Walter Harrison Flanigan (May 7, 1890 – June 18, 1962) was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

player and owner of the

Rock Island Independents 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 ...

. He was also one of the co-founders of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL).

Player turned owner

Flanigan joined the Independents as a backup

end End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: ** End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games **End (gridiron footbal ...

in 1912. For the following two seasons, he served as the team's assistant manager, under then-manager Jack Roche. He then became the manager of the team in 1915. Flanigan soon promoted the Independents by scheduling two games in 1917 against the

Minneapolis Marines The Minneapolis Marines were an early professional football team that existed from 1905 until 1924. The team was later resurrected from 1929 to 1930 under the Minneapolis Red Jackets name. The Marines were owned locally by Minneapolitans John Dunn ...

, who were the self-proclaimed "North West Pro Champs". This contest would help the Independents gain national attention. Rock Island lost to the Marines by close score of 7–3. However, they were defeated by a wider margin, 33–7, at the second game held in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

. However

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and the

military draft Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day und ...

put a temporary halt to Flanigan's plans of expanding the team into new markets. However once the war ended, Flanigan brought in players from outside the Rock Island area to build on the team. In 1919, he hired

Rube Ursella Reuben J. Ursella (January 11, 1890 – February 1980) was a professional football player-coach who played during the early years of the National Football League. During his NFL career Rube played for the Minneapolis Marines, Akron Indians, ...

of the Marines to serve as a

player-coach A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...

. Rube brought several other Minneapolis players with him. These new players would later help get the team an invitation to join the NFL. The Independents lost only to the

Hammond Pros The Hammond Pros from Hammond, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1926 as a traveling team. History The Pros were established by local businessman Paul Parduhn and Dr. Alva Young. Young, a boxing promoter and owner of ...

, led by

George Halas George Stanley Halas Sr. (; February 2, 1895October 31, 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American professional football player, coach, and team owner. He was the founder and owner of the National Football League's Chic ...

in 1919. However, the Independents still had defeated several "

Ohio League The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1902 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship (OIC). As the name implied, its teams were mostly based in Ohio. It is the direct pr ...

" teams that season, such as the

Cincinnati Celts The Cincinnati Celts (pronounced with a hard C) was the first professional football team to play in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team played in the unofficial "Ohio League" and the American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Footba ...

(33–0), the

Columbus Panhandles The Columbus Panhandles were a professional American football team based in Columbus, Ohio. The club was founded in 1901 by workers at the Panhandle shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad. They were a part of the Ohio League from 1904 before foldi ...

(49–0) and the

Akron Indians The Akron Pros were a professional football team that played in Akron, Ohio from 1908 to 1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, but later became Akron Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter mem ...

(17–0). Flanigan then challenged the

Canton Bulldogs The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football Leag ...

to a "championship" game, offering a $5,000 guarantee if they would come to Rock Island for the game. However Canton, which had already won the "Ohio League" championship by defeating their arch-rivals, the

Massillon Tigers The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships ...

, turned down the offer. It's likely that Canton's

Jim Thorpe James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native ...

and

Ralph Hay Ralph Edward Hay (January 12, 1891July 29, 1944) was the owner of the Canton Bulldogs from 1918 through the 1922 season. However, he is mostly recognized for organizing the first meeting of teams that would later form the American Professional Fo ...

learned that Rock Island's game against the

had drawn only 1,700 spectators and felt that Flanigan could not deliver on his $5,000 guarantee, that was money that came primarily from the gate. However, from Rock Island's viewpoint, the Bulldogs were afraid to play the Independents. That was enough for the Independents to claim the U.S. pro title for themselves.

Life in the NFL

NFL founding

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

, Flanigan eagerly joined, and helped found, the new American Professional Football Association (which was renamed the National Football League in

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

). He was present at the September 17, 1920 meeting at Ralph Hay's

Hupmobile Hupmobile was an automobile built from 1909 through 1939 by the Hupp Motor Car Company of Detroit. The prototype was developed in 1908. History Founding In 1909, Bobby Hupp co-founded Hupp Motor Car Company, with Charles Hastings, for ...

dealership, located in Canton,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

which established the league and made the Independents a charter member of the NFL. and he was named to a committee charged with framing the league's constitution The Independents posted 4–2–1 records in each of the league's first three years. Five of their six losses were to George Halas and the Decatur Staleys/Chicago Staleys/Chicago Bears.

Firing Coughlin in the second quarter

On October 16, 1921, after the Independent battled back from a 7–0 deficit against the

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...

to lead 14–7 in the second quarter, due to two

touchdown A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...

s, scored by player-coach

Frank Coughlin Francis Edward Coughlin (February 28, 1896 – September 8, 1951) was an American football player and coach. Biography War and college football During World War I, Coughlin served in the United States Navy aboard a minesweeper. After the war, ...

. Flanigan then ordered the team's tackle,

Ed Healey Edward Francis Healey Jr. (December 28, 1894 – December 9, 1978) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). Regarded as one of the best linemen in the league's early days, Healey was inducted into the P ...

relieve Coughlin. Once Coughlin was safely on his way toward the sideline, Healey delivered a message to

Jimmy Conzelman James Gleason Dunn Conzelman (March 6, 1898 – July 31, 1970) was an American football player and coach, baseball executive, and advertising executive. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964 and was selected in 1969 as a qua ...

from Flanigan, it read: ''"Coughlin was fired! The new coach was Conzelman!"'' This act marked the first and only time an owner hired a new coach in the middle of a game.

Ed Healey traded to Halas for $200

In 1922, Flanigan sold the contract of

, who was viewed as an erratic tackle who never would mature, to Halas for $200. However, Healey soon became a star for the Bears and would later be inducted into the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...

in 1964. In

1923 Events January–February * January 9 – Lithuania begins the Klaipėda Revolt to annex the Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory). * January 11 – Despite strong British protests, troops from France and Belgium occupy the Ruhr area, t ...

, Flanigan left the Independents to concentrate on his real estate and insurance businesses.

Outside football

In 1917 Flanigan worked as a desk sergeant with the Rock Island Police Department. The 1930 census showed that he worked as an oil company executive. In the 1940s and 50s he worked as the vice-president of the

National Mortgage Company National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

. He died in 1962 at the age of 72. According to the ''

Rock Island Argus ''The Dispatch–Argus'' is a daily morning newspaper in East Moline, Illinois and circulated primarily throughout the Illinois side of the Quad Cities — Moline, East Moline, Rock Island and Rock Island County, but also for sale in retail estab ...

'' one of the mourners at his funeral was Jim Conzelman.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flanigan, Walter 1890s births 1962 deaths American football ends National Football League founders National Football League owners People from Beardstown, Illinois People from Rock Island, Illinois