Chronology of Professional Football
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CHRONOLOGY OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL 1869 ly professional, becoming the 1903 throughout Ohio. Rutgers and Princeton played first team to play a full season The Franklin (Pa.) Athletic Club a college soccer football with only professionals. won the second and last 1909 game, the first ever, November World Series of pro football A field goal dropped from four 6. The game used modified 1898 over the Oreos AC of Asbury points to three. London Football Association A touchdown was changed Park, New Jersey; the Water- rules. During the next seven from four points to five. town Red and Blacks; and the 1912 years, rugby gained favor with Chris O’Brien formed a Orange AC. A touchdown was increased the major eastern schools neighborhood team, which Pro football was popular- from five points to six. over soccer, and modern foot- played under the name the ized in Ohio when the Massil- Jack Cusack revived a ball began to develop from Morgan Athletic Club, on the lon Tigers, a strong amateur strong pro team in Canton. rugby. south side of Chicago. The team, hired four Pittsburgh team later became known as pros to play in the season- 1913 1876 the Normals, then the Racine ending game against Akron. At Jim Thorpe, a former football At the Massasoit convention, (for a street in Chicago) Cardi- the same time, pro football and track star at the Carlisle the first rules for American nals, the Chicago Cardinals, declined in the Pittsburgh Indian School (Pa.) and a dou- football were written. Walter the St. Louis Cardinals, the area, and the emphasis on the ble gold medal winner at the Camp, who would become Phoenix Cardinals, and, in pro game moved west from 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, known as the father of Ameri- 1994, the Arizona Cardinals. Pennsylvania to Ohio. played for the Pine Village can football, first became The team remains the oldest Pros in Indiana. involved with the game. continuing operation in pro 1904 football. A field goal was changed from 1915 1892 five points to four. Massillon again fielded a In an era in which football was 1900 Ohio had at least seven pro major team, reviving the old a major attraction of local ath- William C. Temple took over teams, with Massillon winning rivalry with Canton. Cusack letic clubs, an intense compe- the team payments for the the Ohio Independent Champi- signed Thorpe to play for tition between two Pittsburgh- Duquesne Country and Athlet- on ship, that is, the pro title. Canton for $250 a game. area clubs, the Allegheny Ath- ic Club, becoming the first Talk surfaced about forming a letic Association (AAA) and known individual club owner. state-wide league to end spi- 1916 the Pittsburgh Athletic Club raling salaries brought about With Thorpe and former (PAC), led to the making of the 1902 by constant bidding for play- Carlisle teammate Pete Calac first professional football play- Baseball’s Philadelphia Athlet- ers and to write universal rules starring, Canton went 9-0-1, er. Former Yale All-America ics, managed by Connie for the game. The feeble won the Ohio League champi- guard William (Pudge) Hef- Mack, and the Philadelphia attempt to start the league onship, and was acclaimed felfinger was paid $500 by the Phillies formed professional failed. the pro football champion. AAA to play in a game against football teams, joining the Halfback Charles Follis the PAC, becoming the first Pittsburgh Stars in the first signed a contract with the 1917 person to be paid to play foot- attempt at a pro football Shelby (Ohio) AC, making him Despite an upset by Massillon, ball, November 12. The AAA league, named the National the first known black pro foot- Canton again won the Ohio won the game 4-0 when Hef- Football League. The Athletics ball player. League championship. felfinger picked up a won the first night football PAC fumble and ran 35 yards game ever played, 39-0 over 1905 1919 for a touchdown. Kanaweola AC at Elmira, New The Canton AC, later to Canton again won the Ohio York, November 21. become known as the Bull- League championship, despite 1893 All three teams claimed the dogs, became a professional the team having been turned The Pittsburgh Athletic Club pro championship for the year, team. Massillon again won the over from Cusack to Ralph signed one of its players, but the league president, Dave Ohio League championship. Hay. Thorpe and Calac were probably halfback Grant Dib- Berry, named the Stars the joined in the backfield by Joe ert, to the first known pro foot- champions. Pitcher Rube 1906 Guyon. ball contract, which covered Waddell was with the Athlet- The forward pass was legal- Earl (Curly) Lambeau and all of the PAC’s games for the ics, and pitcher Christy Math- ized. The first