<![CDATA[Happy Birthday NFL]]>By Darlene1005

965778.jpg

this is not about the can of beans, but the sign behind it

Probably many of you die-hard fans already know this bit of trivia. Just in case there are one or two of you that need to get the kegs ready for the party, the National Football League was founded on September 17, 1920 in Canton, Ohio.

This meeting took place at the Hupmobile showroom of Ralph Hay, who owned the Bulldogs. The league was first known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA), but became the NFL in 1922. In 1920 it formed 11 teams.

Jim Thorpe was the first President of the APFA. He played for the Canton Bulldogs. He was named the greatest athlete of the first half of the twentieth century and also has a national holiday named after him--May 28. Thorpe was an Olympic gold medal winner in 1912.

On September 26, 1920, the first game featuring a team from the APFA. It was played at Douglas Park in Rock Island, Illinois. The Independents were victorious as they shut out the St. Paul Ideals with a 48-0. The Akron Pros were the league's first champion with an 8-0-3 regular season.

965788.jpg

First eleven teams

Canton Bulldogs

Decatur Staleys

Chicago Cardinals

Akron Pros

Cleveland Indians

Dayton Triangles

Massillon Tigers

Hammond Pros

Muncie Flyers

Rock Island Independents

Rochester Jeffersons

NFL now has 32 teams divided between two conferences (NFC/AFC). People spend their weekends rooting for their favorite team. The NFL is one of the most popular sports leagues according to Wiki and the highest paid per game attendance of any sport in the world. The average is 67,000 spectators per game. I know I keep up with my favorite team. It appears the Newsvine community does too.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/topic/15819/happy-birthday-nflRSS for NodeThu, 01 Oct 2026 23:48:00 GMTFri, 17 Sep 2010 13:26:20 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Happy Birthday NFL on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:40:52 GMT]]>In addition to the NFL celebrating its 90th Birthday, here are some other events that occurred on September 17th:

1797 The US Constitution was completed and signed by a majority of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia

1862 The Battle of Antietem

1939 The USSR invaded Poland (ony after Hitler already had earlier)

1972 M*A*S*H made its first broadcast

1976 NASA unveiled the very first Space Shuttle. Its name?: The USS Enterprise

1996 Former US Vice President Spiro Agnew died

2004 Barry Bonds hit his 700th Home Run

Birthdays on September 17th:

NFL Hall of Famer George Blanda is 83 today

NFL QB Mark Brunell is 40

Lakers coach Phil Jackson is 65

Fee Waybill of The Tubes is 60 (anyone remember them?)

Former Chief Justice Warren Burger was born on Sept. 17th as was current Supreme Court Justice David Souter

Finally, to bring this full circle September 17th was also the birthday of Hank Williams Sr., whose son is famous for asking:

Are You Ready for some Football?

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/194445https://brownsboard.com/post/194445Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:40:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Happy Birthday NFL on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:23:31 GMT]]>

@1-more-season said:

I believe that the Cardinals are the only original franchise that has operated continuously since the beginning. They were known as the Chicago Athletic Club then The Cardinals, Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix, Arizona.

I could be wrong but I think I remember legendary sports talk personality Pete Franklin say that once.

No, actually the "Decatur Staleys" are also still operating....they are now known as The Chicago Bears. (Franklin may have meant that the Cardinals are the only original team still using their original nickname, which would be true)

Also, the Massillon Tigers, though part of the original organizing group actually dropped out and never played a game as an NFL (APFA) team.

Plus, though that "first game" was played in Rockford, the St. Paul team was not nor ever became an NFL team. The first NFL game between 2 NFL teams was played in Dayton between the Dayton Triangles ...and perhaps the Columbus Panhandles? I am not sure about the Panhandles, it may have been one of the others.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/194437https://brownsboard.com/post/194437Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:23:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Happy Birthday NFL on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:06:07 GMT]]>I believe that the Cardinals are the only original franchise that has operated continuously since the beginning. They were known as the Chicago Athletic Club then The Cardinals, Chicago, St. Louis, Phoenix, Arizona.

I could be wrong but I think I remember legendary sports talk personality Pete Franklin say that once.

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/194432https://brownsboard.com/post/194432Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:06:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Happy Birthday NFL on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:54:32 GMT]]>Good stuff - Thanks for the insight!

]]>https://brownsboard.com/post/194427https://brownsboard.com/post/194427Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:54:32 GMT