Sunday, December 1st @ Rock Island - Island City Park - 0,000
The Lineups: Rock Island........vs.....Spring Valley
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1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
T |
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Spring Valley Miners (IL) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
R.I. Independents |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
| RII | Davenport Interception Return | (A.Salzmann 1pt) |
INDEPENDENTS TO PLAY SPRING VALLEY FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP November 26th – Matchup - The Rock Island Independents have earned the right to play for the championship of Illinois. Rock Island is 7-0 and has outscored opponents 207-0. Rock Island will host the Spring Valley Miners who have an equal if not more impressive record. The Miners stand at 8-0 while outscoring their opponents 320-16. The two teams have faced 2 common opponents, the Kewanee Regulars and the Davenport Independents. Spring Valley outscored those teams 93-7 while the Independents only outscored the same teams 58-0. Spring Valley has agreed to travel to Rock Island at a steep cost. Independent management has agreed to double the entry fee to 50 cents for the game. Ladies will still be admitted for free while children under 16 will get in for 25 cents. Preparations – Lee Liitt, former University of Illinois full back and the brother of Dick Liitt will help coach the team this week. Joe Kelly, former Rock Island High football player and friend of Dick and Lee Liitt has sent diagrams of formations and plays from Coach Ed Yost of the University of Michigan. The Independents will practice these new formations and plays and then on Thanksgiving morning will play a scrimmage against the Rock Island Maroons. Source -Rock Island Argus November 26th, 1912 |
November 28th -Injuries and Player Updates – Quarterback Earnest MacManus is still not fully recovered from the tendon injured in his ankle last week against the Olympics. Coach Dick Liitt is considering putting on a uniform and leading the Independents into battle. The only hope is that Liitt’s leadership and experience will make up for the loss of MacManus’ ability to run the ball. Loyal Robb sat out practice trying to rest up his sore shoulder. Waddy Kuehl who played with the Davenport Independents and then with the Moline Olympics has reported and there may be a spot for him on the team this weekend. Source -Rock Island Argus November 28th, 1912 November 30th - Team is Ready – After a tough week of learning new plays, practicing signals and scrimmages the Rock Island Independents are ready to do battle for the State Championship of Illinois. Quarterback MacManus is likely to play despite the bad ankle. The game time is set for 3 o’clock at Douglas Park. The teams have agreed to let Curtis, a former University of Wisconsin player referee the game. R.D. MacManus or Rock Island will umpire the game. Source -Rock Island Argus November 30th, 1912 |
INDEPENDENTS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP December 2nd – Sunday – Neither team carried a weight advantage but Spring Valley carried the edge in age and experience. At least that is what the visitors who accompanied the team from Spring Valley thought. Prior to the game the betting was so heavy on the Miners that many Rock Islanders thought there was something wrong with the Independents. The crowd feared something was wrong with the team or someone on it and no bets could be secured backing the Independents. As soon as the team made their way onto the field and all could see everyone was fine, betting resumed. The Game – Spring Valley took the kick and had several short gains as they drove across midfield and into Rock Island territory. The defense stiffened. The two teams exchanged punts and battled it out until the near the end of the quarter. With seconds remaining quarterback McQuade dropped back for an apparent punt. After taking the snap McQuade turned and threw the ball towards the end Kern. Ted Davenport and another Independent player broke towards the ball. Kern was not able to hold on to the pass and the ball slipped through his hands in into the arms of Davenport. The half back took the ball and raced through an open field and the crowd erupted as he cross the goal. The second quarter was quiet and neither team scored. In the third quarter the Independents showed they were the more offensive team. Loyal Robb and Art Salzmann pounded the line with plunges and MacManus dazzled with his broken field running. The Independents moved close to the Spring Valley goal two times in the quarter. Once, MacManus lined up on the wet field and tried a drop kick. The soaked ball never had a chance and the kick resulted in a touchback. Another time on a 3rd down from the 15 yard line MacManus was about to line up for another goal attempt, his teammates convinced him to go for the first down instead. The next play resulted in the ball getting to close to the sidelines making the kicking angle impossible. The Independents showed their toughness and limited movement of the ball by Spring Valley. The game ended with Spring Valley in possession of the ball around midfield. Source -Rock Island Argus December 2nd, 1912
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SPRING VALLEY SUPPORTES SORE ABOUT GAME December 5th - Stunned. Fans of the Spring Valley Miners are still trying to figure out jst how the locals beat their hometown team. They have raised questions about the Independents lineup and suggest that Rock Island stacked the team with college ringers. With both teams disbanded and no chance of another game, supporters have put up $1,000 saying the Rock Island could not do it again. One supporter contacted the Rock Island Argus and had this to say, “It could not happen again in 100 years. We have $1,000 beans or dollars to say so, I would also like to know how many Rock Island players played Sunday or were they all university players; there were more players on the sidelines than there were spectators.” The Rock Island Argus had this to say, “Everyone one of the players making up the Rock Island Independents are Rock Islanders with one exception. Right tackle Swanson is from Moline. None of the players are university men although there are several on the team who have the ability to make a university eleven had they the opportunity.” Source -Rock Island Argus December 5th, 1912
2/10/12 - Picture of Team in Argus |