Posts with players, coaches, and other topics from the Pre-NFL era for The Football History Dude podcast, covering the history of the NFL.
Carlisle Indian School Football The Carlisle Indian Industrial School football team was an underdog story fit for the movies. Beginning in 1879, Native American children were taken from their homes and sent halfway across the country to attend this “off-reservation boarding school” in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Athletics was an escape for many of the children, including … Read more
Jim Thorpe was a legend during his time, and most of us know the name today, more than 100 years after he was given the nickname of “World’s Greatest Athlete.” This is a 2-part series podcast of Jim Thorpe on The Football History Dude podcast. You can listen to both episodes below, and if you’re … Read more
When you mention the name of George Halas, several things may come to mind. Born in 1895, Halas was the founder of the Chicago Bears as well as the National Football League. But he was also an outfielder for the New York Yankees and the MVP of the 1919 Rose Bowl before settling in as … Read more
This episode we fire up the DeLorean and head back to explore the life and career of Joe Carr, the Father of Professional Football. He was the NFL President from 1921 – 1939 and was considered one of the most influential people in bringing legitimacy to the league. Due to his contributions to the league, … Read more
Early NFL historians believed a 16-year old quarterback named John Brollier, from Indiana College in Pennsylvania was the first professional football player because he accepted $10 and some expenses to play a football game on September 3, 1895. They were wrong, and this travesty wasn’t discovered until about 80 years later the true first professional … Read more