Walter Flanigan was the owner of the Independents 1915 to 1923. The Illinois Cowboys plans to earn generous donations from the community. We now know where we have to be to beat them," VonHolt says, looking forward to the rematch scheduled for Oct. 15 at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Today, however, it's rare for a member of the league to make it to the NFL. The Independents also moved from Douglas Park in Rock Island to Browning Field in neighboring Moline, Illinois for the 1926 season. Johnson hired Vince McCarthy, the Independents' back-up quarterback as the new general manager. Players are responsible for buying their own helmets, pads and shoes. 4,991. The coroners office has completed an investigation into a body found in Troy home in December 2023 Edwardsville Publishing Company, LLC, Three face drug charges in Madison County, Lenhardt has big plans for Downtown Alton, Granite City High senior Kyla Gerhardt in area talent competition, Coroners office completes investigation into body found in Troy, Fairview Heights man faces weapons felony. As u have seen in the passed the Illinois Cowboys semi-pro football team are a huge contributor against the fight against hunger , from the numerous hours volunteer work they have put in, both passed & present at Tabernacle Baptist Church. This might have been the first NFL game ever played between two NFL teams, however, NFL historical records don't indicate the kickoff time for this game or the other APFA game played that day between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles in Dayton, Ohio. Hence, the team was named the "Independents. Theyre minor league in name, but these Illinois sports teams are major in excitement and talent. His son Hub is a radio announcer for the Bears. [23][24][25], Browning Field, the Independents' home in 1926, is located at 16th Street and 23rd Avenue in Moline, Illinois. The Illini Panthers play in the MidStates Football League (MSFL), an adult amateur football league in the Midwest that's based in Chicago. SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL: Central Illinois Cougars feature new lineup in new league, Newsletters: Get local news delivered directly to you. The Eagles began the year ranked third, after losing the national championship game to the Fresno (Calif.) Bandits last December. According to the league's website, it was formed in 2021 and features 11 man football, with the goal of all teams thriving. [11] The league was renamed to the American Professional Football Association (APFA), and the number of teams was expanded, with league play to begin in 1920. [4], Walter Flanigan had joined the Independents as a backup end in 1912. On Saturday, June 29, your Illinois Cowboys semi-pro football team along with their friends and families plus thousands of other men, women and children will gather on Chicagos lakefront to raise funds and awareness for the fight to end hunger in Cook County. Although the Metro East Stallions folded after only one season, the MSFL was able to double in size by adding the Detroit Seminoles, Michiana Saints, and Michigan Huskies from the Michigan Football League, as well as the new expansion team the Lake County Steelers. Beginning in September, the AFA issues a weekly ranking of the top 20 semi-pro teams in the nation, and this season the Force started in 13th place. Team officials expect the final league schedule to be complete soon. The Hunger Walk is a fun opportunity for all types of businesses, organizations and individuals to help ensure their neighbors get the food they need. Hit up Santos Sports for all your pregame accessories tape,mouthpieces,gloves,belts,socks,etc. All players entered into the UFL Semi-Pro Draft must have semi-professional football playing experience. Because of work and family obligations, he misses some of the team's two-hour practices, which since summer are held only twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday nights. ALTON - The Central Illinois Cougars are back for their second season in Alton and have hit the ground running. The MSFL began in 1999 with five teams; the Chicago Mavericks, Chicago Panthers, Force of Illinois, Indianapolis Warriors, and Metro East Stallions. A new team is kicking off this year in the Bloomington-Normal area. In 1919, Flanigan hired Rube Ursella of the Minneapolis Marines to serve as a player-coach. "My dream is to play pro football, but if this is what it is for me, fine. In 1926, in what became their final year of existence, the Independents moved to Browning Field in neighboring Moline, Illinois. Mid-States football league - 2010 Standings, List of Washington Redskins starting quarterbacks, List of Baltimore Ravens starting quarterbacks. The Cougars, who call Gordon Moore Park home, feature a wealth of new players on their roster and have returned to the Central Midwest Football League/Fans, this season. The Massillon Tigers from Massillon, Ohio was also at the September 17 meeting, but did not field a team in 1920. "Probably 20 percent of the players want to take the next step ," said Ed O'Reilly of Lisle, the offensive coordinator for the semi-pro DuPage Eagles and a coach on that level for 25 years. [9], The newly formed league elected Jim Thorpe as its first President and consisted of 14 teams. Cappelletti, of Rockford, faces a 90-minute to two-hour drive to games. The new coach was Conzelman!" The American Football Association announced today the names of those who have been selected for enshrinement into the Semi-Pro Football Hall of Fame as the Class of 2004 . Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) 7,000. The ThunderBolts are one of the oldest teams in the Frontier League. The most recent semi-pro player to jump to the NFL is Eric Swann, a star defensive tackle with the Arizona Cardinals who was playing for the Bay State Titans near Boston until he signed with the Cardinals in 1991. Three teams have won national semi-pro football championships under the MSFL banner; the Detroit Seminoles in 2002 and the Chicago Thunder in 2006 and 2008. "Other than that, they are big boys.". All players entered into the UFL Semi-Pro Draft must have semi-professional football playing experience. The UFL Semi-Pro Draft will be a two-round event to serve UFL clubs an opportunity to fill rosters with some of the best semi-pro players throughout the country. "We pick players who could go to the next step, that pro level," said Howard Huntington, 49, of Chicago, who has owned the Force since 1988 and who played football at Illinois State University. Although the proposed Milwaukee Rage, Dwight Blitz, Kankakee Bisons, Maywood Gators and Lincoln Tigers would never play a single MSFL down, the new MSFL had three teams which had won league titles the previous year (Chicago Thunder, Leyden Lions, and Roscoe Rush), three more which were league runners-up the prior season (Force of Illinois, Illinois Firehawks, and Indiana Titans). He supplies some equipment, such as tape and chin straps, and buys other equipment, such as uniforms, which he resells to players. The Independents played in Douglas Park (19071925) and Browning Field (1926). It is likely that Canton's player/coach Jim Thorpe and owner Ralph Hay felt that Flanigan could not deliver on his $5,000 guarantee. -Victor Mcghee (773) 817-1310, The Illinois Cowboys will be teamed up with Excellent Way Out Reach Center for a toy and coat drive ! The AFL did not pay as much as the NFL did a year prior and Independents players left the team for bigger salaries with other NFL teams. "You can't push them real hard in practice" because it's not their full-time job, said VonHolt, who played football at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in the 1970s. Lost to Chicago Bears 297. November 1, 1925. Theyre minor league in name, but these Illinois sports teams are major in excitement and talent. Local sporting goods dealers offer the players a discount, Baldyga said, and Huntington estimated that players spend on average $350 to $400 to play for the Force. Whatever their goals, semi-pro football players must keep their day jobs. Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois. I have been a teacher at Pakuranga College in Auckland, New Zealand since January 2007. The UFL Semi-Pro Draft will be a two-round event to serve UFL clubs an opportunity to fill rosters with some of the best semi-pro players throughout the country. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there were no games to be played on the two artificial turf fields, or anywhere else for that matter. Field 4 is a full-size soccer field, while Field 3 is marked for both football and soccer. November 18, 1923. 3 ranked team in the country, and it shows. "I don't go to the big games, but the little games are still fun.". From 1964 to 1974, The Central States Football League (CSFL) was a semi-professional football league with teams located in Wisconsin and Illinois. Illinois 200 The Cubs, Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls theyre larger-than-life names ingrained in the minds of everyone with even a passing interest in sport. Theyre an affiliate team of fellow Chicago-area hockey team, the NHLs Chicago Blackhawks. "Besides that, this is a chance to blow off steam and a good opportunity to see my buddies a couple of times a week.". As part of the merger, teams were prohibited from subsidizing semi-pro teams and the two semi-pro leagues in existence folded. This contest helped the Independents gain legitimacy. "I love to play the game, and I didn't want to give it up. List of professional sports teams in Illinois The following is a list of current and former professional sports teams in Illinois . The Elmhurst Travelers, coached . As u have seen in the passed the Illinois Cowboys semi-pro football team are a huge contributor against the fight against hunger , from the numerous hours volunteer work they have put in, both passed & present at TabernacleBaptistChurch. The Rockford IceHogs are part of the American Hockey League, often going head-to-head with the Wolves. Never having lost a game in their MSFL tenure, the Detroit Seminoles decided to move to the Mid Continental Football League for stronger competition. His father and Myles father are brothers. DuPage leads 6-3 when the half ends at 8:05 p.m., and during the 12-minute halftime, several dozen of the 345 fans go to their cars to warm up or drive to a nearby convenience store. New players and a return to the CMFL meant extra preparation, according to Myles. The club began as the Peoria Suns back in 1983, but the name didnt stick for long by the next season they were playing under