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1920 Rock Island Independents season

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1920 Rock Island Independents season
General managerWalter Flanigan
Head coachRube Ursella
Home fieldDouglas Park
Results
Record6–2–2
League placeT-4th in APFA
All-Pros
7

The 1920 Rock Island Independents season was the American football franchise's thirteenth season and inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (APFA). The Independents hosted first ever APFA/National Football League contest on September 26, 1920. After the AFPA had been formed on September 17, 1920, Douglas Park was the venue as the Independents hosted the St. Paul Ideals, winning 48-0 in the new league's first contest.[1][2]

The Independents entered the season coming off a nine-win, one-loss, one-tie (9–1–1) record in 1919 as an independent team, which the team proclaimed to be the "Champions of the USA". After the 1919 season, several representatives from the Ohio League, another American football league, wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created.

A majority of the team stayed from the 1919 team, including the coaching staff, but Keith Dooley was added to the roster. The Independents opened the season with a win against the St. Paul Ideals, a non-APFA team. This was the first game in the history of the APFA. The team played all but one game at their home field, Douglas Park, and ended the season with a 6–2–2 record, which placed the team tied-for-fourth in the league standings.

The sportswriter Bruce Copeland compiled the All-Pro list for the 1920 season. Fred Denfield, Dewey Lyle, and Ed Novak made the first-team; Obe Wenig and Ed Shaw made the second-team; and Walt Buland and Freeman Fitzgerald made the third-team. Of all the players on the roster, only Ed Healey has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Background

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Douglas Park, home of the Independents, circa 1920

The Rock Island Independents finished 9–1–1 in their 1919 season, claiming the National Championship.[3][4] For the 1920 season, the Independents added multiple players to its roster: Keith Dooley, who previously played from 1912 to 1916; Fred Denfield, Mark Devlin, and Harry Gunderson, who previously played in 1917; Ed Healey, Polly Koch, George Magerkurth, Ed Shaw, Ben Synhorst, Harry Webber, Obe Wenig, and Arnie Wyman. The team lost Wes Bradshaw, Leland Dempsey, Al Jorgenson, Loyal Robb, Fats Smith, Red Swanson, and co-coach John Roche.[5][6][7]

After the 1919 season, representatives of the Canton Bulldogs, the Cleveland Tigers, the Dayton Triangles, and the Akron Pros met on August 20, 1920, to discuss the formation of a new league. At the meeting, they tentatively agreed on a salary cap and pledged not to sign college players or players already under contract with other teams. They also agreed on a name for the circuit: the American Professional Football Conference.[8][9] They then invited other professional teams to a second meeting on September 17.

At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Racine Cardinals, the Massillon Tigers, the Chicago Cardinals, and the Hammond Pros agreed to join the league. Representatives of the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons could not attend the meeting, but sent letters to Hay asking to be included in the league.[10] Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Jim Thorpe as president.[10][11][12] Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed, so there were no minimum or maximum number of games needed to be played.[13][14] Also, representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.[15]

Schedule

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Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources
1 September 26 vs. St. Paul Ideals W 48–0 1–0 Douglas Park 800 Recap
2 October 3 vs. Muncie Flyers W 45–0 2–0 Douglas Park 3,110 Recap [16]
3 October 10 vs. Hammond Pros W 26–0 3–0 Douglas Park 2,554 Recap
4 October 17 vs. Decatur Staleys L 0–7 3–1 Douglas Park 7,000 Recap
5 October 24 vs. Chicago Cardinals W 7–0 4–1 Douglas Park 4,000 Recap [17]
6 October 31 vs. Chicago Tigers W 20–7 5–1 Douglas Park Recap
7 November 7 vs. Decatur Staleys T 0–0 5–1–1 Douglas Park 7,000+ Recap [18][19]
8 November 11 at Chicago Thorn-Tornadoes T 7–7 5–1–2 Monmouth Athletic Park Recap
9 November 14 vs. Dayton Triangles L 0–21 5–2–2 Douglas Park Recap
— November 21 vs. Canton Bulldogs canceled[20] [21]
10 November 28 vs. Washington & Jefferson All-Stars W 48–7 6–2–2 Douglas Park 2,500 Recap [22]
Note: Non-APFA teams in italics.

