Football History of October 11

Hall of Fame Birthdays and Record-Breaking Feats: October 11 History

October 11th is a legendary date on the football calendar, marking the birthdays of two Hall of Fame quarterbacks: the legendary BYU and 49ers signal-caller Steve Young (born 1961), and Portsmouth/Lions pioneer Earl “Dutch” Clark (born 1906).

But the biggest headlines came from milestone accomplishments: In 2010, Brett Favre became the first player in NFL history to throw for 500 career touchdowns and 70,000 career yards. In 1992, Deion Sanders made history by playing an NFL game for the Falcons and then immediately flying to Pittsburgh to suit up for the Braves in the MLB playoffs—an unprecedented two-sport dedication. This day truly encapsulates the excellence and unforgettable drama of American football!

October 11 American Football History Timeline

• October 11, 1925 – The New York Giants played their 1st NFL game on the road at Providence, Rhode Island. According to sportsencyclopedia.com, Tim Mara, a successful businessman and promoter, purchased the franchise for a reported $500. In the first few seasons, the AFPA/NFL teams were mainly from small towns. League officials believed a team in a large market like New York was exactly what the fledgling NFL needed to survive. A SI.com story states that A team known as the New York Brickley Giants played two games in the APFA in 1921, but it quickly folded. Mara’s Giants, though, lost their first game to the Providence Steam Rollers 14-0. In fact, the team lost its first three starts, then won seven straight to finish 8-4.

• October 11, 1932 – George Preston Marshall acquired the Boston Braves NFL franchise along with two partners, according to his bio on the ProFootballHof.com website. The team lost $46,000 in revenue in that first season, and the two partners bailed on the team, leaving Marshall as the sole owner. George was a larger-than-life showman who thrived on attention. He named the team after the Boston Braves baseball team that played there, but after very little support, he knew he had to change things up a bit. Before the 1933 season, the nickname was changed to the Redskins to give the team its own identity. The team had limited success in Boston and didn’t get much support from the community. The lack of support by both the fans and the media really came to a head when Marshall noticed that a local field hockey team was getting more press coverage than his beloved Redskins. This infuriated Marshall, so a change of surroundings seemed to be in order. The move to the Nation’s Capital changed the course of the franchise, as they were crowned the NFL Champions in their inaugural year in DC. The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted George Marshall in 1963.

• October 11, 1992 – Deion Sanders played in two major professional sports games on the same day. Per a bleacherreport.com article, Prime Time suited up for the Atlanta Falcons and played a game at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami against the Dolphins, then  & jumped on a plane and flew to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to take the field with the Atlanta Braves Baseball team and play in a game against the Pirates in an MLB National League Championship Series game.

Jets Clip VIkes 2010 12 Oct 2010, Tue Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Newspapers.com

• On October 11, 2010, while playing for the Minnesota Vikings against his former team, the New York Jets, quarterback Brett Favre achieved two historic career milestones. He became the first player in NFL history to surpass both 500 career touchdown passes and 70,000 career passing yards. The 70,000-yard mark was reached early in the game with a pass to Percy Harvin. Later, Favre hit new teammate Randy Moss with a 37-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter to record his 500th career touchdown. Despite Favre’s record-breaking night, the Vikings ultimately fell to the Jets, 29-20, in the Monday Night Football contest.

October 11 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays

This day is special for other reasons too, as multiple College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees were born on October 11.

Happy Birthday to these outstanding gridiron icons! As we look forward to October 11, we celebrate a powerhouse roster of Hall of Famers, national champions, and defensive legends who helped define their respective eras on college and professional fields.

Here is the list in chronological order of birth:

• Joel Hunt [1905] – An all-around dynamo for Texas A&M from 1925 to 1927, Hunt excelled as a running back, quarterback, punter, and kicker, prompting legendary coach John Heisman to call him the greatest all-around player he ever saw. A 1967 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, his 19 single-season rushing touchdowns in 1927 set an Aggies record that stood for 85 years.
• Dutch Clark [1906] – One of the founding superstars of professional football, Clark was a triple-threat tailback and drop-kicker who led the Portsmouth Spartans and Detroit Lions to the 1935 NFL Championship as an elusive runner and play-caller. A charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s inaugural Class of 1963 and an enshrinee in the College Football Hall of Fame, he was the NFL’s last drop-kicking specialist and a six-time First-Team All-Pro.
• Bobby Anderson [1947] – A consensus All-American for the Colorado Buffaloes, Anderson made history by transitioning seamlessly from starting quarterback to powerhouse tailback midway through his senior season in 1969. Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006, he capped his collegiate career by earning MVP honors with a three-touchdown performance in the 1969 Liberty Bowl before becoming a first-round NFL draft pick.
• Steve Young [1961] – A dynamic, dual-threat southpaw out of BYU, Young redefined the modern quarterback position with his pinpoint accuracy and scrambling ability for the San Francisco 49ers. A two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl XXIX MVP, and member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, he retired with the highest career passer rating in NFL history at the time.
• Chris Spielman [1965] – A fierce, hard-hitting inside linebacker out of Ohio State, Spielman won the 1987 Lombardi Award and was a two-time All-American before earning induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Drafted by the Detroit Lions, he became the heartbeat of Detroit’s defense throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, racking up four Pro Bowl nods and three All-Pro selections as one of the game’s most instinctive, relentless tacklers.

Conclusion

From Hall of Fame birthdays like Steve Young and Dutch Clark to the relentless tackling intensity of Chris Spielman, October 11th showcases football excellence across generations. Whether it was Brett Favre achieving unprecedented career passing milestones or Deion Sanders demonstrating his unrivaled two-sport athleticism by appearing in both NFL and MLB playoffs on the same day, this date is a powerful reminder of the record-breaking ambition and unforgettable drama that continuously defines the great American game.

October 11 Football Image of the Day