In January 1981, on the day before the Super Bowl, the AFA held its first All Star game with 100 semi-pro players in New Orleans. Though this team is new, the name should be familiar to area fans: theyre named after a Quad Cities team of the same name which played arena football between 2000 and 2009. The Cougars will play this season in the Hidden Gemz League, a branch of the Hidden Gemz Sports Scouting service. Workers were smoothing the concrete for the first section of parking lot and drive-through lane An East Alton man has been charged with four felonies related to gunfire on Tuesday night in Alton. "This is a very good No. Tied Chicago Bears 33. [18] On June 24, 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League (NFL). Never having lost a game in their MSFL tenure, the Detroit Seminoles decided to move to the Mid Continental Football League for stronger competition. 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. We have played most of our games in smaller communities around Central Illinois, Myles said. One of the first professional football teams, the Independents were founded in 1907 by Demetrius Clements as an independent football club. [4], Walter Flanigan had joined the Independents as a backup end in 1912. "We pick players who could go to the next step, that pro level," said Howard Huntington, 49, of Chicago, who has owned the Force since 1988 and who played football at Illinois State University. The most recent semi-pro player to jump to the NFL is Eric Swann, a star defensive tackle with the Arizona Cardinals who was playing for the Bay State Titans near Boston until he signed with the Cardinals in 1991. However, there have been soccer and football practices on them. The Hunger Walk is a fun opportunity for all types of businesses, organizations and individuals to help ensure their neighbors get the food they need. According to the league's website, it was formed in 2021 and features 11 man football, with the goal of all teams thriving. The Chicago Dogs are Illinois newest professional baseball team. But they said the fields would be torn up because they were installing artificial turf. Player that attains any one item of the following guidelines is eligible to participate in the UFL. "You got the No. The UFL will host the first year of the UFL Semi-Pro Draft in Atlanta, Georgia. [23][24][25], Browning Field, the Independents' home in 1926, is located at 16th Street and 23rd Avenue in Moline, Illinois. The Cougars' first home game is set for May 14 at 7 p.m. against the Iowa Warhawks and Gordon Moore Park. Having won back-to-back MFL titles, the Seminoles carried their success to the MSFL, capping the first perfect season in league history with a championship win over the Force of Illinois, 35-14. It cited a "disturbing statement' by the league office that passes "blame for their insufficient and lack of effort in taking care of last week's game mishap where referees were not assigned to our game. Are you eager to get involved with our amazing semi-pro league football community in Rockford, IL? And VonHolt, their head coach, runs the rental department for a forklift company. On August 20, 1920 an initial meeting was held by representatives of the Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers, and Dayton Triangles. For that season, the Force of Illinois and Lake County Steelers played in the Chicagoland Football League. The Force were crowned the MSFL's first champion with their 27-8 win over the Warriors in the championship game. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. 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 Kane County Cougars started life as the Wausau Timbers, based in Wisconsin. There are no team buses or equipment managers. Myles has used Carlinville as his base of activities and said if all goes well this season, the operation could move to Alton. They joined the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball in 2018, with a vision of the best ballpark experience in America. The name isnt canine in nature its named after the famous Chicago street food. After the game, VonHolt has mixed feelings as his team's record drops to 2-1. 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. STERNAMAN ALSO TALLIES Second Touchdown Follows Star's Sprint in Last Period -- Quarter Makes 11 Points", "History of Professional Football and Stadium Sports in Tampa, Florida", "mcubed.net: NCAAF Football: Series records: Illinois vs. Iowa", "EXCHANGE: Rock Island game recalls early days of NFL", "Wharton Field House Home Wharton Field House / Browning Field Moline-Coal Valley School District No. Most trips consist of 60 miles or greater will be chartered. Myles said fan support was strong for the season opener in Fenton, "Our fans, Cougar Nation, helped us,' Myles said. Founding American Football League teams for 1926 were the Boston Bulldogs, Brooklyn Horsemen, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Panthers, Los Angeles Wildcats, Newark Bears, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Quakers and the Rock Island Independents. The Quad City Steamwheelers are Illinois' newest professional football team, starting off with the Champions Indoor Football league in 2018. Theyre also renowned for their pre-game pyrotechnics. Sports SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL: Central Illinois Cougars feature new lineup in new league Pete Hayes , Sports Editor May 4, 2022 Updated: May 4, 2022 3:45 p.m. He spent the 1991 Arena Football League season with the now defunct Denver Dynamite. In 2011, the MSFL announced that the Lake Geneva Generals and the Springfield Foxes have both been accepted as the newest members of the Mid-States Football League for the upcoming 2011 season. Local traveling will be done by player and coach carpools. made an all-caps announcement that the team. In 1922, Flanigan sold the contract of Ed Healey, to Halas and the Chicago Bears for $200. The former owner and two former executives of the previous team thought that just wouldnt do so they quickly formed a new team under the same name, joining the Southern Professional Hockey League.See them play at Peoria Civic Center, Peoria. In what proved to be a fatal move, after the 1925 season Johnson moved the team to the American Football League. 