The NFL was started in Canton, Ohio on September 17, 1920 by a group of enterprising men. Initially, the NFL was known as the American Professional Football Association (AFPA). The American Professional Football Association was later renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922 and became America’s favorite sport. Jim Thorpe, who was a professional football player, was the first president of the NFL and helped add credibility and popularity to the sport.
Professional football actually began in 1892 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when former Yale star William “Pudge” Heffelfinger was awarded a remarkable sum of $500 to play in a single game for the Allegheny Athletic Association on November 12, 1892. Then professional football was primarily played in the small towns of Pennsylvania and was primarily a Pennsylvania sport before it started to become popular in eastern and midwestern states like Ohio.
The early days of Pro Football faced several problems, including a lack of rules, keeping players in order, and professional recognition. But with the formation of APFA all problems began to melt away. Actually there were 11 franchises that were presented at the first APFA meeting. They were
canton bulldogs
Decatur Staleys
chicago cardinals
Akron Professionals
cleveland indians
dayton triangles
massillon tigers
Hammond Professionals
Muncie Brochures
Rock Island Independents
rochester jefferson
On September 26, 1920, the first game with an APFA team was played at Douglas Park in Rock Island, Illinois. The Independents were victorious when they posted a 48-0 victory over the St. Paul Ideals. A week later, two teams in the league met head-to-head for the first time. The Dayton Triangles defeated the Columbus Panhandles, 14-0 at Triangle Park. The Akron Pros, with a regular season record of 8-0-3, were crowned the league’s first champions.
Only two of the original APFA franchises still exist today. The Decatur Staleys moved to Chicago and their franchise name was changed to the current Chicago Bears. The Chicago Cardinals moved their home to Arizona and are known as the Arizona Cardinals.
