Time Machine Cedar Rapids Rapid Raiders were football junkies

Editor's note: This is a continuing series of Eastern Iowa sports history 'Time Machine' articles. Mark Dukes worked at The Gazette from 1973 to 1998, the last 14 years as sports editor. 

They played for the love of the game, not fame or fortune.

Oh, sure, they hoped their performance might catch the eye of a National Football League scout, but that was a long shot.

For five years in the 1970s, collections of former high school and college football players convened in Cedar Rapids to play semipro football. (It was called semipro because the players were paid but it usually was not their main source of income).

Teams were the Rapid Raiders in 1972-73, the Bucs in 1974 and the Falcons in 1976-77.

'I guess the reason we played was the love of the game,' said former Cedar Rapids quarterback and coach John Oertel. 'For some of us, it also was the fact we had something to prove. We never got rich and we were never looking to get rich.'

Oertel, starting quarterback at Marshall University in 1968, played four seasons here and was the player-coach in 1976. In 1977, he became the head football coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie and led the Hawks to a state title in 1980. Now retired, he coached women's basketball at North Iowa Area Community College in his native Mason City, winning 444 games in 27 seasons.

The Cedar Rapids Rapid Raiders were formed in 1972 and competed in the Midwest Football League. Dan Shonka broached the idea of a Cedar Rapids team in 1971 and organized the first exploratory meetings. Bill Happel Sr., Wayne Farland, Nick Shultus, Ed Wedelstedt, and Dick and Ed Pundt were among those instrumental in the club's formation. In fact, some of the men dipped into their personal funds to ease financial issues early on.

The original team included former Iowa stars Levi Mitchell, Greg Allison and Doc Bolden, former Cedar Rapids prep standouts Bob Brewster (Washington), Rick Fulton and Gary Herman (both Jefferson).

Although they were drubbed in an exhibition game against the Indiana Caps, the Rapid Raiders surged to a league championship in 1972 with a 10-1 record. On Nov. 18, 1972, they opposed the Central States champion West Allis (Wis.) Spartans in what was dubbed a 'minor league Super Bowl.' West Allis won, 33-14.

More than 1,000 season tickets were sold for the inaugural season.

'All the businesses in town were very supportive,' said Oertel, who played for the Des Moines club two years before joining Cedar Rapids. 'Car dealerships, restaurants, other businesses ... they'd sponsor the cost of whole games or buy a certain number of tickets.'

More success followed in 1973, although Cedar Rapids was not part of a league. The Rapid Raiders finished 8-2-1. Each of the first two teams was coached by Frank Bates, former Iowa City High and Coe College coach.

The Rapid Raiders became the Buccaneers in 1974 and played in the tough Central States League, posting a 4-6 record. There was no team in 1975 but individuals were determined not to let local semipro football die.

With Oertel, Bill Cubbage, Mike Mulherin, Rich Boston and others spearheading the effort, semipro football was reborn in 1976. The Cedar Rapids Falcons enjoyed two successful seasons, going 10-3 in the Chicagoland League in 1976 and 11-3 in the Northern States League in 1977.

With Oertel serving as player-coach, the Falcons were once ranked No. 5 nationally in 1976 by Pro Football Weekly. They won the league's Western Division, whipped the South Suburban Raiders in the playoff semifinals, 41-6, but then lost to Delavan (Wis.) in the championship game, 45-9.

With John Austin as coach in 1977, the Falcons ended Delavan's 34-game winning streak during the regular season, 18-15. But Delavan exacted revenge in the championship contest, 21-0.

One season, Cedar Rapids inquired about playing the championship game in the UNI-Dome because of subfreezing November weather. But the dome was booked for a Doobie Brothers concert.

Cedar Rapids teams combined to post a 43-16-1 record in five seasons, reaching a league championship game three times. Home games were played at Kingston Stadium, Veterans Memorial Stadium (yes, the baseball stadium) and Prairie High School.

Oertel couldn't recall any former Cedar Rapids players who got a look in the NFL, although some arrived here after being cut in training camps. The best prospects, he said, may have been Brewster, kicker John Odell and punter Mike Butler.

By 1978, semipro football couldn't survive in Cedar Rapids.

'In the end, I guess it was (lack of) financial backing,' Oertel said. 'Putting a team together was a risky venture financially. There was a bit of a power struggle from time to time, too.

'All I know is that the players weren't ready to give it up.'

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