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 Force was ranked 13th. The Cubs, Sox, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls theyre larger-than-life names ingrained in the minds of everyone with even a passing interest in sport. Revolution Football invites you to join our semi-pro football team in Rockford, IL. The Independents then signed Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame for 1926. Gist-Holden wasn't arrested until June 18 at the conclusion of a high-speed chase in Georgia, per the complaint. November 7, 1920 Tied Decatur Staleys 00. The Independents were founded in 1907 by Demetrius Clements as an independent football club. A new team is kicking off this year in the Bloomington-Normal area. Lost to Chicago Bears 297. Both locations are still in use today. [9][10], A second and considerably larger meeting was held on September 17, 1920. On August 20, 1920 an initial meeting was held by representatives of the Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers, and Dayton Triangles. Douglas Park. Like the Cougars, the Peoria Chiefs play in the Midwest League of Minor League Baseball. Hard work is the price we must all pay for success. Although the team is based in the south suburbs, some players live farther afield. In 1926, in what became their final year of existence, the Independents moved to Browning Field in neighboring Moline, Illinois. The AFL folded after the season and the Independents were rejected in their attempt to rejoin the NFL. They have been ordered, Haynes said. We get players from a variety of sources. Based in Chicago, the MSFL currently consists of 16 teams; ten in Illinois, three in Indiana, and three in Wisconsin. The Force was 5-1 going into this weekend's action, which makes the team a likely part of the playoffs that begin Oct. 21. Jim Thorpe, considered "the World's Greatest Athlete", joined the Independents in 1924 and the team went 522 in league play. 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 . Douglas Park. Most trips consist of 60 miles or greater will be chartered. 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. We plan to be supported by major and minor corporations, small business, as well as current and former professional athletes. The Gateway Grizzlies play in the West Division of the Frontier League, the oldest currently running independent baseball league. One of the first professional football teams, the Independents were founded in 1907 by Demetrius Clements as an independent football club. 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. Its worked out really well for them. In what can be considered the greatest game in MSFL history, the Chicago Thunder defeated the Leyden Lions 26-21 to claim their fourth straight league title. On the Force's final drive, Tomlinson's runs and passes take the Force down to the Eagles' 14-yard line. 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. And VonHolt, their head coach, runs the rental department for a forklift company. After his arrest he reportedly offered to "work off" the charges by becoming an FBI informant, per the affidavit. The Eastern Wisconsin Slayers is a adult semi-pro football team that participates in the Northern Lights Football. Other leagues subsequently formed, and in 1980, Pro Football Weekly asked Real to begin covering semi-pro football for the newspaper and to help organize a national playoff system. In a 1926 New Year's Day football exhibition, Thorpe's "Tampa Cardinals" played against the Chicago Bears led by Red Grange. Both men face charges of armed bank robbery, using a firearm during the robbery, and causing death, per the Sun-Times. See them play at Boomers Stadium, Schaumburg. Local traveling will be done by player and coach carpools. A tryout for his Central Illinois Cougars semi-pro team sent him back in the direction of Altons Gordon Moore Park and eventually led to a decision for his team to play its 2021 season on the new artificial turf field there. See them play at TaxSlayer Center, Moline. Greenwood Park in Chicago. King reportedly told authorities he was a player on the football team and that his coach, Gist-Holden, was the one who shot the guard. Myles has used Carlinville as his base of activities and said if all goes well this season, the operation could move to Alton. 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. Tied Chicago Bears 33. The Independents shared the stadium with the minor league baseball Moline Plowboys. He spent the 1991 Arena Football League season with the now defunct Denver Dynamite. Players are responsible for buying their own helmets, pads and shoes. The (ILC) will be very active in Chicago, as well as other surrounding communities by visiting Childrens hospitals, mentoring youth athletes, and by hosting entertaining events for people of all ages, genders, and creeds to enjoy. November 1, 1925. The Chicago Bulls also own and operate the team. Nonetheless, that year showed a battle of past and present dynasties compete for the MSFL title, with the Chicago Thunder defeating the Force of Illinois in overtime for the championship after both teams had played to a 21-21 tie in regulation. Id say the oldest is probably around 30.. He added that the team position on semi-pro players isn't an indictment of their talents; instead, he said, the Bears prefer to draft college players or those who have been cut from other NFL teams.). ALTON Kinney Myles has been in the football team ownership business for more than 20 years and hes always on the lookout for ways to help his team. 