1920 Rock Island Independents season | |
---|---|
General manager | Walter Flanigan |
Head coach | Rube Ursella |
Home field | Douglas Park |
Results | |
Record | 6–2–2 |
League place | T-4th in APFA |
AP All-Pros | 7
|
The 1920 Rock Island Independents season was the American football franchise's thirteenth season and inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (APFA). The Independents hosted first ever APFA/National Football League contest on September 26, 1920. After the AFPA had been formed on September 17, 1920, Douglas Park was the venue as the Independents hosted the St. Paul Ideals, winning 48-0 in the new league's first contest. [1] [2]
The Independents entered the season coming off a nine-win, one-loss, one-tie (9–1–1) record in 1919 as an independent team, which the team proclaimed to be the "Champions of the USA". After the 1919 season, several representatives from the Ohio League, another American football league, wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created.
A majority of the team stayed from the 1919 team, including the coaching staff, but Keith Dooley was added to the roster. The Independents opened the season with a win against the St. Paul Ideals, a non-APFA team. This was the first game in the history of the APFA. The team played all but one game at their home field, Douglas Park, and ended the season with a 6–2–2 record, which placed the team tied-for-fourth in the league standings.
The sportswriter Bruce Copeland compiled the All-Pro list for the 1920 season. Fred Denfield, Dewey Lyle, and Ed Novak made the first-team; Obe Wenig and Ed Shaw made the second-team; and Walt Buland and Freeman Fitzgerald made the third-team. Of all the players on the roster, only Ed Healey has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Rock Island Independents finished 9–1–1 in their 1919 season, claiming the National Championship. [3] [4] For the 1920 season, the Independents added multiple players to its roster: Keith Dooley, who previously played from 1912 to 1916; Fred Denfield, Mark Devlin, and Harry Gunderson, who previously played in 1917; Ed Healey, Polly Koch, George Magerkurth, Ed Shaw, Ben Synhorst, Harry Webber, Obe Wenig, and Arnie Wyman. The team lost Wes Bradshaw, Leland Dempsey, Al Jorgenson, Loyal Robb, Fats Smith, Red Swanson, and co-coach John Roche. [5] [6] [7]
After the 1919 season, representatives of the Canton Bulldogs, the Cleveland Tigers, the Dayton Triangles, and the Akron Pros met on August 20, 1920, to discuss the formation of a new league. At the meeting, they tentatively agreed on a salary cap and pledged not to sign college players or players already under contract with other teams. They also agreed on a name for the circuit: the American Professional Football Conference. [8] [9] They then invited other professional teams to a second meeting on September 17.
At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Racine Cardinals, the Massillon Tigers, the Chicago Cardinals, and the Hammond Pros agreed to join the league. Representatives of the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons could not attend the meeting, but sent letters to Hay asking to be included in the league. [10] Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Jim Thorpe as president. [10] [11] [12] Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed, so there were no minimum or maximum number of games needed to be played. [13] [14] Also, representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy. [15]
Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | Sources | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 26 | vs. St. Paul Ideals | W 48–0 | 1–0 | Douglas Park | 800 | Recap | ||
2 | October 3 | vs. Muncie Flyers | W 45–0 | 2–0 | Douglas Park | 3,110 | Recap | [16] | |
3 | October 10 | vs. Hammond Pros | W 26–0 | 3–0 | Douglas Park | 2,554 | Recap | ||
4 | October 17 | vs. Decatur Staleys | L 0–7 | 3–1 | Douglas Park | 7,000 | Recap | ||
5 | October 24 | vs. Chicago Cardinals | W 7–0 | 4–1 | Douglas Park | 4,000 | Recap | [17] | |
6 | October 31 | vs. Chicago Tigers | W 20–7 | 5–1 | Douglas Park | Recap | |||
7 | November 7 | vs. Decatur Staleys | T 0–0 | 5–1–1 | Douglas Park | 7,000+ | Recap | [18] [19] | |
8 | November 11 | at Chicago Thorn-Tornadoes | T 7–7 | 5–1–2 | Monmouth Athletic Park | Recap | |||
9 | November 14 | vs. Dayton Triangles | L 0–21 | 5–2–2 | Douglas Park | Recap | |||
— | November 21 | vs. Canton Bulldogs | canceled [20] | [21] | |||||
10 | November 28 | vs. Washington & Jefferson All-Stars | W 48–7 | 6–2–2 | Douglas Park | 2,500 | Recap | [22] | |
Note: Non-APFA teams in italics. |
1920 APFA standings [23] | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | DPCT | PF | PA | STK | |
Akron Pros† | 8 | 0 | 3 | 1.000 | 6–0–3 | 1.000 | 151 | 7 | T2 |
Decatur Staleys | 10 | 1 | 2 | .909 | 5–1–2 | .833 | 164 | 21 | T1 |
Buffalo All-Americans | 9 | 1 | 1 | .900 | 4–1–1 | .800 | 258 | 32 | T1 |
Chicago Cardinals | 6 | 2 | 2 | .750 | 3–2–2 | .600 | 101 | 29 | T1 |
Rock Island Independents | 6 | 2 | 2 | .750 | 4–2–1 | .667 | 201 | 49 | W1 |
Dayton Triangles | 5 | 2 | 2 | .714 | 4–2–2 | .667 | 150 | 54 | L1 |
Rochester Jeffersons | 6 | 3 | 2 | .667 | 0–1–0 | .000 | 156 | 57 | T1 |
