Who is the founder of the NFL?
September 17 was the date of the second organizational meeting. The first was on August 20 at the same location in Canton. Only four teams were represented at this first meeting: Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians and Dayton Triangles. This first meeting resulted in the formation of the American Professional Football Conference. At the second meeting – attended by 10 teams – the word “Conference” was changed to “Association” in the league’s title. http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1911-1920 “Papa Bear” Halas only attended the second meeting and was the last survivor from that meeting when died on Halloween 1983. It’s probably for this reason that his name gets associated with being the “founder of the league”. He wasn’t the sole brainchild behind it all; just one of many who attended that second meeting. That he remained with the Bears the rest of his life just adds to his
For the most part, George “Papa Bear” Halas gets most of the credit. On September 17, 1920, a group of men gathered in Canton, Ohio at the Hupmobile showroom of Ralph Hay, owner of the hometown Bulldogs football team. The need for a sense of order brought these men, which among others, together in Canton to form the first professional football league. The result of the meeting was the birth of the National Football League. First known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) and later renamed the NFL in 1922, the league’s first president was Jim Thorpe. Without a doubt the most famous athlete of his time, Thorpe helped add credibility to the sport. While not front-page news in 1920, the league’s formation was the start of a journey. Here is a good link from the NFL Hall of Fame http://www.profootballhof.com/…/founded.
