March 31 American Football History Headlines

By Darin Hayes 📅 2025-03-31

Step right up and find the elixir that heals your ills! Well... Maybe some gridiron memories will at least make you forget your troubles for a moment.... Take a swig and drink the rich history of American football from March 31.

(Image credit: pigskindispatch.com)

March 31st marks a significant date on the American football calendar, a day where the echoes of past achievements and the promise of future greatness intertwine. While the roar of the crowd may be distant in late March, this date has been the backdrop for pivotal decisions and the arrival of individuals who would forever shape the sport.

Across the decades, March 31st has witnessed moments of strategic maneuvering that have altered the course of franchises and the landscape of the league. These are stories of bold leadership and transformative choices that propelled teams towards lasting success. Furthermore, this date has welcomed into the world future icons of the game, men whose exceptional talent and dedication would ultimately earn them enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, their legacies forever celebrated.

EventDay:March 31
Sub-Category:About Sports, College HOF, Football Hall of Fame, Football Legend
Football Month:March History

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The Foundation for Organizing American Foot...is Laid

Knute Rockne Dies in a Plane Crash

The Foundation for Organizing American Football is Laid

March 31, 1906 - The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) is formally established. In 1910, the IAAUS was renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA, according to the Library of Congress.

EventDay:March 31

Early football games often resulted in injury and even death, prompting some colleges and universities to close their football programs. The reforms were encouraged by President Roosevelt in 1905. Some of the revisions to the rules from the IAAUS were the institution of the legal forward pass, and some rules made certain formations illegal.

"The Foundation for Organizing American Football is Laid"

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Knute Rockne Dies in a Plane Crash

Knute Rockne tragically died on March 31, 1931, in Kansas, when a Transcontinental & Western Air airliner crashed. He was en route to participate in the filming of The Spirit of Notre Dame, which was later released on October 13, 1931. Rockne had made a stop in Kansas City to visit his sons, Bill and Knute Jr., who were attending boarding school at Pembroke-Country Day School. Approximately an hour after departing Kansas City, a wing of the Fokker Trimotor broke apart mid-flight. The plane plummeted into a wheat field near Bazaar, Kansas, resulting in the deaths of Rockne and seven other individuals.

EventDay:March 31
Football Name:Knute Rockne

In a somber coincidence, Jess Harper, Rockne's friend and the coach he had succeeded at Notre Dame, resided about 100 miles from the crash site. Harper was called upon to positively identify Rockne's body. A memorial now marks the location of the crash, enclosed by a wire fence with wooden posts. For many years, James Heathman, who was 13 years old in 1931 and among the first to reach the scene, diligently maintained the memorial.

"Knute Rockne Dies in a Plane Crash"

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Bob Anderson Army's Amazing Hall of Fame Halfback

Robert Paul Anderson was born on March 31, 1938, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

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Ed Marinaro From Cornell Football Stardom t...llywood

Ed Marinaro was born on March 31, 1950, in New York City, New York.

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Jimmy Johnson 49ers Cornerback

San Francisco 49ers fans revere the name Jimmy Johnson, not to be confused with the famed coach or an early College Football Hall of Fame player from Carlisle of the same....

About "March 31 American Footbal...lines" 🡃

Category:Football History
DOB:March 31
EventDay:March 31
NCAAF Jersey:Number 21, Number 37, Number 44
NFL Jersey:Number 37, Number 49
Sub-Category:About Sports, College HOF, Football Hall of Fame, Football Legend
Football Month:March History
Football Name:Bob Anderson, Ed Marinaro, Jimmy Johnson, Knute Rockne
Football Position:cornerback, halfback, running back
Football Team:Army Black Knights, Cornell Big Red, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, UCLA Bruins
Sports:College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame

#FootballHistory #AboutSports #CollegeHOF #FootballHallOfFame #FootballLegend #MarchHistory #BobAnderson #EdMarinaro #JimmyJohnson #KnuteRockne #RunningBack #ArmyBlackKnights #CornellBigRed #MinnesotaVikings #NewYorkJets #SeattleSeahawks #UCLABruins #CollegeFootballHallOfFame #ProFootballHallOfFame

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March 31 American Football History Headlines

Step right up and find the elixir that heals your ills! Well... Maybe some gridiron memories will at least make you forget your troubles for a moment.... Take a swig and drink the rich history of American football from March 31.

TOC of "March 31 American Football History Headlines"

The Foundation for Organizing American Football is Laid

Knute Rockne Dies in a Plane Crash

More Football History on pigskindispatch.com

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