History
The Muncie, Indiana, Flyers, were actually the Congerville Flyers, a semi-pro team that did well against local opponents. Congerville at that time was a small town outside Muncie; it has since been absorbed by the city.
The Congerville Athletic Club organized a team sometime before 1910. In 1916, it was merged into another team, the Flyers, to represent Muncie for the mythical Indiana state football championship.
Earl Ball took over as the team's manager in 1917 and lined up some former college players, including Al Feeney of Notre Dame and Dick Abrel of Purdue. However, Ball suspended his plans because of the advent of World War I.
In 1919, he reorganized the Flyers and guided them to a 4-1-1 record. The following year, Ball attended the organizational meeting of the American Professional Football Association in Canton, Ohio, and his renamed Muncie Flyers became a charter member.
Muncie lost its first scheduled league game, 45-0. to the Rock Island Independents. Because of that poor showing, the Decatur Staleys canceled a game scheduled for the following week and Ball couldn't find any other APFA teams willing to play against a weak opponent that wouldn't draw many fans. One other scheduled game, against the Dayton Triangles in early November, was rained out. The Flyers did win three non-league games before the season ended.
The story was much the same in 1921. The Flyers lost to the Evansville Crimson Giants and the Cincinnati Celts to open the season. A scheduled game at Green Bay was cancelled, and Muncie's brief foray into the APFA was over.