August 17

For the August 17 edition of the football history headlines, we remember the founding of the Detroit Wolverines franchise, the first NFL battle between the Giants and the Jets, and the new Gillette Stadium opening up near Boston. We will provide you with a little bit of football nostalgia. This daily football history segment features the Great events, Franchise formation anniversaries, the birthdays of notable Hall of Fame players, coaches, or anyone else in our great game, and many more Legendary stories of the Gridiron.

The picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by photographer Lewis Wickes Hine, circa October 1909 and is titled "Amateur Football on the Boston Common. Location: Boston, Massachusetts ."

Graphic courtesy of Gridiron Uniform Database http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/

• August 17, 1928 - The Detroit Wolverines franchise is launched on this date. 
• August 17, 1951 - At Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois the 18th edition of the Chicago College All-Star Game is played and it is the Cleveland Browns who take apart the college stars 33-0. The game's MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was Lewis McFadin from Texas.
• August 17, 1969 - Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut - The New York Jets get their first ever game with their cross town rival New York Giants in a preseason game. The defending Super Bowl champion New York Jets defeated the New York Giants 37-14 in an exhibition game, resulting in the firing of Giants head coach Allie Sherman according to Yahoo.com. It was the first game between the Jets and Giants, who have played annually in the preseason every year since.
• August 17, 1991 - Arena Bowl V is played at Detroits Joe Louis Arena and it is the visiting Tampa Bay Storm that wins the title over the Detroit Drive in an exciting 48-42 final score. Stevie Thomas, the wide receiver/linebacker is named the games MVP.
• August 17, 2002 - Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts opens during with pre-season tilt where the New England Patriots hosted the Philadelphia Eagles.

We would like to thank Bill Schaefer for the lending of the graphics and the research that he and his team including Larry Schmitt contributed on the Detroit Panthers in today's edition. You can catch more of Bill and Larry's great work on the Gridiron Uniform Database, gridiron-uniforms.com.

August 17, 1905 - Rags Matthews was an end from Texas Christian University was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in the induction ceremonies of 1971. Rags played both the defensive and offensive end positions for the Horned Frogs. His outstanding play earned Matthews the honor of being TCU football's MVP both the 1926 and the 1927 seasons.

Birthdays of the Not Yet in the Hall Players

• August 17, 1966 - Tuscaloosa, Alabama - Alabama State's former offensive tackle Zefross Moss was born. Moss signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 1988 but also played with the Colts, Lions, and Patriots according to Yahoo.com.  Mr. Moss started in 137 of his 154 career NFL games.
• August 17, 1968 - Waynesboro, Pennsylvania - Stanford's great wide receiver Ed McCaffrey arrived into the world. Mr. McCaffrey was the 83rd overall pick by the New York Giants in the 1991 NFL Draft.  Ed' great career included 565 receptions for 7,422 yards and 55 touchdowns with the Giants, 49ers and Broncos. McCaffrey per a Yahoo.com report was a Pro Bowl selection and a Second-team All-Pro in 1998. He won three Super Bowls in his career: Super Bowl XXIX with the 49ers and Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with the Broncos.
• August 17, 1972 - Renton, Washington - University of Washington's former tight end Ernie Conwell was born. The St. Louis Rams chose Ernie in the 1996 NFL Draft with the 59th overall pick. His career spanned not only with the Rams but also Saints as he hauled in 203 career receptions for 2,188 yards and 15 touchdowns. Yahoo.com reports that Conwell was an All-Pro in 2001. He won Super Bowl XXXIV with the Rams.
• August 17, 1979 - Riverdale, Illinois - Wide receiver Antwaan Randle El who once donned the uniform of the University of Indiana from 1998 through the 2001season arrived into this life. Randle El was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 62nd overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Besides having two stints with the Steelers he also plyed 3 seasons with Washington. For his career according to Yahoo.com Antwaan grabbed 370 receptions for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns as well as 79 carries for 438 yards with 311 punt returns for 2,557 yards and five touchdowns and 79 kick returns for 1,759 yards and one touchdown. Mr. Randle El won a Super Bowl Ring as he was part of the Pittburgh team that won Super Bowl XL, where he threw a touchdown strike to the games MVP, Hines Ward on a gadget play.