Canton Bulldogs | 7 | 4 | 2 | .636 | 4–3–1 | .571 | 208 | 57 | W1 |
Detroit Heralds | 2 | 3 | 3 | .400 | 1–3–0 | .250 | 53 | 82 | T2 |
Cleveland Tigers | 2 | 4 | 2 | .333 | 1–4–2 | .200 | 28 | 46 | L1 |
Chicago Tigers | 2 | 5 | 1 | .286 | 1–5–1 | .167 | 49 | 63 | W1 |
Hammond Pros | 2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 0–3–0 | .000 | 41 | 154 | L3 |
Columbus Panhandles | 2 | 6 | 2 | .250 | 0–4–0 | .000 | 41 | 121 | W1 |
Muncie Flyers | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0–1–0 | .000 | 0 | 45 | L1 |
† Awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup and named APFA Champions.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ideals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Independents | 14 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 48 |
September 26, 1920, at Douglas Park, Rock Island, Illinois
To start its 1920 season, the Independents played the first game in the history of the league against the non-APFA St. Paul Ideas.[ citation needed ] This was the Ideals' second game of the season, coming off a 14–7 victory the week prior. [24] Coach Flanigan had Fred Chicken, Bobby Marshall, and Freeman Fitzgerald—the 1919 Independents' main stars—in reserve in case he needed to play them. [25] The Independents shutout the Ideals, winning 48–0. [26] Every touchdown by the Independents were rushing. In the first quarter, Ed Novak and Chicken both scored; Novak and Jerry Mansfield scored in the second quarter.[ citation needed ] The Independents scored 14 points in the third quarter with touchdowns from Ray Kuehl and Mansfield.[ citation needed ] In the final quarter, Kuehl scored the Independents' last points of the game. [25]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flyers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Independents | 21 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 45 |
October 3, 1920, at Douglas Park
Next up, the Green and White faced the Muncie Flyers — reckoned to be one of the first games featuring two APFA teams. [27] As the Columbus Panhandles played against the Dayton Triangles on the same day it is unknown which of the two games started first. In the first quarter, the Independents scored three touchdowns: two from Arnold Wyman and one from Rube Ursella. In the second quarter, Ursella scored kicked a 25 yard field goal, and Wyman scored from an 86 yard kickoff return. In the third quarter, Sid Nichols had a 5 yard rushing touchdown, and Waddy Kuehl scored a 7 yard rushing touchdown. The final score of the game was 45–0. [28] This game was the only one that counted towards the Flyers' standing for the entire 1920 season.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pros | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Independents | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 26 |
October 10, 1920, at Douglas Park
This was the Pros' first game of the 1920 season. There were no scores by either team in the first or third quarters, but the Independents scored 13 points in the second and fourth. [29] Back Fred Chicken scored a 1 yard rushing touchdown; back Ray Kuehl scored two touchdowns: a 5 yard rushing touchdown and a 35 yard receiving touchdown from back Pudge Wyman; and back Gerald Mansfield caught a 20 yard receiving touchdown from Wyman.[ citation needed ] Hammond started to purposely injure their opponents during the game. As a result, Rube Ursella suffered a twisted knee. Duey Lyle was kicked in the face and required seven stitches. Lastly, Ed Healey was kicked in the face and needed five stitches in the cheek. [29]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Staleys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Independents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
October 17, 1920, at Douglas Park
In week 4, the Independents played the Decatur Staleys. After two games against non-APFA teams, the Staleys played against an APFA team. Late in the first quarter, the Independents' Freeman Fitzgerald forced a fumble on Jimmy Conzelman; Fitzgerald retrieved it at the 49 yard line. The Independents drove the ball down the field, and the Staleys' players were tired. As a result, they called a timeout. With possession on 23, Arnie Wyman rushed for 10 yards, and the Independents were in the Red zone. The first quarter ended there. Wyman took the next snap and fumbled as he was tackled. George Trafton recovered the ball at the 8 yard mark. Later in the quarter, Conzelman scored the only touchdown in the game. [30]
In the third quarter, Fred Chicken intercepted a Staley pass on the Independents' 28. Early in the fourth quarter, the Staleys drove to the Independents' 14, where they lined up for a field goal. Wyman blocked the kick, however. The Independents next possession resulted in a punt, and the Staleys started the possession at their own 7 yard line. On this possession, Kuehl intercepted a pass. The Independents attempted a Hail Mary pass late in the game, but it was unsuccessful. The game ended a few minutes later with the Staleys with possession. [30]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Independents | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
October 24, 1920, at Douglas Park
