NFL History

week 1 of the NFL is almost complete. just two more games to go, and then i'll post my team's points tomorrow.

i must be honest: i doubted my own team. but, i'm coming to realize my team's not as bad as i thought it would be.

so, to recap. i'm learning about football. i started with adrian peterson, got to the top four running backs, like eric dickerson, who were the only ones to complete this improbable single-season record of rushing yards (i think that's what it's called). i learned that e.d.'s number was 2105. a.p.'s number was 2097. (that's just an 8 yard difference.) and i learned that this is a really big deal.

then, i found my way to the nfl history page on nfl.com's own site. and couldn't. stop. reading.
i started from the beginning of this page that had historical facts arranged by decade (that is, 1869), and took it all the way to the decade of my birth (around the 1970s). i was only interested in how we got to where we are today. i figured i'd heard enough current day stuff throughout my lifetime to be, well, current.

and this is what i learned (highlighting that which only i would find interesting, of course)...

1869 - modern football began to develop from rugby
1876 - the first rules of American football were written. also, Walter Camp, the father of American football, first became involved in the game.

There was a team called the Morgan Athletic Club in 1899. This team went through several team names, including: the Normals, the Racine (a street in Chicago) Cardinals, the Chicago Cardinals, the St Louis Cardinals, the Phoenix Cardinals, and finally became know as the Arizona Cardinals in 1994. This team remains the oldest continuing operation in pro football.


1904 - Halfback Charles Follis signed a contract with the Shelby (Ohio) Athletic Club, making him the first known black pro football player.

1906 - The forward pass was legalized. George "Peggy" Parratt completed a forward pass to Dan "Bullet" Riley, on Oct 27. (this one fact inspired my fantasy football team name.)

1920 - Canton, OH. Player-coach Fritz Pollard of the Akron Pros became the first head black coach. (this fact inspired another of my fantasy pick'em team names.)

1922 - The American Professional Football Association changed its name to the National Football League, on June 24. Also, the Chicago Staleys became the Chicago Bears.

1923 - Jim Thorpe and the Oorang Indians (all indian team) played the Bears. Thorpe fumbled, Halas picked it up and returned it for a 98 yard touchdown. This record lasted until 1972.

in the 1930s - a team named the Boston Braves was renamed the Redskins by its owner. This team moved to Washington, DC in 1937.

1938 - The pro bowl was established, only the game was between the NFL Champion (Giants) and a team of pro All Stars.

1943 - The league made the wearing of helmets mandatory.

NOTE: This was during the war years. Many of the men who played during these years were drafted into service.

As a result of the previous note, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh merged for one season. The team became known as Phil-Pitt. The fans called the team "The Steagles". (Love it. Inspiration for another team name. History is great, ain't it?)

1944 - coaching from the bench was legalized.

Also, during this year, the Cardinals and Steelers merged for a year and became "Card-Pitt". (And history provides endless jokes).

Also note that NFL history keepers wrote that these mergers were only "legal" for one season and were allowed to un-merge as soon as the season ended.

1946 - Rams moved to L.A.
Halfback Kenny Washington and End Woody Strode signed with the LA Rams to become the first African-Americans to play in the NFL in the modern era. (also notice that at this point in history, NFL now refers to us as "African-Americans" -- a term which may not actually have been in use at that time, but whatever.)

1949 - The NFL had two 1,000 yard rushers in the same season for the first time: Steve Van Buren of Philadelphia and Tony Canadeo of Green Bay.

1954 - Fullback Joe Perry of the 49ers became the first player in league history to gain 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons.

1955 - the Baltimore Colts made an 80-cent phone call to Johnny Unitas and signed him as a free agent (when my husband and I attend Orioles games, I always see this statue as we pass by it from the parking lot to Camden Yard Stadium).

Also, Otto Graham, QB for the Cleveland Browns, played his last game, and is known for being the QB to lead the Browns to 10 championship game appearances in 10 years. (no special interest in Cleveland or the Browns for me. Perhaps it was the name "Otto" that made this fact stand out. eh.)

1956 - The NFL Players Association was founded.

1958 - Jim Brown of Cleveland gained an NFL record 1,527 yards rushing. Also, in a divisional playoff game, the Giants held the Browns to 8 yards and defeated Cleveland 10-0.

1963 - Jim Brown of Cleveland rushed for an NFL single-season record 1,863 yards.

1965 - Field Judge Burl Toler became the first black official in NFL history on Sept 19 (back to black again, are we?).

1966 - Buddy Young became the first African American to work in the league office when Commissioner Pete Rozelle named him Director of Player Relations.

Also, the NFL and AFL merger occurred.

Also, Congress passed a law exempting the agreement from antitrust action. (hm.)

1967 - Defensive back Emlen Tunnell of the NY Giants became the first black player to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame (that currently exists in Canton, OH - the "home" of football).

1969 - The NFL celebrated 50 years. (and i still wasn't born yet. oh well.)

wooo. head rush. all those facts. all that trivia i will now either never remember, or will inexplicably remember when i least expect it.

yeah. football. gotta love it. or not. whatevs.