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Rules For American Football
History At the Massasoit convention, the first rules for american football were written. Walter Camp, who would become known as the father of american football, first became involved with the game. -
Walter Camp
Walter Camp Walter Camp Attended Yale from 1876 to 1882. He was born April 17, 1859, in New Haven, Connecticut. -
How Football Was Started
History of football Derived from the English game of rugby, American football was started in 1879 with rules instituted by Walter Camp, player and coach at Yale University. -
First Person Paid To Play Football
History Former Yale All-America guard William (Pudge) Heffelfinger was paid $500 by the AAA to play in a game against the PAC, becoming the first person to be paid to play football. -
First Known Pro Football Contract
History The Pittsburgh Athletic Club signed one of its players, probably halfback Grant Dibert, to the first known pro football contract, which covered all of the PAC's games for the year. -
First Football Player To Openly Turn Pro
History John Brallier became the first football player to openly turn pro, accepting $10 and expenses to play for the Latrobe YMCA against the Jeannette Athletic Club. -
First Complete Professional Team
History The Allegheny Athletic Association team fielded the first completely professional team for its abbreviated two-game season. -
Entirely Pro
History The Latrobe Athletic Association football team went entirely professional, becoming the first team to play a full season with only professionals. -
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Oldest Team
History Chris O'Brien formed a neighborhood team, which played under the name the Morgan Athletic Club, on the south side of Chicago. The team later became known as the Normals, then the Racine (for a street in Chicago) Cardinals, the Chicago Cardinals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phoenix Cardinals, and, in 1994, the Arizona Cardinals. The team remains the oldest continuing operation in pro football.