Coming off their first loss of the season, the Independents played against the Chicago Cardinals in week 5, with 4,000 spectators in attendance.[ citation needed ] The Independents out-gained the Cardinals in yards; the Independents had 263 total yards while the opponent had 153. [31] The only score was in the second quarter when Wyman caught a 6 yard receiving touchdown from Nichols, making the final score 7–0.[ citation needed ] This was the first loss of the season for the Cardinals. [32]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Independents | 6 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
October 31, 1920, at Douglas Park
In week six, the Independents played the Chicago Tigers. The Independents out-gained the Tigers in first downs, 14 to 3. [33] The first score of the game was a 6 yard rushing touchdown by Chicken; however, the extra point was missed, so the score was only 6–0.[ citation needed ] The Tigers took the lead in the second quarter after Dunc Annan had a 2 yard rushing touchdown.[ citation needed ] Chicken ended up having two rushing touchdowns, and Wyman had another rushing touchdown, as the Independents beat the Tigers 20–7. [33]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Staleys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Independents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
November 7, 1920, at Douglas Park
On a five-game winning streak, the Staleys played against the Independents again. The game ended in a 0–0 tie. Several injuries occurred throughout the game for the Independents. Sid Nichols, Fred Chicken, and Oak Smith injured their knees on different plays. Harry Gunderson was hit late by George Traften and the former had to get thirteen stitches on his face, and his hand was broken. [34]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Thorn-Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
November 11, 1920, at Monmouth College Athletic Park
In the Independents' first road game of the season, they traveled to Monmouth, Illinois, to play the Chicago Thorns-Tornadoes. The Thorns' players decided to have 10-minute quarters. The game was a tie for the first three quarters. In the fourth quarter, however, Kuehl muffed a punt while standing at his own 20. Mooney of the Thorn-Tornadoes picked up the football and ran it back for a touchdown with only 3 minutes left in the game. At this time, Ursella was substituted for Kuehl. After a kickoff return to the 44 yard mark, the Independents used Novak, Mansfield, and Jordan to help score before time expired. Ursella kicked the game-tying extra point to end the game a 7–7 tie. [35]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Triangles | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
Independents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
November 14, 1920, at Douglas Park
For their second game in week eight, the Independents played against the Dayton Triangles. The Independents had six players returning from injuries this game. [36] In the first quarter, Rube Ursella for the Independents fumbled a punt on the 40 yard line, and the Triangles gained possession. [36] On that possession, Frank Bacon scored a rushing touchdown.[ citation needed ] The Independents controlled the football for a majority of the second quarter. On their final possession of the half, they managed to take the ball to just four inches outside the Triangles' goal line, but the referee signaled to end the first half. [36] In the fourth quarter, Ed Novack and Arnold Wyman left the game due to injury. [36] The Triangles scored two passing touchdowns in the final 10 minutes of the game; the first was caught by Dave Reese, and the second was caught by Roudebush.[ citation needed ]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
All-Stars | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Independents | 14 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 48 |
November 28, 1920, at Douglas Park
A game against Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs had been originally scheduled for Sunday, November 21, but a series of injuries to Rock Island's starting eleven forced a postponement of the Douglas Field game to November 28. [21] It was anticipated that new players would be brought in to supplant the team's crippled backfield, with Green and White manager Walter Flanagan reportedly free to borrow stars from the Dayton Triangles and Chicago Tigers for the game. [37] Finances intervened, however, when on November 19 it was announced that Canton owner Jim Thorpe was canceling the game for economic reasons, despite having been offered a $4,000 guarantee. [38]
Another game of the season was hastily organized for the open November 28 date. Fortunately, about three weeks previously J.F. Mulaney of the Wheeling Steel and Iron Corporation had worked with team captain Garbisch of Washington and Jefferson College to organize an All-Star football team with a view to facing either the Canton Bulldogs or the Akron Pros in a post-season game. [22] Mulaney and Garbisch had been unable to get either of those teams to commit to playing, however. [22]
