Dale Johnson was a local businessman in Rock Island, Illinois

Rock Island, Illinois

Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...

, who is best known for his role in the ownership of the Rock Island Independents

Rock Island Independents

The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team based in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the first professional football teams, they were founded in 1907 as an independent club. They later played in what is now the National Football League from 1920 to 1925. They joined the...

 of the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 from 1923 until 1925. He took over the team from Walter Flanigan

Walter Flanigan

Walter H. Flanigan was a professional football player, and later the owner, for the Rock Island Independents. He was also one of the co-founders of the National Football League.-Player turned owner:...

 after Flanigan decided to refocus all of his time on his insurance and real estate businesses.

Once he became owner of the team, Johnson made Vince McCarthy

Vince McCarthy

Vincent John McCarthy was an NFL football player, who played for two years with the Rock Island Independents. He was 5'10", and weighed 155 lbs . He played the full back, half back, quarterback and guard positions. Born in Illinois, McCarthy attended St. Viator College.-External links:*...

, the team's back-up quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

, his new general manager

General manager

General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...

. He also signed the legendary Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe

Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...

 to the team in 1924. After the 1925 season, Johnson moved the team to the rivial American Football League

American Football League (1926)

The first American Football League , sometimes called AFL I, AFLG, or the Grange League, was a professional American football league that operated in 1926. It was the first major competitor to the National Football League. Founded by C. C...

. Johnson felt that the AFL, which featured Red Grange

Red Grange

Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees. His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League...

, would out perform the NFL. He even signed Elmer Layden

Elmer Layden

Elmer Francis Layden was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at fullback as a member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield...

, one of the legendary Four Horsemen

Four Horsemen (football)

The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame comprised a winning group of American football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne. They were the backfield of Notre Dame's 1924 football team...

 of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

. However a lack of revenue prevented Johnson from signing and retaining many of his players. As a result, the Independents franchise folded after the 1926 season.