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. [9], The newly formed league elected Jim Thorpe as its first President and consisted of 14 teams. You are in The Illinois Cowboys plans to earn generous donations from the community. "Probably 20 percent of the players want to take the next step ," said Ed O'Reilly of Lisle, the offensive coordinator for the semi-pro DuPage Eagles and a coach on that level for 25 years. 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. Fans will be able to see the next up and coming athletes, as well as former High School and college stars. The Danville Dashers play in the Federal Hockey League, sharing their name with the original Danville Dashers, who played in the 1980s. However, the Independents still had defeated the Columbus Panhandles 490 and the Indians 170 that season. In addition, the Lansing Lightning moved to the Lakeshore Football League, the Indianapolis Warriors had previously announced their return only to drop out before the year's start, and the Dowagiac Dawgs and Milwaukee Avalanche both folded because of illness having struck both teams' owners. The MSFL added the Cook County Jaguars to fill in the lineup; however, it was the Chicago Lawmen who came away with the MSFL title that year, defeating the Cook County Punishers 9-0. 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. A second, unrelated, "Rock Island Independents" played at the Northwest Football League in 1936. "We want to make sure the product we put on the field for the fans is what they are going to see in the pro game," Huntington says. The game was between two top 20 teams, based on the AFA's preseason poll. November 18, 1917. Get inspired by top travel stories, gain access to exclusive promotions and contests, and discover even more reasons to #EnjoyIllinois. [23], Douglas Park is located at the corner of 18th Avenue and 9th Street in Rock Island, Illinois. Klepser, an Elmhurst paramedic, cares for game injuries and gives the players advice about staying in shape during the year. 2003 AFA SEMI-PRO ALL-AMERICAN TEAM (Click here for listing) FIRST TEAM AFA ALL-AMERICANS QB Jay Hawes Brooklyn Mariners RB Brian McGee Brooklyn Mariners RB Leroy McFadden Kane County Eagles WR Gabe Young Glens Falls Greenjackets WR Melvin Stewart Cleveland Lions TE Bo Wasurick St. Paul Pioneers OL Don Cornelius Cleveland Lions We will bring in other competitive teams to help improve this tremendously fast growing league. Players are responsible for buying their own helmets, pads and shoes. It specifically mentions that players should at the "bare minimum" have insurance and that teams have folded because of financial reasons. For much of its history the northern division was made up of the Madison Mustangs, Manitowoc Chiefs, Sheboygan Redwings and West Allis Spartans. Sports editor Pete Hayes is a 43-year journalist. Cappelletti, of Rockford, faces a 90-minute to two-hour drive to games. ALTON - The Central Illinois Cougars, a semi-professional football team since 1999, announced today in a press event at Gordon Moore Park it will play its home games at Gordon Moore Park in 2021. All players entered into the UFL Semi-Pro Draft must have semi-professional football playing experience. Workers were smoothing the concrete for the first section of parking lot and drive-through lane An East Alton man has been charged with four felonies related to gunfire on Tuesday night in Alton. They had the same record the next two seasons, with five of their six losses in three years coming to George Halas and the Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears. The Independents played in Douglas Park (19071925) and Browning Field (1926). Years of high school and college gridiron glory have built to this. Newspapers.com makes these newspapers available for the purpose of historical research, and is not responsible for the content of any newspapers archived at our site. During the game Grange rushed for a 70-yard touchdown as the Bears notched a 173 victory at Plant Field in Tampa, Florida. The Cougars have made it to six league championship finals and have gone 3-3. The mayor (Brandt Walker) is excited about it too and he has said hell do everything he could to make it work.. After the formation of the league, Flanigan was named to the committee that created the league's constitution. 4130 S Indiana Avenue. The event will be open to the public with fans, prospects, and prospect families invited to the event. Search for Quick Approved Loans - Get One Now! Often, theyre the place where the big stars get their start so grab a ticket now to see a future star of the major leagues today! 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