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. [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. Currently, in addition to the Force and the DuPage Eagles, Chicago area teams include the Panthers, Thunder and Chargers, all based in Chicago, and the Lake County Chiefs. 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. The ThunderBolts are one of the oldest teams in the Frontier League. Mechanical engineer, ex semi-pro soccer (football) player and automotive enthusiast. For the following two seasons, he served as the team's assistant manager, under then-manager Jack Roche. The Cougars will play their second game of the season Saturday at 7 p.m. at Bunker Hill High School against the East Missouri Eagles. Discover top travel stories and even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois with our free magazine. Find out how to get to Illinois by plane, train, bus and driving. We are a semi-pro football. December 9, 1923. "Basically, we want to give them an opportunity to carry on their football careers," said Force Head Coach Daniel VonHolt of Orland Park, who said some members of his squad nurture hopes of careers in the National Football League, Canadian Football League or Arena Football League (played indoors in basketball-type stadiums). The Miners, named for the Southern Illinois regions history of coal mining, play in the West Division of the Frontier League. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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. For 2007, the MSFL welcomed the Racine Threat and Northern Illinois Cowboys. Im excited about it, Myles said. They played as a semi-pro team in 1927, and then went out of business. The Force starts preparing for the season in June with tryouts and a conditioning camp for prospective and returning players. Our schedule runs from May to August, so you can enjoy the beautiful spring weather while enjoying one of America's greatest pastimes. It will be a unifying experience for people to come and cheer for a common cause, and most importantly to have fun! [5] In 1915, Flanigan became the owner of the team and later promoted the Independents by scheduling two home games in 1917 against the Minneapolis Marines. His son Hub is a radio announcer for the Bears. Its something we have wanted to emphasize, that the turf field can be used for a variety of sports and activities.. Official Site of the United Football League, google.com, pub-6849808367135271, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0, Copyright 2023 Official Site of the United Football League. But Canton, which had already won the "Ohio League" championship by defeating the Massillon Tigers, turned down the offer. Illinois 200 The names, logos, and other source identifying features of newspapers depicted in our database are the trademarks of their respective owners, and our use of newspaper content in the public domain or by private agreement does not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement from, the publishers of the newspaper titles that appear on our site. The Cougars will play this season in the Hidden Gemz League, a branch of the Hidden Gemz Sports Scouting service. Force players are construction workers, car salesmen, an industrial hygienist and truck drivers, among others. 2,000. Theyve posted a winning record every one of their 24 seasons, gone to playoffs 19 times and won four championships. As part of the merger, teams were prohibited from subsidizing semi-pro teams and the two semi-pro leagues in existence folded. The Illini Panthers play in the MidStates Football League (MSFL), an adult amateur football league in the Midwest that's based in Chicago. The Mid-State Steel and Indiana Titans returned from their respective hiatuses, with the Kankakee Plowmen joining the party. Criteria include a team's standing in its league, the quality of its opponents and point differentials (the AFA gives credit up to 30 points so that running up the score only helps so much). Although the Roscoe Rush left the MSFL to compete in the Ironman Football League, 2006 saw two new teams join (the Mid-State Steel and the Lafayette Lions). I had been wanting to get to a larger city., Myles, the owner as well as head coach, said the team is my baby., I created it and paid for it, he said. Dale Johnson then owned the team from 1924 until it folded, along with the rest of the American Football League in 1926. Chicago, IL 60653-2197. "With the new guys, we needed every minute for practices getting prepared for the season. Please have a heart and help out the less fortunate this Christmas season. Team officials expect the final league schedule to be complete soon. If you love football as much as we do, you can't stand to go through the offseason without it. We will be collecting lightly worn coats, new coats, and new TOYS for 8-14 ages. ", The club wrote it felt that families, supporters and the team players were "left out to dry for what we believe was an intentional mistake.". 