Founding of the NFL

A Historic Meeting in Canton

On September 17, 1920, a group of men gathered in an automobile showroom in downtown Canton, Ohio, for a meeting that would permanently alter the landscape of American sports. This humble gathering at Ralph Hay's Hupmobile dealership on Cleveland Avenue marked the official birth of what would become the National Football League—today one of the most powerful and profitable sports organizations in the world.

Professional Football Before 1920

To understand the significance of the Canton meeting, it's important to recognize the state of professional football in the early 20th century:

• Professional football existed as a loose collection of independent teams
• No standardized rules or schedule governed competition
• Player contracts were not honored between teams, with athletes frequently jumping from one team to another for slightly better pay
• The sport was considered vastly inferior to college football in popularity and prestige
• Many viewed professional players with disdain compared to collegiate "amateurs"
• Financial instability plagued most teams

Key Figures in Canton

Several influential individuals in Canton played crucial roles in establishing professional football and creating the NFL:

Ralph Hay

• Owner of the Canton Bulldogs
• Successful automobile dealer (Hupmobile)
• Hosted the founding meeting at his dealership
• Envisioned a more organized structure for professional football

Jim Thorpe

• Player-coach for the Canton Bulldogs
• Olympic gold medalist and world-renowned athlete
• Selected as the league's first president to lend credibility
• The most famous football player of his era

The Inaugural Meeting

The gathering at Hay's dealership had a decidedly informal atmosphere:

• Representatives from four Ohio teams attended: Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Triangles, and Akron Pros
• Due to lack of chairs, some attendees sat on running boards and fenders of cars in the showroom
• The men paid a $100 fee to establish their franchise in the new league
• The organization was initially named the "American Professional Football Association" (APFA)
• Basic organizational structure and rules were established
• Jim Thorpe was elected president largely for name recognition

First Season and Growth

Following the Canton meeting, the fledgling league:

• Expanded quickly to 14 teams by adding franchises from other cities
• Played an irregular schedule, as teams still maintained independent operations
• Established the first transferable franchise certificates
• Created rules prohibiting the use of college players
• Began standardizing contract agreements

Renaming to the NFL

In 1922, the organization changed its name to the "National Football League," completing the foundation that had begun in Canton. During these formative years:

• League membership fluctuated as teams joined and folded
• The league gradually established more formal governance
• Record-keeping and statistics became more standardized
• The champion was determined by final standings rather than a playoff system
• Financial challenges remained significant for many teams

Canton's NFL Legacy

The city of Canton maintained a strong connection to professional football after the founding:

• The Canton Bulldogs won NFL championships in 1922 and 1923
• The team featured legendary players like Jim Thorpe, Guy Chamberlin, and Pete Henry
• Financial difficulties eventually led to the Bulldogs' folding in 1926
• Canton maintained pride in its role as the NFL's birthplace
• This heritage eventually led to Canton being selected as the site for the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Pro Football Hall of Fame

The most visible and enduring symbol of Canton's special place in football history is the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

• Opened in 1963, fittingly in the city where the NFL began
• The Hall of Fame was purposely located in Canton to honor the city's role in founding the league
• The annual Hall of Fame Game and Enshrinement Ceremony bring the NFL back to its birthplace each year
• The museum has expanded multiple times and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually
• Canton's identity has become inextricably linked with football heritage

Historical Significance

The 1920 meeting in Ralph Hay's automobile showroom represents:

• A pivotal moment in American sports history
• The humble beginnings of what would become a cultural and commercial juggernaut
• Canton's most significant contribution to national sports culture
• The foundation of the modern NFL, which has grown from those modest origins into a multi-billion dollar enterprise

Commemoration

Today, the site of the NFL's founding is commemorated in downtown Canton with a historical marker at the former location of the Hupmobile dealership. What began as an informal gathering in Canton has evolved into the most popular professional sports league in America, with the city forever enshrined as the "Birthplace of the NFL."