Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-31
THREE TITLES TO
LOCAL Grid TEAM
Independents Win Championship o.
Illinois. Iowa aud Wisconsin
in 1917 Season.
nucn CREDIT DUE FLANAGAN
Hustling Little Manager Got Busy
Early on Eleven and Gave
Them Flying start.


Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, was the
title tackled onto the Rock Island indie /
pendents az the close Of the 1917 sea
son A wonderful record.
The only thorn in the side Of the To-
cal eleven during the past season was
the Minneapolis Marines, one Of the
strongest football machines in the
country. the Minnesota gang grabbing
two games The 1917 season was the
most successful the Independents ever
experienced since the team was hrst
organized. in 1912, 10th from a stand
point Of victories and financially. Ten
games were played during the last
season, seven resulting in victories
for the Independents and three we're
lost. two 70 the Marines and one to
Davenport
Manager Walter Flanagan. the hust-
ling little handler Of the lndepend-
ents got busy early this season, lining
w material Of the FIRST calibre, and II
was largely through his individual ef-
forts that a championship eleven was
finally secured. The Independents
had more men out for initial tryouts
than ever before
Tho eleven opened with a victory
over Sterling, piline up 80 points to
Sterllug.s zero. Next the highly tout
ed Alton Tigers, with several college
stars In their lineup, were walloped,
30 to 3. Then came the Independents
first victory over the Davenport A. c.
by 3 10 0 score The Peoria SOCials
were next handed a 40 TO defeat
and the Moline Indians fell by the
wayside 20 to 0. The next victim on
the list was the Racine eleven. indie
pendent champions OF Wisconsin. RAJ
cine lost t. To- 0, and as the Marines
did not meet Racine this season, the
locals can rightly claim the Wiscon'
sin title
The first defeat was administered
by the Marines. following the Racine
game, the score being z 10 3. This
game was one Of the greatest eyel
staged on a local field. Davenpor
came along a week later and catching
the Independents out of training, wO'
the second inter-city scrap Y to 10
The Marines then took another excit
ing tilt from the locals, 33 to a. TIL
season ended on Dec when the In
dependents walloped the Davenport a
G., % 10 z for the Illinois and low
state championship.
The players who participated in
majority OF the games were kolls an
Robb center. Smith and WylanC
guards, HARRY and Fosdick, tackles
Dempsey and Freeburg, ends; MuI
ply quarterback Mansfield. fullbacl
and Davenport Briudley, Jorgensei
Fort and Quinn halves. Ted Dayer
port coached the team at the start {
the year and then retired in favor {
Dick Lift, former mentor of III
team.
All of the games of the Indepent
ents were well attended this seaso
all former records being shattere
The park was scarcely able to no
the fans that swarmed onto the fe
in the last four games OF the yea
Over $1,000 was collected by Manag
Flanagan in war taxes and forward,
TO the revenue collector at Peori
The players received the largest sp
ever nearly $500 apiece
Prospects Tor 1915.
A; the annual banquet held recer
ly Walter Flanagan was reelected ma
n
captain 1t is practically certain tn
the Independents viii have a tea
again mkt year Flanagan is goi
70 make an especial effort to secu
Chicken. Ursella. Nowack Gunders
and Bueland. five stars of the MINI
apolis Marines, 70 play here in 10
AL however, are subject TO the dr.
and for this reason no definite pla
will be made until next fall Fla
gan is already booking games, no
ever.
Davenport fans howled in the fiji
game OF the year, because the In,
pendents were strengthened in /
final game by the addition of FIVE N
,rine stars The locals had four or
iples on the list and their places h
10 be filed The Davenport eiey
was fully as loaded as the local tea
but the lowans failed 10 display I
teamwork or pep. Independent 70
ball is. after all, only a profession
game and in order 10 compete W
the best one must secure the b
players.
Nineteen eighteen looms brightly
the Independents.
Record for 1917.
Following is the 1917 record of
Independents
Independents, 80; Sterling, Q.
Independents, 80 Alton, 8.
Independents, 8; Davenport, 0.
independents. 40; Peoria. 0
Independents, 90, Moline, 0.
Independents, u; Racine. o.
Independents, 3 Minneapolis. Z