Professional Football Player, Baseball Player, and Umpire. Kolls attended St. Ambrose University before playing semi-professional and professional baseball for several clubs in the late 1910s and 1920s. This included teams in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, Western League, and Mississippi Valley League. His playing career was interrupted due to his service in the U.S. Army during World War I. In 1920, Kolls played for both the Hammond Pros and Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League). Playing at center, he began a four-year stint with the Rock Island Independents in 1922, playing in 21 games for them through 1925. Kolls then played two games for the NFL's New York Yankees in 1927. Before his football career ended, Kolls became an umpire in baseball's minor leagues. Starting in 1925, he worked in the Mississippi Valley League, Western League, Pacific Coast League, and International League until 1933 when he joined the American League. From 1933 to 1940, Kills umpired 1,195 major league games. He was assigned the 1936 All-Star Game and called the 1938 World Series between the Cubs and Yankees. Kolls was killed, along with four other people, on February 23, 1941 in a car crash at Hooppole, Illinois.
Professional Football Player, Baseball Player, and Umpire. Kolls attended St. Ambrose University before playing semi-professional and professional baseball for several clubs in the late 1910s and 1920s. This included teams in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, Western League, and Mississippi Valley League. His playing career was interrupted due to his service in the U.S. Army during World War I. In 1920, Kolls played for both the Hammond Pros and Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League). Playing at center, he began a four-year stint with the Rock Island Independents in 1922, playing in 21 games for them through 1925. Kolls then played two games for the NFL's New York Yankees in 1927. Before his football career ended, Kolls became an umpire in baseball's minor leagues. Starting in 1925, he worked in the Mississippi Valley League, Western League, Pacific Coast League, and International League until 1933 when he joined the American League. From 1933 to 1940, Kills umpired 1,195 major league games. He was assigned the 1936 All-Star Game and called the 1938 World Series between the Cubs and Yankees. Kolls was killed, along with four other people, on February 23, 1941 in a car crash at Hooppole, Illinois.
Bio by: Adam Penale
Inscription
Illinois, Corp. 34 Inf., 7 Div.
Gravesite Details
World War I
Family Members
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