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1924 Rock Island Independents season

National Football League team season

1924 Rock Island Independents season

National Football League team season

FieldValue
teamRock Island Independents
year1924
record5–2–2 (NFL)
(8–2–2 overall)
league_place5th in NFL
ownerDale Johnson
presidentJames D. Bruner
general managerA.H. Bowlby
coachJohnny Armstrong
stadiumDouglas Park
playoffs

(8–2–2 overall)

Map of the Quad Cities area from 1919. The four cities had a combined population of about 120,000 in 1920.

The 1924 Rock Island Independents season was their fifth in the National Football League (NFL). The Rock Island, Illinois team improved from their two-win season in 1923 by winning five games, good for fifth place in the 18-team league.

Background

League meeting

Ahead of the annual league meeting, held at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago on January 26–27, a representative of the Independents, noting endemic heavy financial losses in the 1923 NFL season, warned that many franchises might not be able to continue indefinitely under the current salary system. The Independents seem to have weathered the financial onslaught better than many in 1923.

Organizational activities

Rock Island had the benefit of the backing of a strong network of local businessmen from throughout the "Quad-Cities" of Rock Island, Davenport, Moline, and East Moline. On August 12, some 80 businessmen and team backers gathered in the Rock Island county courthouse to organize the 1924 team administratively and financially. Assistant state's attorney James D. Bruner was elected team president for 1924 and a board of 10 active directors were voted in, along with honorary directors representing Davenport, Moline, and East Moline. The $1,000 forfeiture bond required by the NFL was raised and sent to the league office. Selection of the team's coach for 1924 and a permanent secretary was left to President Bruner and the newly-elected board, who were to meet in 24 hours.

Signing of Jim Thorpe

Quad-Cities fans were excited to learn in late September that the legendary Jim Thorpe was signed to play the 1924 NFL season with the Rock Island Independents.

On September 21, it was announced that the Rock Island Independents has succeeded in outbidding several other teams around the NFL for the services of the legendary back Jim Thorpe for the 1924 season. The timeless 37-year old's tenure as captain and organizer of the Oorang Indians franchise had come to an end at the conclusion of the 1923 season, the team awash in red ink and terminated. Although hampered by injuries in recent seasons, the 6'1" Thorpe remained a powerful and threatening open-field runner and was regarded as the best punter in football.

Thorpe's gridiron exploits were legendary, with the Rock Island Argus telling the tale of Christmas 1922 exhibition game against collegiate all-stars in which Thorpe had run for a 95-yard touchdown, punted the ball 85 yards from the back of his own end zone, and connected on a 67-yard drop kick field goal. General admission for Thorpe's September 29 debut was set at $1.10, with 2,000 Douglas Field bleacher seats available at the price. Grandstand bleachers were priced at an additional 25 or 50 cents, depending on location, and field box seats were to cost $1.00 extra.

Thorpe was eventually followed to the Islanders by two of his former Oorang teammates — halfback Joe Guyon and lineman Joe Little Twig. The aging superstar halfback was able to play all 9 regular season games, although he injured his shoulder in the November 23 game against Kelley–Duluth and was unable to play in the Thanksgiving Day exhibition against the Kenosha All-Stars.

Duke Slater affair

The Islanders became the focus of controversy late in October when during their first road trip of the season, the new NFL team the Kansas City Blues refused to take the field if Rock Island's star African American tackle, Duke Slater, was allowed to play. and remained a critical member of Rock Island's line.

The result was one of the year's biggest upsets, when the Blues toppled the green-and-white by a score of 23 to 7 — Kansas City's first NFL win after three consecutive losses to open the year and Rock Island's first defeat. "Rock Island players said if 'Duke' Slater, former Iowa negro tackle, had been allowed to play the result would have been different," one Kansas City newspaper noted. For their part, Rock Island looked to "securing their revenge" when Kansas City was scheduled to travel to Illinois for the second leg of the home-and-home series three weeks later. They would, indeed, delivering a 17–0 shutout.

