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May 08

May 08 | Football history and related events that occurred in the month of June
May 07 Current Day: May 08❌ May 09

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Explore the 1925 NFL season and the saga of an NFL franchise the Pottsville Maroons

Marooned:The Rise, The Fall, and The Redemption of the NFL's Pottsville Maroons

Greatest Pro Team
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The World's Greatest Pro Gridiron Team
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My Podcasts | "REMEMBERING RONNIE LOTT, DOUG ATKINS & BILL COWHER WHILE FIGURING OUT HOW THE YELLOW 1ST DOWN LINE WORKS!"
  • EVENTDAY: May 08
  • PODCAST: Football
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Football History

"The Genesis of Fair Catch Protection: A Rule Forged in 1894"

Last updated 📅 2025-05-08
On May 8, 1894, a significant day for the burgeoning sport of American football, a pivotal rules convention convened at the esteemed New York City Athletic Club. Among the deliberations that day, a rudimentary yet crucial regulation concerning fair catch interference on kick plays was formally instituted. This marked an early step towards ensuring safety and order within the often-chaotic special teams aspect of the game.
Now this rule spawned from the 1876 Intercollegiate Football Association Rules which were written to say in Rule 28: "A fair catch is a catch made direct from a kick or a throw forward, or a knock on by one of the opposite side, or from a punt-out or punt-on provided the catcher makes a mark with his heel at the spot where he made the catch and no other of his side touch the ball." For more on this check out the great Football Archaeology Tidbit titled: IFA Rule #28 Fair Catch A key component of this nascent rule focused on the actions required of the player intending to make a fair catch...
EventDay

"May 8 American Football History"

On this day, May 8th, a recurring date in the annals of American football, we embark on a journey through pivotal moments that have shaped the sport we know today. This series of posts will delve into significant events that unfolded on this very date across the decades, offering a glimpse into the evolution of rules, the emergence of legendary figures, and the milestones that have contributed to the rich tapestry of football history.
From foundational rule changes enacted in the late 19th century to the birthdates of influential personalities and landmark achievements on the field, May 8th serves as a compelling focal point for exploring the sport's dynamic past. Join us as we uncover the stories and legacies connected to this specific day, illuminating the fascinating trajectory of American football and its enduring impact on the sporting landscape. Each post will offer a unique snapshot, collectively painting a vibrant picture of football's historical journey. On this day, May 8th, a recurring date in the annals of American football, we embark on a journey through pivotal moments that have shaped the sport we know today. This series of posts will delve into significant events that unfolded on this very date across the decades, offering a glimpse into the evolution of rules, the emergence of legendary figures, and the milestones that have contributed to the rich tapestry of football history...
Football History

"Greatest Football Player of All Time Announced?"

Last updated 📅 2025-05-08
May 8, 1910 - Walter Eckersall writes the Greatest Football Player of All Time article. The article starts by giving credentials to Walter Eckersall. Eckersall was selected three consecutive years by Walter Camp to be what is the equivalent of First Team All-America and even made Camp’s All-Time All-American team as the QB! The brilliant quarterback played, of course, for Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg at the University of Chicago, and all of this definitely qualified Eckersall to determine the greatest player of all time, for at least the first 30 years of American football.

Eckersall chose Ted Coy from Yale for this honor. Coy, Eckersall exclaims, “possessed superhuman endurance, who more than any other man was responsible for Yale’s football triumphs in the last three years...who by his clean playing and true college sportsmanship on and off the field which has done much to elevate the popular college sport belongs the honor of being the greatest football player of all time.” We will examine the career of Mr. Coy more closely in a few weeks on his May 23 birthday edition of the Football History Headlines.

Football History

"Above the "Line" Football Television Broadcast Innovation"

Last updated 📅 2025-05-08
May 8, 2001 - U.S. Patent 6,229,550 is granted for Blending a Graphic to create the yellow line on TV for the line to gain,  The yellow first-down line. Since the late 1990s, the virtual yellow line has been quietly enhancing football broadcasts by giving viewers a live, intuitive guide to where the line to gain is even when the sticks are nowhere in view. The graphic is engineered to appear painted on the field rather than plopped on top of the players. The line debuted during a September 27, 1998, game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals. It was developed by Sportvision Inc. and operated by six people in a 48-foot semi-truck parked outside the stadium. ESPN was the only network that immediately agreed to pay the steep price of $25,000 per game. Before long, other companies began offering the yellow line to the different networks, and now you won't see a football game without it, according to Vox.com.
Sportsvision had developed this technology from their failed "blue halo" experiment in NHL Hockey in 1996 called FoxTrax, according to an article on MentalFloss.com. The article says that FoxTrax employed a system of cameras and sensors around a hockey rink to place a little blue halo around the puck...
Football Hall of Fame

"Doug Atkins"

Last updated 📅 2024-05-08
Born May 8, 1930, in Humboltd, Tennessee, was Doug Atkins the Tennessee tackle of 1950-1952. The FootballFoundation.org has a great bio of Atkins where they share that head football coach Bob Neyland went after the basketball recruit to use his 6'8", 245- pound frame on the football field as well. As a sophomore in 1950, Atkins played end on Tennessee's 11-1 Cotton Bowl champion team.
Soon they flipped him over to play defensive tackle and soon Doug led a vicious pass rush! The Vols led the nation in pass defense as Tennessee raced to 10 consecutive regular-season victories and a national championship...
Football Hall of Fame

"Bill Cowher Hall of Fame Steelers Coach"

Last updated 📅 2023-05-08
Born May 8, 1957, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was Bill Cowher the North Carolina State defender who played a bit in the Pros. Cowher was not known for his time as a player but what he did from the sidelines after he hung up his helmet.
At the age of 34 years old he took over the reigns of the Pittsburgh Steelers from legend Chuck Noll and kept the Steel City franchise in contention for much of his 15 years as the head coach...

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Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer
We invite you to take a ride through 1920's sports history in the audio drama that takes the listener through the sounds and legendary events of the era through the eyes of a young newspaper journalist. You will feel like you were there! Brought to you by Number 80 Productions and Pigskin Dispatch _________________________

Sports Jersey Dispatch
If you like remembering players of the NFL by their numbers then you may also enjoy going uniform number by number in othre team sports as well. We have it for you on our other website in baseball, basketball, hockey and more on the Sports Jersey Dispatch. _________________________