Standings

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Walter Flanigan, manager of the 1920 Rock Island Independents
1920 APFA standings[23]
W L T PCT DIV DPCT PF PA STK
Akron Pros† 8 0 3 1.000 6–0–3 1.000 151 7 T2
Decatur Staleys 10 1 2 .909 5–1–2 .833 164 21 T1
Buffalo All-Americans 9 1 1 .900 4–1–1 .800 258 32 T1
Chicago Cardinals 6 2 2 .750 3–2–2 .600 101 29 T1
Rock Island Independents 6 2 2 .750 4–2–1 .667 201 49 W1
Dayton Triangles 5 2 2 .714 4–2–2 .667 150 54 L1
Rochester Jeffersons 6 3 2 .667 0–1–0 .000 156 57 T1
Canton Bulldogs 7 4 2 .636 4–3–1 .571 208 57 W1
Detroit Heralds 2 3 3 .400 1–3–0 .250 53 82 T2
Cleveland Tigers 2 4 2 .333 1–4–2 .200 28 46 L1
Chicago Tigers 2 5 1 .286 1–5–1 .167 49 63 W1
Hammond Pros 2 5 0 .286 0–3–0 .000 41 154 L3
Columbus Panhandles 2 6 2 .250 0–4–0 .000 41 121 W1
Muncie Flyers 0 1 0 .000 0–1–0 .000 0 45 L1

 †  Awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup and named APFA Champions.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Game summaries

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Game 1: vs. St. Paul Ideals

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1 2 3 4 Total
Ideals 0 0 0 0 0
Independents 14 14 14 6 48

September 26, 1920, at Douglas Park, Rock Island, Illinois

To start its 1920 season, the Independents played the first game in the history of the league against the non-APFA St. Paul Ideas.[citation needed] This was the Ideals' second game of the season, coming off a 14–7 victory the week prior.[24] Coach Flanigan had Fred Chicken, Bobby Marshall, and Freeman Fitzgerald—the 1919 Independents' main stars—in reserve in case he needed to play them.[25] The Independents shutout the Ideals, winning 48–0.[26] Every touchdown by the Independents were rushing. In the first quarter, Ed Novak and Chicken both scored; Novak and Jerry Mansfield scored in the second quarter.[citation needed] The Independents scored 14 points in the third quarter with touchdowns from Ray Kuehl and Mansfield.[citation needed] In the final quarter, Kuehl scored the Independents' last points of the game.[25]

Game 2: vs. Muncie Flyers

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1 2 3 4 Total
Flyers 0 0 0 0 0
Independents 21 10 7 7 45

October 3, 1920, at Douglas Park

Next up, the Green and White faced the Muncie Flyers — reckoned to be one of the first games featuring two APFA teams.[27] As the Columbus Panhandles played against the Dayton Triangles on the same day it is unknown which of the two games started first. In the first quarter, the Independents scored three touchdowns: two from Arnold Wyman and one from Rube Ursella. In the second quarter, Ursella scored kicked a 25 yard field goal, and Wyman scored from an 86 yard kickoff return. In the third quarter, Sid Nichols had a 5 yard rushing touchdown, and Waddy Kuehl scored a 7 yard rushing touchdown. The final score of the game was 45–0.[28] This game was the only one that counted towards the Flyers' standing for the entire 1920 season.

Game 3: vs. Hammond Pros

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1 2 3 4 Total
Pros 0 0 0 0 0
Independents 0 13 0 13 26

October 10, 1920, at Douglas Park

This was the Pros' first game of the 1920 season. There were no scores by either team in the first or third quarters, but the Independents scored 13 points in the second and fourth.[29] Back Fred Chicken scored a 1 yard rushing touchdown; back Ray Kuehl scored two touchdowns: a 5 yard rushing touchdown and a 35 yard receiving touchdown from back Pudge Wyman; and back Gerald Mansfield caught a 20 yard receiving touchdown from Wyman.[citation needed] Hammond started to purposely injure their opponents during the game. As a result, Rube Ursella suffered a twisted knee. Duey Lyle was kicked in the face and required seven stitches. Lastly, Ed Healey was kicked in the face and needed five stitches in the cheek.[29]