authenticated George Calhoun organized the year. ewson a fullback for Pitts- pass completion in a pro Green Bay Packers. Lam- burgh. game came on October 25, beau’s employer at the Indian 1895 The first World Series of pro when George (Peggy) Parratt Packing Company provided John Brallier became the first football, actually a five-team of Massillon threw a comple- $500 for equipment and football player to openly turn tournament, was played tion to Dan (Bullet) Riley in a allowed the team to use the pro, accepting $10 and among a team made up of victory over a combined Ben- company field for practices. expenses to play for the players from both the Athletics wood-Moundsville team. The Packers went 10-1. Latrobe YMCA against the and the Phillies, but simply Arch-rivals Canton and Jeannette Athletic Club. named New York; the New Massillon, the two best pro 1920 York Knicker bockers; the Syra- teams in America, played Pro football was in a state of 1896 cuse AC; the Warlow AC; and twice, with Canton winning the confusion due to three major The Allegheny Athletic Associ- the Orange (New Jersey) AC at first game but Massillon win- problems: dramatically rising ation team fielded the first New York’s original Madison ning the second and the Ohio salaries; players continually completely professional team Square Garden. New York and League championship. A bet- jumping from one team to for its abbreviated two-game Syracuse played the first ting scandal and the financial another following the highest season. indoor football game before disaster wrought upon the two offer; and the use of college 3,000, December 28. Syra- clubs by paying huge salaries players still enrolled in school. 1897 cuse, with Glen (Pop) Warner caused a temporary decline in A league in which all the mem- The Latrobe Athletic Associa- at guard, won 6-0 and went on interest in pro football in the bers would follow the same tion football team went entire- to win the tournament. two cities and, somewhat, rules seemed the answer. An 2013 NFL Record & Fact Book 353 CHRONOLOGY OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL organizational meeting, at had their franchises canceled drew from the APFA, January ed to Tim Mara and Billy Gib- which the Akron Pros, Canton by the Association. Four 28. Curly Lambeau promised son for $500; the Detroit Pan- Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, teams—Akron, Buffalo, Can- to obey league rules and then thers, featuring Jimmy Conzel- and Dayton Triangles were ton, and Decatur—still had used $50 of his own money to man as owner, coach, and tail- represented, was held at the championship aspirations, but buy back the franchise. Bad back; the Providence Steam Jordan and Hupmobile auto a series of late-season games weather and low attendance Roller; a new Canton Bulldogs showroom in Canton, Ohio, among them left Akron as the plagued the Packers, and team; and the Pottsville August 20. This meeting only undefeated team in the Lambeau went broke, but local Maroons, who had been per- resulted in the formation of the Association. At one of these merchants arranged a $2,500 haps the most successful American Professional Foot- games, Akron sold tackle Bob loan for the club. A public non- independent pro team. The ball Conference. Nash to Buffalo for $300 and profit corporation was set up NFL established its first player A second organizational five percent of the gate to operate the team, with Lam- limit, at 16 players. meeting was held in Canton, receipts—the first APFA play- beau as head coach and man- Late in the season, the NFL September 17. The teams er deal. ager. made its greatest coup in were from four states—Akron, The American Professional gaining national recognition. Canton, Cleveland, and Day- 1921 Football Association changed Shortly after the University of ton from Ohio; the Hammond At the league meeting in its name to the National Foot- Illinois season ended in Pros and Muncie Flyers from Akron, April 30, the champi- ball League, June 24. The November, All-America half- Indiana; the Rochester Jeffer- onship of the 1920 season Chicago Staleys became the back Harold (Red) Grange sons from New York; and the was awarded to the Akron Chicago Bears. signed a contract to play with Rock Island Independents, Pros. The APFA was reorga- The NFL fielded 18 teams, the Chicago Bears. On Decatur Staleys, and Racine nized, with Joe Carr of the including the new Oorang Indi- Thanksgiving Day, a crowd of Cardinals from Illinois. The Columbus Panhandles named ans of Marion, Ohio, an all- 36,000—the largest in pro name of the league was president and Carl Storck of Indian team featuring Thorpe, football history—watched changed to the American Pro- Dayton secretary-treasurer. Joe Guyon, and Pete Calac, Grange and the Bears play the fessional Football Association.