The Washington and Jefferson All-Star team had already been signed for an as-yet unannounced December 5 visit to Rock Island to play the Independents. [22] The November 28 date had proved difficult to fill, with first Akron and then Canton canceling planned games in Rock Island on that date. [22] With that Sunday slot once again open, team manager Flanagan contacted Mulaney and had the game with the collegiate stars moved up one week. [22]
This impromptu assemblage — remembered in historic accounts variously as the "Pittsburgh All-Collegians," [39] "the Wheeling Collegians," [40] or the "Washington and Jefferson All-Stars" — proved a chimera. Most players from the All-Collegians did not show up for the game, and the coach used people from the crowd to form a team. [39]
The first score of the game came in the first quarter when Wenig blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.[ citation needed ] The only points the All-Collegians scored was a blocked punt from Morris, who returned it for a touchdown. [39] The game ended with a 48–7 victory for the Independents.[ citation needed ]
Since there were no playoff system in the APFA until 1932, [41] a meeting was held to determine the 1920 APFA Champions. [42] Each team that showed up had a vote to determine the champions. The Akron Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup on April 30, 1921. [15] Ties were not counted in standings until 1972, which is why Akron is credited with a 1.000 winning percentage. [43] The Independents tied for fourth place in the standings. The sportswriter Bruce Copeland compiled the All-Pro list for the 1920 season. Denfield, Lyle, and Novak made the first-team; Wenig and Shaw made the second-team; and Buland and Fitzgerald made the third-team. [44] Of all the players on the roster, only Healey has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [45]
Rock Island Independents 1920 roster [46] | ||||||||
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Backs | Linemen | Coaching Staff
|
The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team, based in Rock Island, Illinois, from 1907 to 1926. The Independents were a founding National Football League franchise. They hosted what has been retrospectively designated the first National Football League game on September 26, 1920, at Douglas Park. The Independents were founded in 1907 by Demetrius Clements as an independent football club. Hence, the team was named the "Independents."
The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural season of the American Professional Football Association, renamed the National Football League in 1922. An agreement to form a league was made by four independent teams from Ohio on August 20, 1920, at Ralph Hay's office in Canton, Ohio, with plans to invite owners of more teams for a second meeting on September 17, 1920. The "American Professional Football Conference" (APFC) was made up of Hay's Canton Bulldogs, Akron Pros, the Cleveland Tigers and the Dayton Triangles, who decided on a six-game schedule to play each other at home-and-away, an agreement to respect each other's player contracts, and to take a stand against signing college students whose class had not yet graduated.
The 1921 Chicago Staleys season was their second regular season completed in the young American Professional Football Association. All games were played at home. The team improved on their 10–1–2 record from 1920 to a 9–1–1 record under head coach/player George Halas earning them a first-place finish in the team standings and their first league championship — the best finish of the initial Halas era.
The 1920 season was the Decatur Staleys 2nd season of existence, the first professional season of the franchise that would go on to be known as the Chicago Bears and their first under head coach George Halas, competing in the newly formed American Professional Football Association.
The 1920 Akron Pros season was the franchise's inaugural season with the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and twelfth total season as a team. The Pros entered the season coming off a 5–5 record in 1919 as the Akron Indians in the Ohio League. The Indians were sold to Art Ranney and Frank Nied, two businessmen, to help achieve a better record and crowd. Several representatives from the Ohio League wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created.
The 1920 Buffalo All-Americans season was the franchise's inaugural season with the American Professional Football Association (APFA), an American football league, and fifth total as a team. The All-Americans entered 1920 coming off a 9–1–1 record in 1919 as the Buffalo Prospects in the New York Pro Football League (NYPFL). Several representatives from another professional football league, the Ohio League, wanted to form a new national league, and thus the APFA was created.
The 1920 Canton Bulldogs season was the franchise's sixteenth and its first in the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which became the National Football League two years later. Jim Thorpe, the APFA's president, was Canton's coach and a back who played on the team. The Bulldogs entered the season coming off a 9–0–1 performance as Ohio League champions in 1919. The team opened the season with a 48–0 victory over the Pitcairn Quakers, and finished with a 7–4–2 record, taking eighth place in the 14-team APFA. A then-record crowd of 17,000 fans watched Canton's week 12 game against Union AA of Phoenixville.
