By Darin From nylon stockings to “undefeated” phantom franchises, April 1st has historically been the gridiron’s favorite day for a fast one. While the sports world is famous for its April Fool’s pranks—like the legendary Plainfield Teachers’ College hoax that fooled the New York Times—this date also marks the true arrival of some of the toughest pioneers in football history. Whether it’s the birth of “Doc” Alexander, a Hall of Famer who practiced medicine while playing in the NFL, or Carlos Alvarez, the “Cuban Comet” who shattered records at Florida, today’s timeline proves that behind every good joke lies a legacy of serious talent.
First, our football art image of the day.
from a generous collector who shared it on Wikimedia Commons.
April 1 American Football History Timeline
Football fans love watching games in color, enjoying all the excitement and bright team uniforms. Since it’s April Fool’s Day, here’s a look back at a classic football-related prank on TV. In 1962, Sweden’s only TV network, SVT, had its technical expert, Kjell Stensson, appear on the news to announce a new way to get color on black-and-white TVs. He told viewers that if they stretched a nylon stocking over their TV screen, the mesh would make the picture look like it was in color. He even showed how to do it. Thousands of people believed him, and many Swedes still remember their parents searching for stockings to try it out. Sweden didn’t actually start regular color broadcasts until April 1, 1970. (source)
The Undefeated Plainfield Teachers’ College Football Team
A well-known prank happened when the New York Times published a story about the undefeated football team from the made-up Plainfield Teachers’ College. The story sounded real, but neither the college nor its football team actually existed. The prank was meant to see if the press and football fans would believe a story that was completely made up.
The hoax went on for six weeks. Writer Morris Newburger, using the fake name Jerry Croyden, made up stories about a star quarterback and described every detail, even inventing the “W” formation that supposedly helped the team stay undefeated.
This prank was memorable because it fooled not just the New York Times, which kept running the stories, but also college football fans all over the country. The joke got so big that there were even reports about the Plainfield Comets getting ready for a bowl game as their winning streak went on.
- The Birth of the WLAF (1991): Thirty-five years ago today, the World League of American Football (which later became NFL Europe) played its first Monday Night game. It served as a vital laboratory for rules like the two-point conversion and helmet cameras.
- Modern Milestone (2026): Today marks the official opening of the NFL’s Spring League scouting window. With the UFL season in full swing, scouts are out in force today identifying “diamond in the rough” talent for the 2026 NFL training camps.
April 1 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
Happy Birthday to these legendary figures! Since today is April 1, we celebrate a trio of College Football Hall of Famers who proved that excellence on the gridiron often goes hand-in-hand with incredible off-field contributions.
Here is the list in order of birth:
- John Dalton [1889] A clutch halfback for the Naval Academy, Dalton became an Army-Navy Game legend by kicking game-winning 35-yard field goals in consecutive years (1910 and 1911). His 1910 kick secured a 3-0 victory and capped off a remarkable, undefeated season in which the Navy defense did not allow a single point to be scored against them.
- Joe “Doc” Alexander [1897] A rare three-time All-American at both guard and center for Syracuse, Alexander was a force who famously snapped Pittsburgh’s four-year winning streak in 1919. He balanced a seven-season NFL career with a medical practice, eventually coaching the New York Giants in 1926 while becoming a pioneering specialist in lung diseases.
- Carlos Alvarez [1950] Known as the “Havana Hat Trick,” Alvarez exploded onto the scene at Florida with a 70-yard touchdown on his first career catch and went on to set enduring school records for career receiving yards (2,563). Despite battling knee injuries, the 2011 College Football Hall of Fame inductee was a dominant All-American and a three-time Academic All-American for the Gators.
Conclusion
April 1st serves as a unique bridge between football’s lighter side and its most enduring legends. We may laugh at the “W” formation of a non-existent college team or the thought of fans stretching hosiery over their TV sets for color, but the real history made on this day is no joke. The contributions of John Dalton’s clutch kicks, Doc Alexander’s dual-career dominance, and Carlos Alvarez’s record-breaking catches at Florida form the bedrock of the game we celebrate today. On a day dedicated to fools, these Hall of Famers proved they were anything but.