Schedule

Rock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"GameRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"DateRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"OpponentRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"ResultRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"RecordRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"VenueRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"AttendanceRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"RecapRock Island Independentsyear=1924border=2}}"Sources—123456789———
September 21Moline IndiansW 7–0—Douglas Park1,500—
September 28Chicago BearsT 0–00–0–1Douglas Park4,500Recap
October 5Racine LegionW 9–01–0–1Douglas Park3,500Recap
October 12Hammond ProsW 26–02–0–1Douglas Park3,000Recap
October 19Dayton TrianglesW 20–03–0–1Douglas Park4,500Recap
October 26at Kansas City BluesL 7–233–1–1Muehlebach FieldRecap
November 2at Chicago BearsT 3–33–1–2Cubs Park10,000Recap
November 9at Racine LegionW 6–34–1–2Horlick Field3,500Recap
November 16Kansas City BluesW 17–05–1–2Douglas Park3,000Recap
November 23Duluth KelleysL 0–95–2–2Douglas Park2,500Recap
November 27Kenosha All-StarsW 10–6—Douglas Park1,500—
November 30Minneapolis Marines*canceled by R.I. due to cold weather and snow*
December 14Chicago BearsW 7–6—Cubs Park7,000—
Note: Games in italics non-league games. Thanksgiving Day: November 27.

Standings

Final NFL standings for 1924, as published by the ''Chicago Tribune'' on the eve of the December 7 "championship game". The Thanksgiving Day game between the Independents and Kenosha, won by the Rock Island, 10–6, was at the time regarded as official.

Roster

The following players saw action in at least one game for the Rock Island Independents during the 1924 season. The total number of NFL games played by each follows in parentheses.

The 1924 Islanders' roster included three men who would later be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: tackle Duke Slater (class of 2020) and halfbacks Jim Thorpe (inaugural class) and Joe Guyon (class of 1966).

Three members of the 1924 Islanders team: end Mike Wilson, Hall of Fame tackle Duke Slater, and halfback Johnny Armstrong.

Linemen

  • Joe Bernstein (5)
  • Walt Buland (5)
  • Clay (0)
  • Frank DeClerk (8)
  • Louie Kolls (9)
  • Joe Kraker (5)
  • Joe Little Twig (7)
  • Ned Scott (9)
  • Fred "Duke" Slater (8)
  • Basil Stanley (1)
  • George Thompson (9)
  • R.N. Thompson (0)
  • Fred Thomsen (9)
  • Mike Wilson (8)

Backs

  • Johnny Armstrong (9)
  • Bill Ashbaugh (1)
  • Wes Bradshaw (7)
  • Buck Gavin (9)
  • Joe Guyon (3)
  • Vince McCarthy (2)
  • Bob Phelan (6)
  • Jim Thorpe (9)
  • Rube Ursella - captain (7)