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. The Boomers are one of the most successful teams in the Frontier League, championship winners in three of the seven seasons theyve played. All players entered into the UFL Semi-Pro Draft must have semi-professional football playing experience. 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. The independent team had no athletic club affiliation, no social club ties and no corporate company backing or sponsorship. The game was between two top 20 teams, based on the AFA's preseason poll. The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team, based in Rock Island, Illinois, from 1907 to 1926. Like the Rivermen, they play in the Southern Professional Hockey League. Mid-States football league - 2010 Standings, List of Washington Redskins starting quarterbacks, List of Baltimore Ravens starting quarterbacks. The Force, which debuted in 1987, is the successor to the Orland Fury, a south suburban semi-pro team of the mid-1980s. The 34-year-old wide receiver said he was excited for the Royals' first preseason game, the. The Cougars will play five home games on Field 3 at Gordon Moore Park, Alton Parks and Recreation director Mike Haynes said. The Cougars have made it to six league championship finals and have gone 3-3. 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. Today, however, it's rare for a member of the league to make it to the NFL. Once again, the Detroit Seminoles reigned supreme, capping another perfect season with another title game win, defeating the Marauders by a score of 43-10. 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. I have been a teacher at Pakuranga College in Auckland, New Zealand since January 2007. Player that attains any one item of the following guidelines is eligible to participate in the UFL. The UFL will host the first year of the UFL Semi-Pro Draft in Atlanta, Georgia. Flanigan then ordered the team's tackle, Ed Healey relieve Coughlin. 1 talking about this. "This is a very good No. The Elmhurst Travelers Semi Pro Football Team played in the Bi-State, Tri State and Central States Leagues from 1927 - 1968. Lost to Chicago Bears 60. The association organizes the playoffs, a series of games leading to the Super Bowl of the semi-pros. Cowboys games will be a great opportunity for the community to gather and see professional caliber football for an affordable price. For much of its history the northern division was made up of the Madison Mustangs, Manitowoc Chiefs, Sheboygan Redwings and West Allis Spartans. Come 1991, they saw the light and moved to Geneva, taking a place in the Midwest League of Minor League Baseball. 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. 3 team in the nation. According to the. 3 ranked team in the country, and it shows. Copyright 2023 Revolution Football, all rights reserved. The Cougars and the city of Alton are expected to officially announce the agreement at 3 p.m. Friday. This is a stepping stone for us. The Independents played in Douglas Park (19071925) and Browning Field (1926). ALTON The location is different, but the Central Illinois Cougars semi-pro football team's goal of reaching their league championship game remains the same. The Bloomington Renegades are one of two new teams joining the semi-pro, Mid-West United Football League. Illinois minor leagues serve up top quality action every season. The Independents lost only to the Hammond Pros, led by George Halas in 1919. In fact, the players of the semi-pro Palos-Orland Force lay out their own money to endure the bumps and bruises, either for love of the game or to keep a dream alive. 2001 was by far the MSFL's most tumultuous season, with the Chicago Mavericks and Force of Illinois leaving (while the Mavericks folded, the Force merged with the Will County Buccaneers to form the Will County Force and play one season in the Mid Continental Football League). They hosted what has been retrospectively designated the first National Football League game on September 26, 1920 at Douglas Park. Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) 6,000. Rock Island lost to the Marines by a score of 73 in front of over 6,400 fans at Douglas Park in the first game on November 4. Chicago,IL60653-2197. "I don't tell them that they can't play, unless it is a head injury, something serious that I notice and that they need to get to the hospital for," she explained. November 19, 1919. "My dream is to play pro football, but if this is what it is for me, fine. BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) Attention football fans! Defeated Green Bay Packers 30. She has little input in whether the players take the field. The Illinois Cowboys plans to earn generous donations from the community. The Racine Raiders celebrate the team's 68th season of operations in 2021. We will bring in other competitive teams to help improve this tremendously fast growing league. [2][10], A week later, on October 3, 1920, the Independents defeated the Muncie Flyers 450 at Douglas Park in the first full week of APFA league play. The majority of the players were in the employ of the Company. On the field, under the lights, players collide in bone-crunching hits, stretch to make fingertip catches and give their all in clutch, last-minute plays. [21][22], The Independents' overall NFL record was 26149, with five winning seasons in six years. See them play at Allstate Arena, Rosemont. We were having a tryout there and one of my coaches called me and said he saw artificial turf. These new players would help improve play and help secure the team an invitation to join the NFL. 