Browning Park is a park in

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Islan ...

, United States, located at 16th Street and 23rd Avenue. Browning Field has been the home of high school and professional athletic events since 1910. It has hosted athletes such as

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...

and

Red Grange Harold Edward "Red" Grange (June 13, 1903 – January 28, 1991), nicknamed "the Galloping Ghost" and "the Wheaton Iceman", was an American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and the short-lived New York Yankees ...

Origin and History

John T. Browning (1830–1910) was a lawyer who served as the City of Moline's first City Attorney. He was also a two-term State Assemblyman. In his last year of his life, Browning was planning on erecting a memorial to himself on the farmland that he owned when he was convinced by A. M. Beal, President of the Moline Board of Education, to deed the land to the city for use as an athletic park. On July 14, 1910, he added the

codicil Codicil may refer to: * Codicil (will), subsequent change or modification of terms made and appended to an existing trust or will and testament * A modification of terms made and appended to an existing constitution, treaty, or standard form con ...

to his will, stating that his land were to be "held in trust forever by the City of Moline and dedicated to the public as and for a playground and athletic park, which shall be known and designated as the John T. Browning Park, Playground, and Athletic Field". The land is deeded to the city of Moline for use as a "playground and athletic park".History of Browning Park
- Moline Boosters Club While the sports teams of Moline High School have been the primary tenants of the field (and the adjoining

Wharton Field House Wharton Field House is a historic arena located at 1800 20th Avenue in Moline, Illinois. It opened in 1928 and was home to the NBA's Tri-Cities Blackhawks, today's Atlanta Hawks, from 1946 to 1951. It has hosted professional teams, high school t ...

), 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 ...

, the only professional

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 wi ...

team to be charter members of two major leagues, called Browning Park its home in the 1920s, as did the

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

Moline Plowboys The Moline Plowboys was a primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Moline, Illinois, one of the Quad Cities. Moline teams played as members the 1892 Illinois-Iowa League, 1894 Western Association, the Mississippi Valley League ( ...

. The facility opened on Oct. 5, 1912. Moline High School defeated Maquoketa 34–0 in a football game, the first event at John T. Browning Park. The next four years saw the creation of an

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...

stadium and a

field. In the late 1920s, T. F. Wharton, president of the Moline High School boosters' club led the drive toward the sale of bonds, the proceeds of which to pay for the construction of a

field house Field house or fieldhouse is an American English term for an indoor sports arena or stadium, mostly used for college basketball, volleyball, or ice hockey, or a support building for various adjacent sports fields, e.g. locker room, team room, coac ...

on adjoining land (this was also deeded to the city of Moline upon the retirement of the bonds).

was opened to the public in 1928.

Moline Plowboys History

Moline first gained a minor league franchise in July, 1914 when the

Danville Speakers Danville or Dansville may refer to: ;Canada *Danville, Quebec ;United States *Danville, Alabama *Danville, Arkansas *Danville, California *Danville, Georgia *Danville, Illinois *Danville, Indiana * Danville, Iowa * Danville, Kansas *Danville, Kent ...

relocated and the

were established. The "Plowboys" name reflected Moline's agricultural production history. Companies such as

John Deere Deere & Company, doing business as John Deere (), is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains (axles, transmissions, gearboxes) used in heavy equipment, ...

Moline Plow Company The Moline Plow Company was an American manufacturer of plows and other farm implements, headquartered in Moline, Illinois, USA. Moline Plow was formed in the 1870s when the firm of Candee & Swan, a competitor of Deere and Company (also of ...

, and

Minneapolis-Moline Motec Industries was a large tractor and farm and industrial machinery producer based in Hopkins, Minnesota known for its Minneapolis-Moline tractor line. It was the product of a merger of three companies in 1929: Minneapolis Steel & Machinery ...

were located in Moline. The Plowboys initially played at Athletic Park, before moving to Browning Field in 1920. The Plowboys won Three-I League Championships at Browning in 1921 and 1937. The franchise was an affiliate of the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

(1932),

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

(1937–40) and

Philadelphia A's The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oakla ...

(1947–48). From 1920 to 1922, the Plowboys were managed by player-manager

Earle Mack Earle Thaddeus Mack (born Earle Thaddeus McGillicuddy; February 1, 1890 – February 4, 1967), was an American player and coach in Major League Baseball, and, during parts of two seasons, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics when his fathe ...

, son of legendary Hall of Fame owner/manager

Connie Mack Cornelius McGillicuddy (December 22, 1862 – February 8, 1956), better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds untoucha ...

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

inductee Warren Giles, future President of the National League (1951-1969), was President of the Plowboys Franchise from 1919 to 1922. Browning Field served as the home of the Plowboys from 1920 to 1948. The 5,600 capacity baseball park had dimensions of (LF-CF-RF) 550-440-377. The first night game at the park was July 11, 1930.

Professional Football

In 1926, the

played at Browning Field. The Independents had been a charter member franchise 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 majo ...

, playing in the league from 1920 to 1925 against the likes of the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...

and

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 ...

. However, the Independents left the NFL and

Douglas Park Douglas Park was a football stadium in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, the home ground of Hamilton Academical from 1888 to 1994. The stadium holds the record for Hamilton Academical's largest ever attendance, 28,690 people against Hearts in 1 ...