Game 4: vs. Decatur Staleys

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1 2 3 4 Total
Staleys 0 7 0 0 7
Independents 0 0 0 0 0

October 17, 1920, at Douglas Park

In week 4, the Independents played the Decatur Staleys. After two games against non-APFA teams, the Staleys played against an APFA team. Late in the first quarter, the Independents' Freeman Fitzgerald forced a fumble on Jimmy Conzelman; Fitzgerald retrieved it at the 49 yard line. The Independents drove the ball down the field, and the Staleys' players were tired. As a result, they called a timeout. With possession on 23, Arnie Wyman rushed for 10 yards, and the Independents were in the Red zone. The first quarter ended there. Wyman took the next snap and fumbled as he was tackled. George Trafton recovered the ball at the 8 yard mark. Later in the quarter, Conzelman scored the only touchdown in the game.[30]

In the third quarter, Fred Chicken intercepted a Staley pass on the Independents' 28. Early in the fourth quarter, the Staleys drove to the Independents' 14, where they lined up for a field goal. Wyman blocked the kick, however. The Independents next possession resulted in a punt, and the Staleys started the possession at their own 7 yard line. On this possession, Kuehl intercepted a pass. The Independents attempted a Hail Mary pass late in the game, but it was unsuccessful. The game ended a few minutes later with the Staleys with possession.[30]

Game 5: vs. Chicago Cardinals

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 0 0 0 0 0
Independents 0 7 0 0 7

October 24, 1920, at Douglas Park

Coming off their first loss of the season, the Independents played against the Chicago Cardinals in week 5, with 4,000 spectators in attendance.[citation needed] The Independents out-gained the Cardinals in yards; the Independents had 263 total yards while the opponent had 153.[31] The only score was in the second quarter when Wyman caught a 6 yard receiving touchdown from Nichols, making the final score 7–0.[citation needed] This was the first loss of the season for the Cardinals.[32]

Game 6: vs. Chicago Tigers

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Tigers 0 7 0 0 7
Independents 6 0 7 7 20

October 31, 1920, at Douglas Park

In week six, the Independents played the Chicago Tigers. The Independents out-gained the Tigers in first downs, 14 to 3.[33] The first score of the game was a 6 yard rushing touchdown by Chicken; however, the extra point was missed, so the score was only 6–0.[citation needed] The Tigers took the lead in the second quarter after Dunc Annan had a 2 yard rushing touchdown.[citation needed] Chicken ended up having two rushing touchdowns, and Wyman had another rushing touchdown, as the Independents beat the Tigers 20–7.[33]

Game 7: vs. Decatur Staleys

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Staleys 0 0 0 0 0
Independents 0 0 0 0 0

November 7, 1920, at Douglas Park

On a five-game winning streak, the Staleys played against the Independents again. The game ended in a 0–0 tie. Several injuries occurred throughout the game for the Independents. Sid Nichols, Fred Chicken, and Oak Smith injured their knees on different plays. Harry Gunderson was hit late by George Traften and the former had to get thirteen stitches on his face, and his hand was broken.[34]

Game 8: at Chicago Thorn-Tornadoes

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Independents 0 0 0 7 7
Thorn-Tornadoes 0 0 0 7 7

November 11, 1920, at Monmouth College Athletic Park

In the Independents' first road game of the season, they traveled to Monmouth, Illinois, to play the Chicago Thorns-Tornadoes. The Thorns' players decided to have 10-minute quarters. The game was a tie for the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, however, Kuehl muffed a punt while standing at his own 20. Mooney of the Thorn-Tornadoes picked up the football and ran it back for a touchdown with only 3 minutes left in the game. At this time, Ursella was substituted for Kuehl. After a kickoff return to the 44 yard mark, the Independents used Novak, Mansfield, and Jordan to help score before time expired. Ursella kicked the game-tying extra point to end the game a 7–7 tie.[35]

Game 9: vs. Dayton Triangles

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Triangles 7 0 0 14 21
Independents 0 0 0 0 0