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. The Central Illinois Cougars have played home games at various sites since their formation in 1998, but this is the first time the team will play home games on artificial turf. That's the dream of Tom Tomlinson of Westmont. Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) 7,000. More than 250 teams in 34 leagues are affiliated with the association. For now, it will be games only at Moore Park. You are in [9], The newly formed league elected Jim Thorpe as its first President and consisted of 14 teams. Current professional sports teams [ edit] Former professional sports teams [ edit] See also [ edit] List of developmental and minor sports leagues Professional sports leagues in the United States For information on the playoffs or the Force, phone 312-445-2947. (Visionhaus/Getty Images) The Illini Panthers play in the MidStates Football League (MSFL), an adult amateur. 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. You have an opportunity to make a dent in the league.". He played for the Bears in 1987 and 1988 and later for other NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions. With a shortage of professional Football leagues and options for elite athletes, the Cowboys will make its players feel they are in professional organization. In addition to their winning record, the Wolves are well-known for their community involvement in particular, their Adopt-a-Dog program. Scout Mike McCartney said there are "plenty of guys who have played in the NFL this year alone" to fill the Bears' needs. King, who is from Miami, Florida, was found in a nearby wooded area hours after the attack, per the affidavit. Welcome to the OFFICIAL Lincoln-Way Patriots Facebook page. Sounds like the pros, except for the pay: nothing. In the first half, the Eagles score a touchdown but miss the extra point, and the Force's Baldyga kicks a 27-yard field goal. The Force foils the two-point try, leaving the Eagles with a 19-17 lead. 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. SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL: Central Illinois Cougars feature new lineup in new league, Newsletters: Get local news delivered directly to you. The Independents also moved from Douglas Park in Rock Island to Browning Field in neighboring Moline, Illinois for the 1926 season. The meeting was held at the Jordan and Hupmobile auto showroom in Canton, Ohio and resulted in the formation of the American Professional Football Conference (APFC). Players nursing the pro dream can take solace in the career path of Mark Rodenhauser, a center with the Carolina Panthers, an NFL expansion team. On June 13, two days after the bank robbery, the Illini Panthers Facebook page made an all-caps announcement that the team would no longer compete in the MSFL. Johnson hired Vince McCarthy, the Independents' back-up quarterback as the new general manager. We will provide the local community with a fabulous experience at all Cowboys home games. -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 Chicago Union were founded in 2013 and compete in the Central Division of theAmerican Ultimate Disc League. This will be a great opportunity for the community to embrace something positive. November 29, 1925. Sports editor Pete Hayes is a 43-year journalist. Haynes indicated that more bleachers are on the way to Gordon Moore Park. A member of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) group and Formula SAE IIT team. In 1923, Flanigan left the Independents to concentrate on his real estate and insurance businesses.[8]. The dictionary is the only place success comes before work. Every player is issued a playbook, and each week the coaching staff gives them packets of new plays for upcoming games and handouts on the formations and tendencies of opponents. Today, the site has baseball field and a playground and hosts some lower level Rock Island High School events. I had contacted Alton last season about the possibility of our team playing there, before the turf was put in, said Myles, whos owned the Cougars since 1998. With Rock Island High School alumni and Olympian Sol Butler joining the squad, Rock Island went 233 in 1923, and rebounded to post winning seasons in 1924 and 1925. Contact Us Semi-Pro Teams Northern Light Cowboys | Marshfield Bandits Mid-Western Wildcats Lost to Minneapolis Marines 337. In 1923, Flanigan sold the Independents to Dale Johnson, a local businessman. See them play at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, Geneva. Whether or not the pros call, Force players are hoping to make the national playoffs of the American Football Association, an Oak Brook-based non-profit corporation that promotes semi-pro football nationwide.

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