References

References

  1. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rii/1924.htm 1924 Rock Island Independents]
  2. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/iowa-city-press-citizen-rock-island-pros/164202121/ "Rock Island Pros May Quit National Football League,"] ''Iowa City Press-Citizen,'' Jan. 25, 1924, p. 6.
  3. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-bruner-heads-independent/164206570/ "Bruner Heads Independents: Rock Island Independents to Be Tri-City Team; Fans Elect Officers, Directors,"] ''Davenport Daily Times,'' Aug. 13, 1924, p. 11.
  4. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-independents-sign-jim-th/164239203/ "Independents Sign Jim Thorpe: Famous Indian Grid Star Reports for Practice at Douglas Park Wednesday,"] ''Davenport Daily Times,'' Sept. 22, 1924, p. 14.
  5. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-thorpe-reports-to/164240871/ "Thorpe Reports to Islanders Wednesday: Famous Indian Will Be of Value to Lineup and Boost for Rock Island,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Sept. 22, 1924, p. 13.
  6. Rock Island acceded to the racist demand — despite the fact that Slater had been named a second-team member of the league's "All-American Professional Football Team" by the league's sportswriters the previous season[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-duluth-news-tribune-fifteen-sport-wr/163972959/ "Fifteen Sport Writers Pick Leading Professional Football Players in the Country: All American Professional Football Selections,"] ''Duluth News Tribune,'' Dec. 23, 1923, p. 27.
  7. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-indians-lose-to-islander/164231537/ "Indians Lose to Islanders, 7–0: End Runs of Ursella and Line Plunging of Gavin Feature Islander Attack,"] ''Davenport Daily Times,'' Sep. 22, 1924, p. 14.
  8. Malcolm H. Eddy, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-indians-wiped-out/164231824/ "Indians Wiped Out 7–0 by Independents: Opening Game Easy for Islanders; Keep Ball in Moline's Territory,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Sept. 22, 1924, p. 12.
  9. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times-rock-island-met-de/164224714/ "Rock Island Met Defeat: Kansas City Team Won Its First Game in 'Pro' League,"] ''Kansas City Times,'' Oct. 27, 1924, p. 12.
  10. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-rock-island-independents/164206238/ "Rock Island Independents Lose to Kansas City by 23 to 7 Count: Absence of Duke Slater is Serious Handicap to Rube Ursella's Eleven: Kansas City Grid Officials Will Not Permit Colored Boy to Play,"] ''Davenport Daily Times,'' Oct. 27, 1924, p. 11.
  11. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-independents-crumble-bef/164224292/ "Independents Crumble Before Kansas City Attack: Lose, 23 to 7: Kaws Batter Line, Skirt Ends and Pass Way to Easy Win Over Islanders,"] ''[Davenport] Quad-City Times,'' Oct. 27, 1924, p. 6.
  12. Art Williams, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-independents-slip/164340207/ "Independents Slip Over Win at Racine, 6–3: Armstrong in Great Dash to Score After Slater Gets Fumble,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Nov. 10, 1924, p. 12.
  13. Art Williams, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-independents-batte/164342479/ "Independents Batter Blues to Win, 17 to 0: Little Twig Falls on Fumble to Bring First Touchdown in Battle,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Nov. 17, 1924, p. 14.
  14. Art Williams, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-independents-jolt/164316652/ "Independents Jolt Kenosha All-Stars, 10–6: Forward pass, Field Goal Bring Islanders Holiday Grid Victory,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Nov. 28, 1924, p. 29.
  15. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-independents-trim-kenosh/164318574/ "Independents Trim Kenosha, 10–6: Badgers Fall to Islanders in Ragged Tilt,"] ''[Davenport] Quad-City Times,'' Nov. 28, 1924, p. 23.
  16. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-ri-independents-defeat/164319262/ "R.I. Independents Defeat Kenosha All-Stars, 10–6, Before Small Gathering,"] ''Davenport Daily Times,'' Nov. 28, 1924, p. 26.
  17. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-independents-call/164372358/ "Independents Call Off Game With Marines: Cold Weather Brings Football Season to Sudden Finish Here,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Nov. 29, 1924, p. 16.
  18. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-no-more-tilts-are/164368529/ "No More Tilts Are Arranged for Islanders: Cold Weather Brings Halt to All Plans for Further Professional Games This Season,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Dec. 1, 1924, p. 12.
  19. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-rock-island-claims/175914124/ "Rock Island Claims National Grid Title: Swanson Grabs Pass to Give Thorpe's Men 7 to 6 Win Over Bears,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Dec. 15, 1924, p. 16.
  20. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-bears-lose-76-grid-batt/175913646/ "Bears Lose 7–6 Grid Battle to Rock Islanders: Tough to Lose,"] ''Chicago Tribune,'' Dec. 15, 1924, p. 29.
  21. [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rii/1924_roster.htm "1924 Rock Island Independents Roster & Players,"] Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com
  22. [https://www.profootballhof.com/hall-of-famers/years/ "Hall of Famers by Year of Enshrinement,"] Pro Football Hall of Fame, www.profootballhof.com
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