Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-02
CHAMP IONSHIP OF
ILLINOIS Is WON
BYINDEPENDENTS
Great Game Of Football Before
Big Crowd, Gives Title to
Rock Island Team.
SPRING VALLEY IS LOSER
Final Score ls to o-Considerable
Money Changes Hands Thanks
to VIsItors' Confidence.

In blaze Of glory which even the
falling rain could not quelch. the Rock
Island Independents yesterday won
the championship of the state, the
state, the Spring Valley contenders for
the title being beaten by a score Of 7
70 0 after one of the hardest fought
and best played games ever witnessed
az Island City park The local team
ended the season with a most remark
able record, having eight victories 10
its credit, no defeats, no ties and not
even a score made against it. The
team scored PA points TO zero for the
opponents. 1t is a team of which the
city may well be proud
DAVENPORT THE STAR.
Among the many who scintillated,
Ted Davenport, right halfback for the
Rock Island team, stood out as the
particular star for II was due to him
that the victory came Islanderwards
Just at the close Of the first quarter,
he snatched forward pass which was
intended for a Spring Valley man,
oludcd the player, and then sprinted
down the field towards goal. Nc
Quade. the Valleys speedy quarter
back, headed on the fleeing Islander,
but was lodged just as he was about
20 put down the runner Davenport
tore on over the line with what proved
to be the only touchdown OF the game.
Art Salzmann kicked a perfect goal,
making the score TO 0.
Loyal Robb. left halfback, Art Salz-
mann, full back, and Ernest MacMan-
us, quarterback, played in their usual
form and did practically all the
ground gaining for the home aggre-
cation, the first two with terrific line
plunges and the latter with his usual
brilliant broken field running.
For the Spring Valley near-cham-
pions, Captain McQuade. and the two
ends, Wagner and Kern attracted the
most attention both on the offense
and the defense.
TEAMS WELL MATCHED.
Everything before the game pointed
to close contest, Neither team mad
met defeat, both had played the best
to be found, and there was little
weight advantage. IN experience and
age the visitors had the better Of il
and presumably on this account the
rooters who accompanied the aggrega.
ton were willing to stake their last
dollar on the Nalleyites to win. The
betting was SO fierce that Rock Island
ers thought there was something
wrong and for a time no money could
b gHfnrR1 . 10 TyI
With the appearance on the field OF
the whole team and evidence that al
were in good shape. the betting re
sumed and practically 10 bets were
passed up. The result was consider
able Spring Valley money, some $500
or thereabouts. remained in Rock Is
land after the game. Several Moln
erH were among those who bet on the
Valley team.
STORY OF THE GAME.
The story Of the game can be tolC
briefly At the start. II looked bad fol
the Independents for the Spring Val
ley claimants to the state title begaI
az once an exhibition of the style o
football that put them in the runnint
Tor the big honors. Gains were shor
but consistent and after receiving tn,
kickoft, It was not long before the bal
was in Rock Island territory. Wit
each play, however, the defense of tn,
Independents stiffened and before lonj
me visitors were running into a stone
wall That put the team on even foot
ing for Spring Valleys defense at al
times was remarkable. For 10 mir
utes the team battled in the center O
the field and then came the decidinj
play McQuade dropped back presun
ably TO punt but instead hurled tn
ball forward TO the left end. Ted Day
export, and another Independent an,
Kern OF the Spring Valley all wen
after the ball. Kern touched II, bu
it slipped through his hands and Day
export snatched Il out OF the air an
dashed away with It. AS the bi
crowd roared its approval, he CROSSE
the goal line.
The quarter had ended while h.
was on his way to goal and TO star
the next one. Rock Island kicked of
The islanders now became the OFFER
sive team and though they did no
get near goal, they nevertheless ha
the Valley team worried. The thir
and fourth quarters were on much tn