From a small editorial room in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to massive crowd surges across international borders, August 11 marks a defining day in gridiron lore. Imagine two men sitting down with a $500 check from a meatpacking company to birth what would become the NFL’s most championship-decorated franchise. Add in a shocking college-over-pro triumph in front of nearly 89,000 screaming fans at Soldier Field, plus early cross-border clashes in Canada and indoor championship clashes, and August 11 stands as a cornerstone date in gridiron evolution.
August 11 American Football History Timeline
- August 11, 1919 – During what would be the first of two meetings in the editorial rooms of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the preliminary plans to organize a Green Bay professional football team are laid. In essence, the Green Bay Packers were partially founded by Earl Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun on this day, along with the next meeting that took place a few days later. Lambeau received $500 from his employer, the Indian Packing Company, on the condition that the team be named after their sponsor. The Packers have played in their original city longer than any other NFL team, and it’s the only small-market, community-owned team in the United States that remains from the league’s early beginnings. The Packers have won 13 league championships and four Super Bowls, the most titles, 17 in NFL history, per Yahoo.com. And the group planned the second meeting for August 14, 1919, to finalize the plans. And hint, hint, probably three days from now, on August 14, Football History Headlines, we’ll be talking just a little bit more about the Packers.
- August 11, 1950 – In front of a paid attendance of 88,835 at Chicago’s Soldier Field, the 17th annual NFL Chicago Charities College All-Star Game is played. Stunningly, the College All-Stars triumphed over the champion Philadelphia Eagles squad 17 to 7. Collegian Charlie Choochoo Johnson powered a decisive offensive onslaught on the Eagles. He ran well and even caught a 35-yard strike from quarterback Eddie LeBaron, who escaped several would-be Philly tacklers in an effort to launch the strike down the field. Running back Steve Van Buren punched the ball over the goal line late for the Eagles’ only score, but Johnson was voted as the game’s MVP for those college players. And what a thrill that must have been for the college team to upset the world champions of the NFL in 1950. The college game was a little bigger and more popular than the NFL at the time, but to have the professionals fall to the all-star collegians was a pretty big deal.
- August 11, 1951 – NFL North of the Border: The National Football League’s New York Giants invaded Ottawa, Canada and overcame the Rough Riders of the CFL 38 to 6 in an exhibition game. One of those few- I think there were six exhibition games where the NFL and the CFL played, and they were all played in Canada.
- August 11, 1954 – In more CFL action, the British Columbia Lions, BC Lions, played their first game ever, which resulted in a loss to the Montreal Alouettes 22 to nothing.
- August 11, 1969 – The NFL went into Canadian territory once again as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Giants, another NFL team, 17 to 13 in Montreal in a preseason exhibition game.
- August 11, 1990 – Football indoors plays a championship as Arena Bowl Four is played at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, as the Dallas Texans fall to the home team, the Detroit Drive, 51 to 27. Art Schlichter is the MVP of this contest, and I think we all remember that name from his college football days.
August 11 Hall of Fame Birthdays
No Hall of Famers were born on August 11, at least at the time of this post.
Conclusion
August 11 reflects the sprawling, unpredictable narrative of football history. The birth of the Green Bay Packers in 1919 established a community-owned legacy that remains unprecedented today, while the 1950 College All-Star upset showcased a time when collegiate powerhouses could go toe-to-toe with World Champion professionals. Complemented by the NFL’s early international ventures into CFL territory and arena football milestones, these historical beats highlight how football evolved from regional town teams into a global, multi-league phenomenon.