The 1920 Chicago Cardinals season was the teams' inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association. Although the Cardinals' existence traced back as far as 1899, this was their first season as a member of the American Professional Football Association. The team — better known during this period as the "Racine Cardinals," a name derived from the Chicago avenue of that name — finished 6–2–1, fourth best in the league.
The 1920 Chicago Tigers season was their sole season in the National Football League. The team finished 2–5–1, tying them for eleventh in the league.
The 1920 Cleveland Tigers season was the franchise's inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and fifth total as an American football team. The Tigers entered the season coming off a 5-win, 2-loss, 2-tie (5–2–2) record in 1919. After the 1919 season, several representatives from the Ohio League, a loose organization of professional football teams, wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created.
The 1920 Columbus Panhandles season was the franchise's inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (APFA)—later named the National Football League. The season concluded with the team going 2–6–2 and finishing 13th place in the APFA standings. The Panhandles entered the season after a 3–6–1 record in 1919. The team opened the 1920 season with a loss to the Dayton Triangles, and the Panhandles lost five straight until a victory over the Zanesville Mark Grays. Not a single player was on the All-Pro list.
The 1920 Dayton Triangles season was the franchise's inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (AFPA)—later named the National Football League. The Triangles entered the season coming off a 5–2–1 record in 1919 in the Ohio League. After the 1919 season, several representatives from the Ohio League wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created. A majority of the team stayed from the 1919 team, including the coaching staff, while two players left the team.
The 1920 Hammond Pros season was the franchise's inaugural season in the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and second as an American football team. The Pros entered 1920 coming off a 4-win, 2-loss, 3-tie (4–2–3) record in 1919 as an independent team. Several representatives from another professional football league, the Ohio League, wanted to form a new national league, and thus the APFA was created.
The 1920 Muncie Flyers season was the franchise's inaugural season in the American Professional Football League (APFA)—later named the National Football League. The Flyers entered the season coming off a 4–1–1 record in 1919. Several representatives from the Ohio League wanted to form a new professional league; thus, the APFA was created. The 1920 team only played in one game that counted in the standings: a 45–0 loss against the Rock Island Independents. This game and the Columbus Panhandles–Dayton Triangles on the same date is considered to be the first league game featuring two APFA teams. The Flyers tried to schedule other games, but the opponents canceled to play better teams. As a result, the Flyers had to play the rest of the season's game versus local teams. In week 10, the Flyers won a game against the Muncie Offers More AC for the Muncie City Championship. No players from the 1920 Muncie Flyers were listed on the 1920 All-Pro Team, and no player has been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Walter Harrison Flanigan was an American football player and owner of the Rock Island Independents. He was also one of the co-founders of the National Football League (NFL).
Kenneth Wilbur Huffine was a professional football player-coach who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1920 until 1925. During that time, he played for the Muncie Flyers, Chicago Staleys and the Dayton Triangles. He was a member of the Staleys' 1921 Championship team. The Staleys were renamed the Chicago Bears in 1922. Ken also played with the independent Fort Wayne Friars in 1920, alongside the legendary Jim Thorpe.
Douglas Park is a public park located at 18th Avenue and 10th Street in Rock Island, Illinois. A former National Football League venue, Douglas Park was the site of the first-ever National Football League game on September 26, 1920. The Rock Island neighborhood that is today called Douglas Park dates back to the 1830s, with the athletic park being constructed in 1904 to 1905 and utilized for football beginning in 1907.
Arnold Douglas "Pudge" Wyman was an American football player. He was an All-American fullback for the University of Minnesota from 1915 to 1916 and halfback for the Rock Island Independents in the first season of the National Football League (NFL) in 1920. He is credited with several NFL firsts, including the first touchdown, first kickoff return for a touchdown and first passing touchdown.
The 1912 Rock Island Independents season was the team's fifth season in existence. The season resulted in the team posting an undefeated 8–0 record.
Ray Otto "Waddy" Kuehl, was an American football player who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Rock Island Independents, Detroit Tigers (1921), Buffalo All-Americans (1921-1922), and Dayton Triangles (1924). He appeared in 39 NFL games and scored nine touchdowns. On October 10, 1920, the second week of the first NFL season, Kuehl is credited with catching the first touchdown pass in NFL history — a 35-yard completion from Pudge Wyman against Hammond. He played college football at St. Ambrose University and Dubuque College, both located in Iowa. He retired from the game in 1925.