I was just like every other sports fan in the Quad Cities - I knew that we used to have a football team here but that was about it.
The team was the Rock Island Independents and with the help of the PFRA (Professional Football Researchers Association) and specifically Bob Carroll I discovered that not only were they a part of the NFL, they were one of the charter members, I needed to know more.
I contacted several individuals at the PFRA and they were willing to send me all of the information they had on the team. After several trips to the library I soon had enough information start a website.
After years of research I have realized that these men were a part of something that nobody had written a script for and that because of them, (and others) the NFL has become what it is today.
On a personal level, I have found that many of these men were war heroes and veterans and that they risked everything when they stepped onto the football field, they truely played for the love of the sport.
If you have any questions/thoughts about the website or if you have any items, pictures, scans or stories to contribute, please contact me now at the link below.
Picture Below - Simon Summer 2011 trip to Douglas Park - Home of the Rock Island Independents
