The 1920 Rock Island Independents season was the Rock Island Independents'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.
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 The Independents in the APFA
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. 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. Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Jim Thorpe as president. 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. Representatives of each team were to vote to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.
Personnel changes
The Rock Island Independents finished 9–1–1 in their 1919 season, claiming the National Championship. 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 was diminished with the departure of 1919 players Wes Bradshaw, Leland Dempsey, Al Jorgenson, Loyal Robb, Fats Smith, Red Swanson, and co-coach John Roche.
Players split the pot
The Independents were structured on a cooperative basis, rather than as a commercial enterprise with player-employees paid every week. In the evening of December 1, 1920, with the team's final game of the year over and done, a "secret meeting of officials and players" was held at the New Harper Hotel in Rock Island."Independents Split Season's Cash: Receipts are $29,000; Men Get $660 Each," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 2, 1920, p. 17. The results of a day-long audit of the books by team manager Walter A. Flanigan and treasurer Zwicker were presented, showing total receipts in round figures of $29,000, expenses of $16,000, and a net surplus of $13,000.
Three players not on the roster at the end of the season were voted full shares for their work earlier in the year, with a total of 20 full shares paid. "Others who played one or two games were paid accordingly," it was noted. The original split was estimated at $660 per player (approximately $11,000 in 2025 dollars); however as a few bills remained outstanding, a portion of this was left by each member of the team until final accounts were settled.
According to a report in the Rock Island Argus, "the meeting went through without the slightest dissent, which characterized showdowns of former years." Members of the club decided to end their season as it stood, without further negotiation for post-season road games, and players began to leave Rock Island for their homes the morning after the disbursement meeting.
Flanigan wants out
Following the conclusion of the 1920 season and about one week after the team's disbursement of funds, Independents team manager Walter A. Flanigan — connected with the team since 1912 and serving as chief organizer for the past several seasons — indicated a desire to resign his position."Offers Legion Independent Team: Post is Given First Chance by W. Flanigan," Rock Island Argus, Dec. 8, 1920, p. 17. Flanigan first approached the local post of the American Legion seeking to turn over the operation to them, stating that the post seemed the most logical successor to operate the franchise. Flanigan promised to donate one month of his time at the start of the 1921 season to help the legion post to navigate the difficulties of scheduling and any other problems of initial team organization that should arise.
A four-member committee was appointed by the Legion post to study the matter, with a report due to the organization on December 21, 1920.
Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 26 St. Paul Ideals W 48–0 1–0 Douglas Park 800 Recap 2 October 3 Muncie Flyers W 45–0 2–0 Douglas Park 3,110 Recap "Muncie Too Easy for Rock Island: Independents Batter Visitors' Defense for Three Scores in Opening Period," Moline Dispatch, Oct. 4, 1920, p. 16. 3 October 10 Hammond Pros W 26–0 3–0 Douglas Park 2,554 Recap 4 October 17 Decatur Staleys L 0–7 3–1 Douglas Park 7,000 Recap 5 October 24 Chicago Cardinals W 7–0 4–1 Douglas Park 4,000 Recap "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. 6 October 31 Chicago Tigers W 20–7 5–1 Douglas Park "mists scared awayseveral hundreds" Recap Bruce Copeland, "Super-Independents Crush Tigers: Vindication of Fred Chicken Outstanding Feature of Play; Tigers Stopped at All Turns," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 1, 1920, p. 12.Frank Weir, "Independents Stage Rally and Defeat Tigers; Great Use of Passes Features," Davenport Daily Times, Nov. 1, 1920, p. 16."Rock Island Independents Smash Chicago Tiger Line For 20–7 Win: Beaten at Half, Islanders Whip 'Chi' Battlers," Davenport Democrat and Leader, Nov. 1, 1920, p. 7. 7 November 7 Decatur Staleys T 0–0 5–1–1 Douglas Park 7,000+ Recap "Rock Island Holds Staleys to 0–0 Tie," [Hammond, IN] Lake County Times, Nov. 8, 1920, p. 6."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. 8 November 11 at Chicago Thorn-Tornadoes T 7–7 5–1–2 Monmouth Athletic Park 3,000 (sold)According to the Monmouth Daily Review, "frigid temperatures kept many away." The Rock Island Independent, noting a presale of 3,000 tickets, indicates only "a comparative handful" showed up owing to cold temperatures and biting winds. Recap "Football Game Here Yesterday Classy Affair: Thorn Tornadoes Battle Rock Island to 7–7 Tie — Cold Weather," Monmouth Daily Review, Nov. 12, 1920, p. 1.Bruce Copeland, "Ursella Breaks Islanders' Jinx: Master Mind Saves Game for Independents After Unlucky Slip Leaves Goal Unguarded," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 12, 1920, p. 26. 9 November 14 Dayton Triangles L 0–21 5–2–2 Douglas Park 2,000+ Recap "What Rock Island Thinks of Triangles," Dayton Herald, Nov. 18, 1920, p. 22. — November 21 Canton BulldogscanceledGame postponed by Rock Island to November 28 due to player injuries, then canceled by Canton for financial reasons. "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. 10 November 28 Washington & Jefferson All-Stars W 48–7 6–2–2 Douglas Park 2,500 Recap 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. Note: Non-APFA teams in italics. Armistice Day: November 11.
Standings
Game summaries Game 1: vs. St. Paul Ideals
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 Ideals. This was the Ideals' second game of the season, coming off a 14–7 victory the week prior. Coach Flanigan had Fred Chicken, Bobby Marshall, and Freeman Fitzgerald—the 1919 Independents' main stars—in reserve in case he needed to play them. The Independents shutout the Ideals, winning 48–0. 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. The Independents scored 14 points in the third quarter with touchdowns from Ray Kuehl and Mansfield. In the final quarter, Kuehl scored the Independents' last points of the game.
Game 2: vs. Muncie Flyers
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. 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. This game was the only one that counted towards the Flyers' standing for the entire 1920 season.
Game 3: vs. Hammond Pros
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. 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. 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.
Game 4: vs. Decatur Staleys
October 17, 1920, at Douglas Park