game: Though Offered $7,000 They Absolutely Refuse to Come to Rock Island for Combat," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 5, 1919, p. 24.
  9. ^ a b c "Quietus Put On Football Game by Snow Storm: Things Were Fixed Up for Hammond to Come Here Tomorrow, But Plan is Abandoned," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 6, 1919, p. 12.
  10. ^ "Business Meet of Independents to Take Place," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 12, 1919, p. 26.
  11. ^ a b "Independents End Up Season with Pep-filled Conclave; Split $8,110 Among Players," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 13, 1919, p. 26.
  12. ^ "Independents Win Opening Game by Score 20–0: Crowd of Two Thousand Fans Sees Rockford AAC Put Up Stiff Argument With Locals," Rock Island Argus, Sept. 29, 1919, p. 12.
  13. ^ "Independents Tear Up Hamburgs for 21–0 Count: Tom Henry is Individual Star of Game," Rock Island Argus, Aug. 6, 1919, p. 14.
  14. ^ "Hammond Defeats Rock Island After Being Outplayed in the First Half; Ghee and King Star," Davenport Daily Times, Oct. 13, 1919, p. 13.
  15. ^ "Independents Fall Before Hammonds, 12 to 7: Islanders' Defense Crumbles in Final Half and Hammond's Wonderful Offense Triumphs," Rock Island Argus, Oct. 13, 1919, p. 14.
  16. ^ "Independents Better Davenport to Tune of 33–0: Crowd of 6,000 Sees Ancient Enemies of Rock Island Fall Before Its Powerful Attack," Rock Island Argus, Oct. 20, 1919, p. 12.
  17. ^ "Independents Smother Celts by Score 33 to 0: Cincy Team is Outclassed by Islanders' Great Machine in All Departments of Game," Rock Island Argus, Oct. 27, 1919, p. 14.
  18. ^ "Pine Village Holds Islanders to Scoreless Tie: Independents Lack Punch to Score After Tearing Through Visitors' Line for Big Gains," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 2, 1919, p. 14.
  19. ^ "Islanders Wallow in Mud to Crush Moline 57–0: Small Crowd of Fans Treated to Most Spectacular Contest at Douglas Park This Season," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 10, 1919, p. 12.
  20. ^ Club was unclear whether Armistice Day would be declared a holiday and canceled to be safe.
  21. ^ "Flanigan is Dickering for Heralds Team: Fast Detroit Eleven May Be Brought to Rock Island for Game on Sunday, November 16," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 5, 1919, p. 14.
  22. ^ "Islanders in Easy Contest with Hammond: Visitors Come here Sailing Under False Colors and Turn Out to Be Second-Raters," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 17, 1919, p. 12.
  23. ^ Pete Benson, "Islanders Swamp Clabbys: Rock Island Swamps Hammond-Clabbys Under 55-0 Count; Visitors Sadly Outweighed," Davenport Daily Times, Nov. 17, 1919, p. 14.
  24. ^ "Panhandles Are Very Much Manhandled, 40–0: Islanders' Speed and Team Play Proves Too Much for Highly Touted Ohio Outfit," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 24, 1919, p. 12.
  25. ^ Frank Weir, "Columbus Panhandles Disappoint Fans With Poor Showing: Independents Have Easy Time With Touted Panhandles; Gains Made at Will by R.I. Backs," Davenport Daily Times, Nov. 24, 1919, p. 17.
  26. ^ Pete Benson, "Rock Island Defeats D.A.C. After Being Held to Even Terms During First Half," Davenport Daily Times, Nov. 28, 1919, p. 25.
  27. ^ "Independents Beat Davenport by 26 to 0 Score: Dark Horse Aggregation Goes Down to Defeat in Battle on Douglas Field, Thanksgiving," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 28, 1919, p. 26.
  28. ^ "1919 Rock Island Independents," Pro Football Archives, www.profootballarchives.com

Further reading

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