The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-11-07
PASSES CARRY
BALL s. YARDS
7 INLATE RALLY
Team Scores Two TOuchd0wns In
Last Two Minutes to Win by
IA to 3 Count.
BY ]. l.. HUGHES.

Less than 1000 football fans at
Douglas park yesterday afternoon
saw the greatest victory ever ac-
complished by the Rock Island In
dependents, in 10 years of exist
ence. One sometimes reads 1t, but
rarely, IL ever, is lucky enough to
actually witness the favored team
come from behind in the last brief
minute of play, with the odds 1O0
10 / and moro against 1t, and put
across not only the winning touch
TO Fn, but another on top OF 1t FOR
a measure.
THAT in substance, is what those
.frepressible Independents did, to
gain a ID to 5 decision over the
powerful Minneapolis Marines, led
by the great Rube Ursella. Mere
words cannot describe it; only can
those fans who were there and felt
the thrill realize to the utmost the
teams remarkable comeback in the
face of defeat
Inspired by Captain Jimmie Con-
zelman, who, with leg practically
useless. entered the conflict in the
tagging minutes of the third quar-
ter. after Rube Ursella had made
good with a drop kick, that gave
the Marines a lead as big as a
mountain, the Islanders pulled
themselves together With two
minutes TO play, and following a
series of the most discOuraging
breaks ever recorded against them,
the Independents rose to the
heights when they got possession of
the ball on their own 15-yard line.
There were IS yards between
them and victory. How that dis
lance was covered against the fleet
ing seconds would make food for a
thriller in popular magazine. In
it the colorful Jimmie Councilman
and the phlegmatic ODE Woenig
would be the heroes, supported by
an all-star cast in the other mem
bers of the team.
Sickened by thoughts of defeat
administered by a foe believed at
the start unworthy, the crowd 81
lently awaited the end. The team
seemed incapable of a last punch,
which alone could rescue the col
ors from the mire.
And then, out of the gloom flash
ed a ray of light. ODE Woenig re-
ceived a 30-yard pass from the cap
tain and the ball rested five yards
from center of the field in Rock Is
lands territory.
Not a few hearts stopped. Could
they? Could those wearers of the
green and white, fighting for Rock
Island. pierce the defense that was
already hearing the praises of vic
tory? 1t seemed-yes, it seemed i'm
possible.
Again the tousled head of Cap
tain Jim and the fiail-like arms OF
Obe Woenig flashed into view ant
again the ball was advanced, this
time II yards. The enemy was
watching Woenig like the proverb
ial hawk. Jim, the strategist
sl1switched to Oke Smith. The pass
twas incomplete. A run, perhaps
might help. A half dozen Marines
were on Eddie Novak after he had
ripped his way through the left
side of the line for six yards. That
wouldn't do it. Third down. and
Captain Jim sailed the ball 80 yards
TO the outStretched arms of Smith.
The crowd was on its feet, wildly
expectant The ball was slapped
to the ground. 1t had looked Ger
tain
Thirty-six yards from victory
and one chance remaining.
The redoubtable Buck" Gavin
swung into the picture. Taking
the pass from center, he started
around the right wing of the de-
Tense, on what seemed a desperate
attempt to cover four yards for a
first down. Crouched low. Conzel-
man dexterously received the ball
into his capable hands by a crisis
cross and circled over near the
sideline. A husky Marine lunged
for him. missed and Jim hurled the
leather egg nightly without set
ting himself
Ten, twenty, thirty, forty yards,
and into the loving arms of Big
ODE. Just a step from the goal He
carried two tacklerS over with the
stride-then.
Pandemonium!
o. yes, Obe added another point
with goal kick. as a matter of
course. Everyone knew victory
had been snatched out of defeat.
Score Again.
The snap was now gone from the
Marines. Their fondest hopes had
been crushed. Sampson. mighty
fullback, came forward to receive
Oke Smiths kickoff The ball re-
bounded from his grasp. and Oke.
charging down the middle. shared
1t on Marines 30-yard line Tersch,
huge guard. was discovered using
his fists in the mxiup and was ban
ished from the field of play. The
15-yard penalty put Rock Island
within Is yards of another score. /
Buck" Gavin tore up the sod for
five yards through center. Novak }
dove off left tackle for three Han 8
son entered the game at center for
Rock Island, replacing Earps. Next, /
Councilman failed to hold I low pass
from center but Novak, swinging
around TO the right side on the sig
nal, scooped up the runaway ball
and cutting in through left tackle.
carried three Marines before him in
his smash for a second touchdown.
Hanson paved the way for him.
Again the cheers, and again ODE
Woenigs boot for the final point !
The Marines took the kickoff again I,
A completed pass or two for negli-
glble gains, and the whistle rang
down the. curtain on a truly great
victory for Rock Island.
Spectators who came exnect;,g
m