the current Chiefs name. As owner, Huntington spends about $1,500 of his own money to help operate the team. Chicago,IL60653-2197. All these joined the Kankakee Seminoles, Chicago Wolverines, Bolingbrook Stallions, Bolingbrook Buccaneers, Central Indiana Bears, and Lake County Steelers to make the MSFL a strong and competitive circuit, with the climax coming in the championship game with the Chicago Thunder defeating the Indiana Titans by a score of 17-7. "I still want to compete and feel I can compete and hopefully something good can come of this, maybe arena ball or CFL," said the Force's 27-year-old quarterback, who played that position for Argo High School in Summit and the College of St. Francis in Joliet. American Football Database is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Leagues and teams are not associated with schools, colleges, or other academic institutions except that they might rent fields & stadiums from them for their use. 40", "1926 Rock Island Independents - The Pro Football Archives", "The Pro Football Archives - Pro Football Statistics and History", Defunct National Football League franchises, Detroit Heralds/ Tigers/ Panthers/ Wolverines, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rock_Island_Independents&oldid=1138396991, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. We've put together a list of facts so you can understand everything there is to know about Revolution Football: We have five to six home games every year, We practice weekly, both in person and virtually, New players pay $250 and returning players pay $150, Our games are held on Saturdays at the Rockton Sports Complex, We're proud to be fierce competitors and championship contenders. And while they ended up on the short end of the score, Myles said he and his coaching staff were encouraged by their team's performance. It was an era when the Canton Bulldogs and the Ironton Tanks were nationally known for their prowess in the professional football field. [14] Thus, the Independents' Douglas Park became the site of the first ever National Football League contest. The other 10 are: 3 executives, 2 coaches, 2 pioneers, 1 official, 1 trainer, and 1 media person. The minutes of this meeting are in Pro Football Hall of Fame archives. In 1919, the season prior to the establishment of the National Football League, they claimed to be "Champions of the USA". The two walked into the bank where one demanded money from the teller and another stood on lookout, the affidavit states. Chicago, IL 60653-2197. Although the Dowagiac Dawgs and Milwaukee Marauders joined that season, it saw the Chicago Panthers, Michiana Saints, and Michigan Huskies fold before year's end, once again reducing the league size to four times. The Buffalo All-Americans, Chicago Tigers, Columbus Panhandles, and Detroit Heralds joined the league during the year. Lincoln-Way Patriots Semi-Pro Football Team | Tinley Park IL It describes it self as a brand new developmental league built to provide legit first and second chance opportunities at college football and pro football utilizing the resources, network, expertise and experience of Hidden Gemz Sports Scouting. Andy Albrecht (former all-area and all-conference Rockford QB from 1994-1995) named head coach of Illinois high school team. They have been ordered, Haynes said. However, there have been soccer and football practices on them. Our local sports club consists of athletes ages 18-40 who are looking to compete, have fun and hone their football skills. Revolution Football is a semi-pro football team based in Rockford, IL that faces off against other local teams in the Northern Lights Football League. The event will be open to the public with fans, prospects, and prospect families invited to the event. The team's best showing was in 1990 and 1991, when it went to the finals and lost to the Scranton-Wilkes Barre (Pa.) Eagles and the Brooklyn Kings, respectively. The mayor (Brandt Walker) is excited about it too and he has said hell do everything he could to make it work.. [19][20], On October 16, 1921, the Independents battled back from a 70 deficit against the Chicago Cardinals to lead 147 in the second quarter. A running back during his playing days, Myles played junior College football in Mississippi and went in the former USFLs draft to the Tampa Bay Bandits. We get players from a variety of sources. [6][7] However, World War I and the military draft put a temporary halt to Flanigan's plans of expanding the team into new markets.[8]. He joined The Telegraph in Alton in 1982. The Independents were founded in 1907 by Demetrius Clements as an independent football club. Much like baseball's minor league system, semi-pro football had the financial support of National Football League teams before the NFL merged with the American Football League in the 1960s, Real said. The Independents lost only to the Hammond Pros, led by George Halas in 1919. This year, about 90 players attended those sessions, which were held for several Sundays. It currently has 10 teams with the Panthers in their second season. In 1923, Flanigan left the Independents to concentrate on his real estate and insurance businesses.