When Did Football Start

A thug's game played by gentlemen, Rugby is a sport originating in England. It is a game involving a prolate spheroid ball and is a full contact form of football. There are 13 members each in 2 competing teams and they play on a rectangular grass field. The goal of the teams is to carry or kick the ball towards the opponent's goal line. Here, points can be scored by either grounding the ball, called a 'try'. Then the team gets a chance to go at the goal. This is how generally the game is. American football started around mid 1800s. It actually resulted from variations in Rugby. Let's go back in time and see what all happened and how did it all start.

When did Football Start in The United States?

Early Days
American football came about especially as an effect of rule changes instituted by Walter Camp. Thus, he is considered as the father of American football. Walter Camp totally changed the face of American football by introducing the 'line of Scrimmage'. Scoring rules and the size of the filed were also dabbled into by Walter Camp.

In the USA, football started around 1800s, the latter half of the century. Basically American football came about as a result of variations in Rugby, played in United Kingdom. Rugby, as we all know is a game where a ball is kicked over a line or is held and then ran over the line1855 was the year when inflated footballs, manufactured were introduced in the game. By that time 2 general forms of the game involving kicking and carrying had evolved and consequently a mix of the 2 was played by a group called Oneida Football Club. It was known as the 'Boston Game' and the club was apparently the first of its kind in 1862. From then on, intercollegiate football gained momentum and popularity. Eventually around early 1870s and 1880s, concrete rules for intercollegiate football were laid down.

Later Stages
In 1892, professional form of this sport came into being. In the year 1920, American Professional Football Association was established. This eventually became the major league of American football. Meanwhile some coaches like Glenn Warner and a few others contributed to the game by introducing new concepts. Then came the period when the sport was not limited to just a region, it became a national sport. In 1930s the college game spread in the south and soon football got national attention. In 1946, Bert Bell was made the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), who held the post for next 13 years. There were 10 NFL teams that year, of which 9 are very much in the game today. Baltmore Colts and New York Giants gave USA one of its greatest football clashes. Then came the American Football league. Thereafter the sport grew and developed rapidly. Simultaneously the football gear was picking up. The last thing to be added to the gear was helmet, which was made mandatory in the NFL till the year 1943, thanks to George Barclay of Lafayette College. He came up with the 'head harness' as early as in 1896. So that was the answer to the issue of when did football players start using helmets.

In the current form of the league every team has a good chance of winning and the rules and labor agreement with players prevents the richest teams from luring the best in the business. Smaller teams get equal chance to get the best players. This was all about how and when did football start, with reference to USA. Here is more on what was the scenario in United Kingdom.

When Did Football Start in England?

Football started in England around the same time, in 1800. However in England, Rugby was what is the equivalent of American football. Starting from private schools, this sport spread all over the country. Rugby footballs origins can be traced back to Rugby School, Warwickshire. In 1895, Northern Rugby Football Union was formed and in 1898 professional form of Rugby league came about. In 1897, line out was abolished. Following that, in 1906, the team strengths were reduced from 15 to 13 per year.

Around the same time, you can find the answer to when did football players start getting paid. That was the time when the players started getting paid for playing. In addition to this, play the ball was incorporated in place of the scrum formed after every tackle. Developments followed and then the popularity increased and in the year 1954, there were around 120,000 spectators who watched the Challenge Cup final. This was a record for the number of spectators present for a rugby match. What's more, Rugby League World Cup was founded. Then, in the years that followed bettered the game and lead to almost what the modern version of the game is. In 1966, the International Board introduced the rule that the team in possession is allowed 3 play balls and on the fourth, a scrum was to be formed. In the late 1960s, official sponsors ventured the 'field' (pun unintended) of rugby. They were Joshua tetly and John Player. Then came the king of broadcasting, in 1990s, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation which contested for worldwide broadcasting rights for Rugby League.

That was the story of Rugby and American football. Hope you found it interesting!