, moving to Browning Field and playing in the new, but short lived

American Football League The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...

. On October 3, 1926, the Independents hosted the football

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

and their star player

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, coa ...

legend

, losing 26–0 with a home crowd of 5,000. The AFL and the Independents folded after the 1926 season.

Major League Baseball Events

In an exhibition game on April 12, 1920, the Plowboys defeated the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

7–1 at Browning Field. On April 14, 1938, the

Played an exhibition at Browning Field against the Plowboys.http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs193/1102126619946/archive/1118710125156.html

appeared at Browning Field on June 26, 1940. 2,600 fans showed for a Plowboys exhibition game starring Ruth and to watch Ruth put on a batting practice exhibition.

Notable Plowboys Alumni

Art Ditmar Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wh ...

(1948) * Joe Glenn (1947) *

Hank Wyse Henry Washington Wyse (March 1, 1917 – October 22, 2000) was an American professional baseball pitcher. Between 1942 and 1951, Wyse played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs (1942–47), Philadelphia Athletics (1950–51) and Washin ...

(1940) MLB AS; 1945 WS Cubs *

Lennie Merullo Leonard Richard Merullo (May 5, 1917 – May 30, 2015) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop who played for the Chicago Cubs from 1941 to 1947, and scouted for MLB from 1950 to 2003. Chicago Cubs A native of East Boston, Massa ...

(1939) 1945 WS Cubs *

Eddie Waitkus Edward Stephen Waitkus (September 4, 1919 – September 16, 1972) was a Lithuanian American first baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career (1941, 1946–1955). He played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies in the ...

(1939) 2 x MLB AS; Shot by obsessed fan 1949; *

Lou Novikoff Louis Alexander Novikoff (October 12, 1915 – September 30, 1970), nicknamed "The Mad Russian," was an American professional baseball player. Born in Glendale, Arizona, his professional career extended from 1937 to 1950, with all or parts of five ...

(1938) *

Kirby Higbe Walter Kirby Higbe (April 8, 1915 – May 6, 1985) was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1937 to 1950. Best known for his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was a two-time National League (NL) All-St ...

(1937) 2 x MLB AS; 1941 NL Wins Leader *

Peanuts Lowrey Harry Lee "Peanuts" Lowrey (August 27, 1917 – July 2, 1986) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs (1942–43; 1945–49), Cincinnati Reds (1949–50), St. Louis Cardinals (1950–54) and Philadelphia ...

(1937) MLB AS; 1945 WS Cubs *

Elden Auker Elden LeRoy "Submarine" Auker (September 21, 1910 – August 4, 2006) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns between 1933 and 1942. Auker batted and threw right-handed. Auker w ...

(1932) *

Claude Passeau Claude William Passeau (April 9, 1909 – August 30, 2003) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1947, Passeau played with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1935), Philadelphia Phillies (1936–39) and Chicago Cubs ( ...

(1932) 4 x MLB AS; 1945 Cubs WS; 1938 NL Strikeouts Leader *

Mike Tresh Michael Tresh Jr (February 23, 1914 – October 4, 1966) was a professional baseball catcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox (1938–1948) and Cleveland Indians (1949). Tresh batted and threw right-handed. His ...

(1932) MLB AS * Jake Wade (1932) *

Len Koenecke Leonard George Koenecke (January 18, 1904 in Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA – September 17, 1935 in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada) was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseb ...

(1932) *

Bob Weiland Robert George Weiland (December 14, 1905 – November 9, 1988) was a professional baseball pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1928–40. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, and St. Louis Cardi ...

(1928)12 MLB Seasons *

Fritz Mollwitz Frederick August "Fritz" Mollwitz (June 16, 1890 – October 3, 1967) was a German–American first baseman who played in Major League Baseball. Mollwitz was drafted in 1913 by the Chicago Cubs from the minor leagues, where he had been playing in ...

(1927) *

Evar Swanson Ernest Evar Swanson (October 15, 1902 in DeKalb, Illinois – July 17, 1973 in Galesburg, Illinois), was a professional baseball and football player. He played outfielder in the Major Leagues from to . He would play for the Cincinnati Reds and C ...

(1924) *

(1922) *

Dutch Ulrich Frank W. "Dutch" Ulrich (November 18, 1899 – February 11, 1929) was a Czech-American professional baseball player who played three seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies from through . In 1927, he had the seventh-best earned run average ( ...

(1922) *

Bill Barrett William Emery Barrett (February 9, 1929 – September 20, 2016) was an American Republican Party United States, Republican politician from Nebraska who served five terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2001 as the con ...

(1921) *

Fred Heimach Frederick Amos Heimach (January 27, 1901 – June 1, 1973) born in Camden, New Jersey, was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics (1920–26), Boston Red Sox (1926), New York Yankees (1928–29) and Brooklyn Robins/Broo ...

(1921) * Fred Smith (1921) * Warren Giles Team President 1919–1921; NL President (1951 - 1969);

(1979)

References

{{AFL I American football venues in Illinois American Football League (1926) venues Baseball venues in Illinois Basketball venues in Illinois Buildings and structures in Moline, Illinois Defunct National Football League venues Defunct minor league baseball venues High school football venues in the United States Parks in Illinois Protected areas of Rock Island County, Illinois Sports venues in the Quad Cities Sports venues completed in 1912 1912 establishments in Illinois