[8]. Mechanical engineer, ex semi-pro soccer (football) player and automotive enthusiast. Many of the players from the 1910 team reunited in 1912 and, under Coach John Roche, the Independents won eight games without giving up a score. Giannis suffers hyperextended knee in Game 4 loss to Hawks, Goodwill: Giannis injury more proof season was never normal, Report: Woman accuses Dodgers pitcher Bauer of assault, NFL preview: Panthers bet big on Darnold change of scenery. Based in Chicago, the MSFL currently consists of 16 teams; ten in Illinois, three in Indiana, and three in Wisconsin. The Raiders were originally founded in 1953 by local restaurant owner Wigs Konicek. Rock Island left the NFL to join the new league. The former Peoria Rivermen were bought by the Vancouver Canucks in 2013 and moved to Utica, New York. [8], The National Football League was formed over the course of two meetings in 1920. Defeated Green Bay Packers 30. Lost to Chicago Cardinals 07. "You got the game you wanted at the start of the season," he says. Hailey Gist-Holden, 26, and owner/coach of the Illini Panthers, and James Anthony King Jr., 24, allegedly ambushed First Midwest Bank guard Richard Castellana, 55, as he was walking on the sidewalk. The Independents were a founding National Football League franchise. The Force were crowned the MSFL's first champion with their 27-8 win over the Warriors in the championship game. Tied Chicago Bears 33. But experience pays off. Myles added that there is no age limit and that the team is still holding tryouts for the coming season. Minor League Sports Teams of Illinois. With about 11 seconds left, the Force sends Baldyga out for a 31-yard field goal attempt. Find out what's on in Illinois and Chicago with your guide to events, festivals, markets, music, theater, sports and more. Id say the oldest is probably around 30.. In early July, the team began practicing three times a week in pads at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills and, when daylight began to dwindle in September, moved its practices to the lighted Mt. With a shortage of professional Football leagues and options for elite athletes, the Cowboys will make its players feel they are in professional organization. But after suspected voting fraud (the lead name Nutz was suspected to have business ties), he started the poll over. Clipping found in Chicago Tribune in Chicago, Illinois on Jul 13, 1980. The Force, which debuted in 1987, is the successor to the Orland Fury, a south suburban semi-pro team of the mid-1980s. Dale Johnson then owned the team from 1924 until it folded, along with the rest of the American Football League in 1926. Revolution Football is a semi-pro football team based in Rockford, IL that faces off against other local teams in the Northern Lights Football League. The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. This will be a great opportunity for the community to embrace something positive. The game itself was billed as a clash of old vs. new, with Grange, the rising star, taking on Thorpe, the aging legend. In 1926, football star Red Grange and his agent, C. C. Pyle, formed the American Football League (AFL) after Pyle was denied ownership of an NFL franchise in New York City. See them play at TaxSlayer Center, Moline. Southern. Step back in time to the golden age of train travel and settle in for a peaceful ride to discover some of Illinois most charming towns and hidden treasures. November 7, 1920 Tied Decatur Staleys 00. Half of our players have been together for at least three years.". Lost to Chicago Bears 73. Getting around Chicago and Illinois is easy with our guide to ways to travel around the state. Just nine days after the league had formed, on September 26, 1920, the Independents defeated the St. Paul Ideals 480 in the first contest involving a member team of the APFA. Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) 6,500. Other local semi-pro teams have included the Tinley Park Pride, which played in the late 1980s, and the Chicago Heights Broncos, which folded this year. Often, theyre the place where the big stars get their start so grab a ticket now to see a future star of the major leagues today! Myles cousin, former NFL running back Wilbert Montgomery serves as a consultant for the Cougars. For about 45 minutes, the teams run through their pregame warmups. The Chicago Union were founded in 2013 and compete in the Central Division of theAmerican Ultimate Disc League. The At the start of the third quarter, the Cyclones recovered a surprise onside kick starting the second half and went on to score and took a 13-6 lead.The Cougars rallied late, picking off a pass and taking it back to the two-yard line and punching it in for a score, but the Cyclones would put the game out of reach with a late score and went on to win. Gist-Holden was in financial trouble and couldn't pay the rent on his home in Gary or the hotel bill for his team's players to stay in Downers Grove, per the report. Theres a long lead-in time for big sets of bleachers.. Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) 6,000. Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine. They started out in the former North Central League as the Will County Claws, before joining the Heartland League as the Will County Cheetahs and then the Cook County Cheetahs. The 34-year-old wide receiver said he was excited for the Royals' first preseason game, the. 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