November 14, 1920, at Douglas Park

For their second game in week eight, the Independents played against the Dayton Triangles. The Independents had six players returning from injuries this game.[36] In the first quarter, Rube Ursella for the Independents fumbled a punt on the 40 yard line, and the Triangles gained possession.[36] On that possession, Frank Bacon scored a rushing touchdown.[citation needed] The Independents controlled the football for a majority of the second quarter. On their final possession of the half, they managed to take the ball to just four inches outside the Triangles' goal line, but the referee signaled to end the first half.[36] In the fourth quarter, Ed Novack and Arnold Wyman left the game due to injury.[36] The Triangles scored two passing touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of the game; the first was caught by Dave Reese, and the second was caught by Roudebush.[citation needed]

Game 10: vs. Washington & Jefferson All-Stars

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
All-Stars 0 0 7 0 7
Independents 14 20 7 7 48

November 28, 1920, at Douglas Park

A game against Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs had been originally scheduled for Sunday, November 21, but a series of injuries to Rock Island's starting eleven forced a postponement of the Douglas Field game to November 28.[21] It was anticipated that new players would be brought in to supplant the team's crippled backfield, with Green and White manager Walter Flanagan reportedly free to borrow stars from the Dayton Triangles and Chicago Tigers for the game.[37] Finances intervened, however, when on November 19 it was announced that Canton owner Jim Thorpe was canceling the game for economic reasons, despite having been offered a $4,000 guarantee.[38]

Another game of the season was hastily organized for the open November 28 date. Fortunately, about three weeks previously J.F. Mulaney of the Wheeling Steel and Iron Corporation had worked with team captain Garbisch of Washington and Jefferson College to organize an All-Star football team with a view to facing either the Canton Bulldogs or the Akron Pros in a post-season game.[22] Mulaney and Garbisch had been unable to get either of those teams to commit to playing, however.[22]

The Washington and Jefferson All-Star team had already been signed for an as-yet unannounced December 5 visit to Rock Island to play the Independents.[22] The November 28 date had proved difficult to fill, with first Akron and then Canton canceling planned games in Rock Island on that date.[22] With that Sunday slot once again open, team manager Flanagan contacted Mulaney and had the game with the collegiate stars moved up one week.[22]

This impromptu assemblage — remembered in historic accounts variously as the "Pittsburgh All-Collegians,"[39] "the Wheeling Collegians,"[40] or the "Washington and Jefferson All-Stars" — proved a chimera. Most players from the All-Collegians did not show up for the game, and the coach used people from the crowd to form a team.[39]

The first score of the game came in the first quarter when Wenig blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.[citation needed] The only points the All-Collegians scored was a blocked punt from Morris, who returned it for a touchdown.[39] The game ended with a 48–7 victory for the Independents.[citation needed]

Post season

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Since there were no playoff system in the APFA until 1932,[41] a meeting was held to determine the 1920 APFA Champions.[42] Each team that showed up had a vote to determine the champions. The Akron Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup on April 30, 1921.[15] Ties were not counted in standings until 1972, which is why Akron is credited with a 1.000 winning percentage.[43] The Independents tied for fourth place in the standings. The sportswriter Bruce Copeland compiled the All-Pro list for the 1920 season. Denfield, Lyle, and Novak made the first-team; Wenig and Shaw made the second-team; and Buland and Fitzgerald made the third-team.[44] Of all the players on the roster, only Healey has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[45]

Roster

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Team photograph of the 1919 Rock Island Independents, when the team claimed the USA Championship.
Rock Island Independents 1920 roster[46]
Backs Linemen Coaching Staff
  • Rube Ursella – Head Coach
  • Walter Flanagan – Manager

