Football History

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Aron Harris takes us on The Football Odyssey to the 1880 IFA Rules Meeting

July 12, 1931 - Cleveland Indians franchise forms after the Cleveland Tigers franchise changed their name and then subsequently folded after the 1921 season per the ProFootballHOF.com website. According to the American Football Fandom site this was the first of three different instances of an “Indians” pro football franchise in Cleveland. A second "Indians" NFL team arose in 1923. That team played as the "Indians" for the 1923 season before changing their name to the Cleveland Bulldogs in 1924. The third rendition of the Cleveland Indians came in 1931 when the League sponsored the club that only played games on the road. The NFL intended to locate this team permanently in Cleveland. However when no suitable owner was found,  the franchise folded after just one season as visiting gate revenues. These three Cleveland teams are viewed as three totally different franchises by the NFL.

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Football Archaeology examines the rules and basics for understanding Canadian Football and the CFL.

Born April 5, 1888, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was early gridiron legend Fred Chicken. His real name was Fred S. Slepicka, which when translated means "chicken." Fred was a tailback/halfback who played for the Minneapolis Marines (1915-1918), prior to that team's entry into the NFL. With him the Marines team went 34-3-1 between the years of 1913 thru 1917. 1918 during World War I Fred coached and played for the St. Paul Aviators School. He later played for the Rock Island Independents.

A Pittsburgh news article on the history of the Hope harvey team of Art Rooney

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Tony Collins is a British social historian specializing in the history of athletic sport. Professor
Collins is well accredited as he is an emeritus professor of history at De Montfort University, a
Research Fellow at the Institute of Sports Humanities, and in 2018 was a visiting professor at
Beijing Sports University. In 2020 Dr. Collins
His works on Rugby history include:
1999, his first book Rugby’s Great Split, which won the Aberdare Prize for Sports History Book
of the Year. The great Rugby Football expert also won this same Prestigious award for later
works such as:
Rugby League in Twentieth-Century Britain (2007),
A Social History of English Rugby Union (2010)
The Oval World: A Global History of Rugby (2016).
A Social History of English Rugby Union was also a winner of the 2015 'World in Union Book
Award' for the best academic book on rugby union
Other works to his credit are:
Sport in Capitalist Society (2013)
How Football Began: How the World’s Football Codes Were Born (2018).
To share much more about the sport, Dr. Collins launched a sports history podcast called Rugby
Reloaded looks at the history of rugby and the other football codes worldwide.

Co-Host George Bozeka of the The Official PFRA Podcast which is part of the Sports History Network, is a longtime gridiron historian, President of the Professional Football Researchers Association and author of multiple titles.

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George Halas wasn't just a football player, coach, or owner; he was an architect, a pioneer, and a godfather. Spanning seven decades, his career intertwined with the very evolution of professional football, leaving an indelible mark on the game we know and love today.

Starting as a versatile athlete in the early 1900s, Halas soon transitioned to coaching, leading teams with his innovative strategies and fierce competitiveness. He co-founded the Decatur Staleys (later renamed the Chicago Bears) in 1920, becoming owner, coach, and even player at times. He revolutionized the game with tactics like the T-formation and the "man in motion," forever changing the offensive landscape.

Halas wasn't just building a team; he was building a league. He was pivotal in establishing the National Football League (NFL) in 1920, serving as its president for multiple terms and shaping its rules and structure. He was a shrewd businessman, securing television deals and driving the league's financial growth.

His influence extended beyond the field. He advocated for player safety, fought for racial equality, and even served as a Navy officer during World War II. He became a symbol of integrity and leadership, earning the respect of players, coaches, and fans alike.

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Leonard Guy Ford Jr., better known as the "Two-Handed Terror," wasn't your typical NFL star. A hulking 6'4" and 245 pounds, his dominance transcended mere size. He was a defensive whirlwind, a two-way terror who redefined the ends position in the 1940s and 50s.

Ford's career unfolded like a football epic. He began with the Los Angeles Dons in the All-America Football Conference, excelling not just as a fearsome defender but also as a pass-catching weapon. His leaping one-handed grabs became legendary, showcasing a rare blend of power and finesse.

When the AAFC folded, Ford landed with the Cleveland Browns, joining the legendary Cleveland teams of the 1950s. Here, his defensive prowess truly blossomed. He terrorized quarterbacks with unstoppable pass rushes, recovering fumbles and earning All-NFL honors four times.

Author Dan Taylor tells about the legendary Man and Football Player Kenny Washington.