By Darin Imagine a day when the airwaves first crackled with the sound of live sports, and future Hall of Famers were born just as the game was finding its voice. April 11th marks the anniversary of the first-ever radio sporting event on Pittsburgh’s KDKA—a milestone that paved the way for the very first football broadcast later that year. But the history doesn’t stop at the antenna; from the birth of Danny Fortmann, the undersized guard who became a world-class surgeon, to Terry Hoage’s blocked field goal that secured a national title for Georgia, this date is a masterclass in versatility and victory.
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional football team comprised of members of the AL’s Athletics and football players from various local teams. The team played in the 1902 NFL, which was the first attempt to establish a professional national football league. For more on this team, go to the Pigskin Dispatch Store and order a copy of the World’s Greatest Pro Gridiron Team.
April 11 American Football History Timeline
- On April 11, 1921, KDKA broadcast the 1st radio sporting event: a boxing match featuring Johnny Ray versus Johnny Dundee, the First Lightweight Boxing Match Wireless Broadcast. Later that same year, on October 8, 1921, marked a significant day in the game of football. On that day, the first live sports radio broadcast of a football game aired on KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The game was played at Forbes Field between West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh. (source)
April 11 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
Happy Birthday to these legendary figures! Since today is April 11, we celebrate a group of Hall of Famers who defined toughness and excellence across multiple eras.
Here is your list in order of birth:
- Danny Fortmann [1916] A brilliant 200-pound guard who was often considered “too small,” Fortmann became the NFL’s youngest starter at age 20 and earned All-Pro honors in every one of his eight seasons with the Chicago Bears. A 1965 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, he famously balanced his legendary playing career with medical school, later becoming one of the nation’s leading surgeons.
- Sam Chapman [1916] Known as the “Tiburon Terror,” Chapman was a versatile halfback who led the University of California’s “Thunder Teams” to a 1938 Rose Bowl victory over Alabama. His all-purpose brilliance was so respected that his coach famously claimed he was a better overall back than the legendary Red Grange.
- Jim Romig [1941] A ferocious two-way player for the University of Colorado, Romig was the captain and defensive signal-caller for the Buffaloes during the early ’60s. He achieved the rare feat for a lineman of finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1961, the same year his number 67 was retired by the university.
- Terry Hoage [1962] One of the most decorated defensive backs in SEC history, Hoage was a two-time consensus All-American who helped lead Georgia to the 1980 National Championship. A 2000 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, he was equally dominant in the classroom, earning two Academic All-America honors and being named to the Walter Camp All-Century Team.
Conclusion
April 11th reminds us that football excellence isn’t just about what happens between the white lines, but also about how those moments are shared, and the lives players lead after the final whistle. Whether it was the “Tiburon Terror” Sam Chapman outshining legends in the Rose Bowl or Jim Romig finishing as a top Heisman contender from the offensive line, these stories celebrate the grit of the gridiron. As we look back at the origins of sports broadcasting and the legends born on this day, we see the enduring blueprint of the scholar-athlete and the pioneer.