References

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  1. ^ "NFL founded in Canton | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site".
  2. ^ "St. Paul Ideals at Rock Island Independents - September 26th, 1920". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. ^ Braunwart & Carroll 1983, p. 7
  4. ^ "1919 Rock Island Independents". The Pro Football Archives. Maher Sports Media. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  5. ^ Herrera, Simon. "Giant Tackle Answers the Call of Cleveland". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  6. ^ Herrera, Simon. "1920 Season Schedule". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  7. ^ Herrera, Simon. "1919 Season Schedule". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
  8. ^ PFRA Research 1980, pp. 3–4
  9. ^ Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini 2010, pp. 352–353
  10. ^ a b PFRA Research 1980, p. 4
  11. ^ "Thorpe Made President" (PDF). The New York Times. September 19, 1920.
  12. ^ "Organize Pro Gridders; Choose Thorpe, Prexy". The Milwaukee Journal. September 19, 1920. p. 24. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012.
  13. ^ Peterson 1997, p. 74
  14. ^ Davis 2005, p. 59
  15. ^ a b Price, Mark (April 25, 2011). "Searching for Lost Trophy". Akron Beacon-Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  16. ^ "Muncie Too Easy for Rock Island: Independents Batter Visitors' Defense for Three Scores in Opening Period," Moline Dispatch, Oct. 4, 1920, p. 16.
  17. ^ "Rock Island Independents Win by 7 Points: Driscoll Proves His Reputation is Deserved by Nearly Trimming Entire Islander Team," Moline Dispatch, Oct. 25, 1920, p. 14.
  18. ^ "Rock Island Holds Staleys to 0–0 Tie," [Hammond, IN] Lake County Times, Nov. 8, 1920, p. 6.
  19. ^ "Staley and Rock Island Football Teams Battle to Tie: Great Professional Grid Elevens Unable to Score in Contest," Decatur Herald, Nov. 8, 1920, p. 4.
  20. ^ Game postponed by Rock Island to November 28 due to player injuries, then canceled by Canton for financial reasons.
  21. ^ a b "Canton Bulldogs Play Here Nov. 28: Jim Thorpe Allows Time for Crippled Locals to Regain Condition; No Game Sunday," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 16, 1920, p. 15.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Bruce Copeland, "Collegians Superior to Bulldogs: Washington and Jefferson Combination with Three 1920 Collegiate Captains in Lineup, Adjudged Better Than Cantonians," Rock Island [IL] Argus, Nov. 20, 1920, p. 13.
  23. ^ "NFL – 1920 Regular Season". National Football League. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  24. ^ "1920 St. Paul Ideals". The Pro Football Archives. Maher Sports Media. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  25. ^ a b Herrera, Simon. "Game Showing Consistency of Best Pro Team in World". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  26. ^ "1920 Rock Island Independents". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  27. ^ Braunwart & Carroll 1981, p. 1
  28. ^ Herrera, Simon. "Wyman's Play too much for Hoosier Team". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  29. ^ a b Herrera, Simon. "Independents Outplayed and Outclass Beefy 'Stars". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved October 29, 2012.'
  30. ^ a b Herrera, Simon. "Lack of Practice and Poor Physical Condition Account for First Upset of Season". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  31. ^ Herrera, Simon. "Independents Beat Cardinals from Chicago". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  32. ^ "1920 Chicago Cardinals (APFA)". The Pro Football Archives. Maher Sports Media. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  33. ^ a b Herrera, Simon. "Chicago Tigers Prove no Match for Locals". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  34. ^ Herrera, Simon. "Lack of Practice and Poor Physical Condition Account for First Upset of Season". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  35. ^ Herrera, Simon. "Injured Independents Fight to a Tie with Thorns". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  36. ^ a b c d Herrera, Simon. "Lack of Practice and Poor Physical Condition Account for First Upset of Season". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  37. ^ Bruce Copeland, "The Sportscope," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 17, 1920, p. 17.
  38. ^ Bruce Copeland, "Canton Game is Off, Thorpe Says: Turns Down $4,000 Guarantee on Pretext of Losing Money; Sinister Motives are Feared," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 19, 1920, p. 32.
  39. ^ a b c Herrera, Simon. "Independents Use All Star Team to Get Back on Track". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  40. ^ "1920 Rock Island Independents (APFA)". The Pro Football Archives. Maher Sports Media. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  41. ^ "History: The First Playoff Game". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  42. ^ Carroll 1982, p. 3
  43. ^ Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini 2010, p. 360
  44. ^ Hogrogian 1984, pp. 1–2
  45. ^ "Ed Healey". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  46. ^ Herrera, Simon. "1920 R.I. Independents". RockIslandIndependents.com. Retrieved November 30, 2012.

Further reading

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