Backstory of football
by: Bridgette Bakker 5/1/23
Have you ever gone to a football game before? Many things you saw there have a really cool backstory! In this article we will be talking about the history of football, like how it was created, how football/rules have changed throughout the years and facts. I hope you like this article.
How football came to be
Football has come a long way since it was created. This popular game was made in the late 1800s and has become a hit ever since. Walter Camp is considered the founder of football, Walter was a rugby player from Yale university who began to change the rules of rugby for a more modern type of play which eventually developed into the sport football during the 1880s. The first college football game was played between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869, the Rutgers won 6-4 the game resembled more of a rugby game instead of a modern football game with 25 men on each side. As the years passed and football became more popular, the sport developed into what it is today. It was not until November of 1892 that the first professional football game was played between the Allegheny Athletic Association and Pittsburgh Athletic Club. Allegheny player William Heffelfinger was paid 500 dollars to play in the game, making him the first professional football player.
Changes throughout the years
Many rules have changed so here are some. Moving the goalposts from the goal line to the end line, immediately making every kick 10 yards longer and getting the post out of the way of pass patterns in the end zone. Moving kickoffs from the 40-yard line to the 35-yard line, they did this to decrease the number of touchbacks. The 35-yard line was the official placement for all kickoffs for 20 years, until 1994, when the NFL voted to move the ball back another five yards to the 30-yard line.
Facts
Football has many interesting facts so here are some facts about football. Football is the most popular sport in America. The first football games were arranged between amateur clubs and college athletic departments. In the 1880s, most colleges featured some form of the sport that could be considered football. Colleges throughout the United States were anxious to do athletics after the Civil War, and amateur football quickly became popular. Georgia Tech holds the record for most points scored in a college game. In 1916, the college team scored the most lopsided victory ever.
I hope you learned something about football from this article. Thank you so much for reading this article, have a good day!
Special thanks to
Who Invented (American) Football
Who Created Football In America?
Contributor Bio
Bridgette is a 13-year-old girl who loves drawing, music, friends, and family.