Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

PFRA Member Simon Herrera orgainzed over the past weekend a Vintage Football Game in Rock Island, Illinois.
The game featured the Rock Island Independents vs the Moline Universal Tractors from 1920. Our own Roy Sye
also played in the game. Here's an article and news video about the event. Nicely done.

http://wqad.com/2015/08/23/community-in ... ck-island/

http://www.qconline.com/opinion/columni ... 80c2a.html

Well this is pretty cool. Nice work fellas.

That's interesting stuff. The Rock Island Independents were back for a day. The Quad Cities media may not know the very first league game that counted in the NFL standings (well, APFA) was at that same Douglas Park. That September 26, 1920 was an even bigger shutout, against another non-league team, but even the non-league games counted that year. Tod Maher's site includes the results from the Independents' season of 100 years ago, but their Moline opponent then was the Indians. http://profootballarchives.com/1915rockii.html

I really hope that NFL does something to honor Rock Island in 2019. To me the ultimate would be a Bears vs. Cardinals exhibition game at Rock Island Public Schools Stadium.

As Mark already mentioned. The league's first-ever game that counted was at Douglas Park. RI's game wasn't against a league opponent, but since the game counted in the standings I think that game alone should be credited with being the NFL's first-ever. NOT the two league vs. league games played that following week.

I'd like to hear the opinions of others on that matter.

cdwillis wrote:PFRA Member Simon Herrera orgainzed over the past weekend a Vintage Football Game in Rock Island, Illinois.
The game featured the Rock Island Independents vs the Moline Universal Tractors from 1920. Our own Roy Sye
also played in the game. Here's an article and news video about the event. Nicely done.

http://wqad.com/2015/08/23/community-in ... ck-island/

http://www.qconline.com/opinion/columni ... 80c2a.html

This should be written up in The Coffin Corner since quite a few of our members seldom look at the Forum.

Something is already in the works for the Coffin Corner. Thanks.

Andrew McKillop wrote:I really hope that NFL does something to honor Rock Island in 2019. To me the ultimate would be a Bears vs. Cardinals exhibition game at Rock Island Public Schools Stadium.

As Mark already mentioned. The league's first-ever game that counted was at Douglas Park. RI's game wasn't against a league opponent, but since the game counted in the standings I think that game alone should be credited with being the NFL's first-ever. NOT the two league vs. league games played that following week.

I'd like to hear the opinions of others on that matter.

Great question. Strictly speaking, one could say that the first National Football League games were on October 1, 1922, in Akron, Buffalo, Canton, Chicago, Dayton, Racine, Rock Island and Toledo, since the ones before that were APFA games.

But as to 1920, my opinion is that the date of the first NFL game was October 3, rather than September 26, 1920, even though the 9/26 event counted towards Rock Island's 6-2-2 record. The championship wasn't decided until a vote at the 1921 owners' meeting, and if there had been two unbeaten teams to choose from (8-0-3 Akron was the only one), I think the voting owners would have given greater consideration to the team that beat the most league members.

My other thought is that nothing was being contested in the September 26 game. It was simply a matter of pride for the St. Paul Ideals, who weren't in a pennant race. On the six games the following week, two of them were ones where both sides were playing for the NFL pennant.

There was an article 35 years ago by Bob Carroll and Bob Braunwart on which game started earlier, the one at Rock Island (45-0 over Muncie) or the one at Dayton (14-0 over Columbus), and they concluded that we can't know for sure because we don't know the actual time for kickoff in either city, even though Dayton was on Eastern time and Rock Island on Central. Either way, their feeling was clearly that September 26 shouldn't even be considered http://profootballresearchers.com/archi ... 02-059.pdf

Rock Island has a claim on first game, regardless of how it's defined. It would be nice to see the NFL's Indiana and Illinois teams play an preseason near the Quad Cities in 2020, with Colts and Bears wearing throwback uniforms and leather covered Riddell helmets-- by the same token, a Bengals-Browns game at Dayton would be a good substitute for Triangles-Panhandles.

Good stuff.

I know that the Gridiron Uniform Database has Rock Island wearing Green & White in 1920, but the Decatur Review report of the Staleys - Rock Island game on November 7th 1920 clearly says that "...the green and yellow jerseyed athletes made their only successful assaults at the Staley line..."

by Andrew McKillop » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:37 pm
"I really hope that NFL does something to honor Rock Island in 2019. To me the ultimate would be a Bears vs. Cardinals exhibition game at Rock Island Public Schools Stadium..."

Your thought is quite noble but the probability is unlikely.
There is a better chance that the nfl might use it to make money with the sale of "specially designated replica jerseys."
That seems more the league style?

But... to hitchhike on your thought...
Wouldn't this be a wonderful theme for future PFRA meetings - members staging a game (in costume, of course)
at various APFA/NFL cities throughout the years?

We have our own tj troup who, in addition to having coaching experience, has served as an advisor to Hollywood
in the production of "Leatherheads."
Certainly he could instruct the board in the proper preparation for and set-up of the game - also in the various tactics
and alignments of the day.
We could also draw on the experience of Member Simon Herrera.

The event might even attract media attention on an international scale and enhance the proud reputation of our group.
One can envision cities begging - and paying for - the next annually scheduled game (or bi-annually to keep the thinking small.)
The possibilities are almost endless.

In addition, it could be fun - something pointedly avoided.

Meanwhile... Hoorah! Hoorah! for the Herrera group and their grand event. Hoorah!

In all honesty that game looks pretty much like the sandlot game I've been playing in for over thirty years.
Except for the shape of the football.