By Darin 
November 3 is a date defined by historic firsts and offensive fireworks that stretched the limits of the game. It was on this day in 1877 that Princeton’s L.P. Smock introduced the earliest concept of padding to football, sewing thin quilted layers into his uniform for the Harvard game—a meager but monumental first step toward player safety!
The Day Records Broke and Pads Were Invented: November 3 in Football History.
Fast forward over a century, and November 3 became a field day for passers: Nick Foles tossed seven touchdowns in one game, while an earlier contest featured an NFL record 11 combined interceptions. From the first loss at home for an undefeated Princeton program in 1900 to the end of Notre Dame’s 43-game win streak against Navy in 2007, this day truly reshaped the gridiron.
November 3 Football History Headlines
November 3, 1877 – Princeton’s L.P. Smock introduced wearing padding to the game of football when he and his team faced Harvard. Smock sewed padding made mostly of cotton into his uniform jersey and pants for this game. The rules in that contest more closely resembled rugby than our modern American Football, but it was a rough sport nonetheless. Per the source, sportsrec.com, Smock’s pads were thin, quilted layers sewn to the shoulders, thighs, and knees of the laced-up jersey and knee pants he designed as the first football uniform for Princeton’s players. The pads were not very heavy and did not provide much protection.
November 3, 1900 – University Park, Ithaca, New York – Two undefeated heavyweights of the early gridiron era squared off in a week seven showdown as the Cornell Big Red would travel to play the Princeton Tigers. Entering the game, according to an article on the cornellbigred.com website, Princeton had never lost at home with an excellent 121-0-1 record there. Cornell featured All-American fullback Ray Starbuck while Princeton countered with their leading man, captain H. W. Pell. Cornell made history as they handed the Tigers their first loss at home, 12-0, on a rainy afternoon. The Big Red’s Raymond Starbuck and Henry Purcell each scored touchdowns, and Starbuck booted a pair of extra-point kicks to lead Cornell past the Tigers. It was the first time in 31 seasons of Princeton football that they had ever suffered a loss in their own house! Truly a remarkable feat!
November 3, 1935 – Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts – Philadelphia Eagles beat Boston Redskins, 7-6. Considering the era of football and the score, it doesn’t sound like the ball was in the air much during the contest, yet the respective quarterbacks combined to throw an NFL record 11 interceptions.
November 3, 1964 – Philadelphia voters narrowly approve $25 million referendum to build a new multi-purpose stadium that would later become known as Veterans Stadium.
November 3, 1968 – Shea Stadium, New York City, New York – Jets kicker Jim Turner boots 6 field goals and an extra point to defeat the Buffalo Bills, 25-21.
November 3, 1973 – Cougar Stadium, Provo, Utah – Brigham Young University wide receiver Jay Miller set an NCAA football single-game record with 22 catches for 263 yards as the Cougars went on to snatch a 56-21 victory over the University of New Mexico.
November 3, 1990 – The Astrodome, Houston, Texas – Texas Christian University quarterback Matt Vogler completes 44 passes, including 5 touchdowns for an NCAA football record 690 passing yards, but was outmatched when the opposing Houston Cougars quarterback David Klingler threw for 7 TDs. The Cougars overcame the great offensive showing of the TCU Horned Frogs with a 56-35 final score.
On November 3, 1996, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice became the first player in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions in a 24-17 win over the New Orleans Saints, hauling in 3 passes for 45 yards and a TD. Rice finished his career with 1,549 receptions to set a milestone for NFL receivers of the future to strive for.
November 3, 2001 – Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi – The University of Arkansas defeats the University of Mississippi, 58-56, in 7 overtime periods, at the time the longest game in NCAA football history.
November 3, 2007 – The Navy Midshipmen defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 46-44 in triple overtime, ending the Fighting Irish’s NCAA Football-record winning streak against the Midshipmen at 43 games. When was the last Navy win over Notre Dame, you might ask? It was a 35-14 Midshipmen win in 1963.
November 3, 2013 – Oakland, California – Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles completes 22 of his 28 passing attempts for 406 yards, scoring 3 touchdowns to Wideout Riley Cooper to become the 7th passer in NFL history with 7 TD tosses in a game during the Philadelphia Eagles’ 49-20 win over the Raiders.
November 3 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
- Charley Barrett
- Jim Houston
- Kirk Baumgartner
- Bronko Nagurski
Conclusion: From Barely-There Padding to Hall of Fame Legacies
November 3 is an unparalleled date for football extremes. It honors the birth of legends like Bronko Nagurski, the only player ever named to two positions on the same All-America team, and Jerry Rice, the first NFL player to reach 1,000 career receptions. From the nearly 11-hour, seven-overtime epic between Arkansas and Ole Miss to the jaw-dropping 690-yard passing performance by TCU’s Matt Vogler, this day showcases the sport’s capacity for unforgettable drama and milestone achievements, all starting with a small bit of cotton sewn into a jersey in 1877.