From historic Soldier Field clashes between hungry rookies and seasoned NFL champs to the legal drama that permanently altered professional football, August 4th holds a unique place in gridiron history. On this date, the USFL won an antitrust battle against the NFL—only to walk away with an infamous $3.76 payout that signaled the end of the league. Add in five legendary Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement classes and the birthdays of iconic backfield generals like Frank Carideo and John “The Diesel” Riggins, and August 4th stands as an unmissable chapter in the story of American football.
August 4 American Football History Timeline
- August 4, 1961 – The 28th edition of the Chicago All-Star Game. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the college players 28-14 before 66,000 screaming fans at Soldier Field.
The most valuable player award, always given to the college player team, happened to be Billy Kilmer, UCLA’s fine quarterback. In 1999, Kilmer was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and after college, Kilmer had a productive 18-year career in the NFL at both halfback and quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, and the Washington Redskins. You can read more about Billy Kilmer on our September 5th post honoring him on his birthday.
- August 4, 1967 – The 34th Chicago All-Star Game was played, and the Green Bay Packers in 1967 blanked the College All-Stars 27-0 before 70,934 in attendance at Soldier Field. The most valuable player, always given to the college player team, happened to be Bubba Smith, the big defensive end from Michigan State. The National Football Foundation website says that Smith was a two-time All-American end who learned much of his craft from his father, Willie Ray Smith, who was a high school football coach back in Texas. Bubba Smith was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988, and he was the Baltimore Colts’ first-round draft choice and made All-Pro. Bubba also played for the Raiders and the Oilers organizations during his NFL tenure.
- August 4, 1986 – USFL owners suspend operations for the upcoming season after a court ruling awards them a very small amount of damages in their antitrust lawsuit against the NFL. Less than a week earlier, if you can go back to our July 29 post, you’ll see that in the football history headlines, the United States Football League won its antitrust lawsuit against the National Football League after 42 days in court.
The jury declared that the NFL was duly adjudicated an illegal monopoly. However, it was a shallow victory for the USFL, and they were only awarded a settlement of one US dollar. USFL owners voted to suspend operations with the goal of returning in 1987.
However, many of the league’s teams were in no shape financially to operate. The USFL appealed the decision, but it was rejected by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The decision effectively shut down the USFL for good, and the NFL appealed the decision to the US Supreme Court, but the verdict stood, and the check received by the USFL in 1990 was $3.76, triple the amount of the verdict, with 76 cents of interest.
- August 4, 1990 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame conducted the enshrinements of the following legends: Buck Buchanan, Bob Griese, Franco Harris, Ted Hendricks, Jack Lambert, Tom Landry, and Bob St. Clair.
- August 4, 2001 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame conducted the enshrinements of the following legends: Nick Buoniconti, Marv Levy, Mike Munchak, Jackie Slater, Lynn Swann, Ron Yary, and Jack Youngblood.
- August 4, 2007 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame conducted the enshrinements of the following legends: Gene Hickerson, Michael Irvin, Bruce Matthews, Charlie Sanders, Thurman Thomas, and Roger Wehrli.
- August 4, 2012 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame conducted the enshrinements of the following legends: Jack Butler, Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin, and Willie Roaf.
- August 4, 2018 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame conducted the enshrinements of the following legends: Bobby Beathard, Robert Brazile, Brian Dawkins, Jerry Kramer, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Brian Urlacher.
August 4 Hall of Fame Birthdays
Happy Birthday to these iconic gridiron backfield legends! As we celebrate August 4, we honor a master signal-caller who steered Knute Rockne’s final powerhouse teams and one of the most punishing power runners in NFL history.
Here is the list in order of birth:
- Frank Carideo [1908] – A consensus two-time All-American quarterback at Notre Dame, Carideo expertly directed Knute Rockne’s “Fighting Irish” to back-to-back undefeated national championships in 1929 and 1930. Revering him as the ideal field general, punter, and safety, the College Football Hall of Fame enshrined him in 1954 to honor his flawless 19–0 record as a starting quarterback.
- John Riggins [1949] – A bruising power back out of Kansas who broke Gale Sayers’ collegiate rushing mark, “The Diesel” terrorized NFL defenses for 14 seasons with the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, Riggins became famous for his late-game endurance, earning Super Bowl XVII MVP honors after a dominant postseason run capped off by his iconic 43-yard touchdown run on fourth down.
Conclusion
August 4th bridges the gap between summer classic exhibition games, courtroom showdowns, and the highest honors in Canton, Ohio. Whether reflecting on Bubba Smith’s dominance in the Chicago All-Star Game, the tragic collapse of the USFL despite its legal victory, or the immortality achieved by legends like Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, and John Riggins, this date underscores the relentless evolution of the sport. As new generations step onto the field, the events and icons of August 4th remain an enduring foundation of football lore.
