Almost 100 years ago, 1902-1903, the first indoor football games were played in New York's Madison Square Garden. Manager Tom O'Rourke was seeking a premier attraction during the 1902-03 New Year's holiday and advertised "a First Ever Football World Series to be Played Indoors". Five teams participated in the tourney, which was one by the Syracuse, New York, Athletic Club.
Madison Square Garden had to be redone to accommodate the teams. The wooden flooring of the arena was removed and replaced by an earthen surface. The goal lines were only 70 yards apart and the playing field was only 35 yards wide. The earthen surface became sticky as the game progressed and made for some tough maneuvering, while the stands were right up to the playing field and proved to be a physical hazard. Footballhistorian.com
First Inter-league Playoff Game - Football 1926
As the 1926 football season came to an end, New York Giants' owner Tim Mara wanted to beat his hated and costly rivals, the AFL's New York Yankees. Mara challenged Pyle's Yankees to a game. At first Pyle agreed but then cancelled the game. Mara then offered to play the AFL Champion Philadelphia Quakers, who agreed to play in New York's Polo Grounds on December 12, 1926. The Quakers had a 7-2 season record, while the Giants were 8-4-1. The Giants pounded the Quakers 31-0 in a snow storm, the Quakers managed only one first down, while the Giants seemed to bring the ball down field at will. Due to the heavy snow and lack of fan interest only 5,000 people attended the game.
However, the game featured a NFL-AFL inter-league playoff, something that would not happen again for the next 40 years. Footballhistorian.com - Early Pro Football History
The first national radio broadcast of a National Football League game was the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) 1934 Thanksgiving Day in which the Chicago Bears toppled the hometown Detroit Lions 19-16. Football Historian First televised NFL game - October 22, 1939. National Broadcasting Company (NBC) gave the fans on the east coast a taste of what was to come, by televising a game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. At the time, there was an estimated 1,000 television sets in New York. Footballhistorian.com Archives
October 17, 1932 - Old Newspaper Clipping
Football History
The herald defense of Green Bay's coach Curly Lambeau struck again yesterday, this time halting George Halas' Chicago Bears before 13,000 fans in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Packers opened the season with a bang scoring a quick first-quarter touchdown and the three-time pro champions held on for a 13-7 win over their arch-rivals, the Chicago Bears.
The Packers of Green Bay, who won the last three NFL professional crowns (1929-1931) were led by quarterback Arnie Herber's on-target passes to Blood McNally and were aided by their defense.
Ends Lavie Dilweg and Tom Nash golden pass coverage on Bears' star pass receivers Bill Hewitt and Luke Johnson halted any hopes of long gains.
Considered a hard boss, coach Lambeau seems to have raised the 'bar even higher' this season. In the last three years, his teams have a combined record of 34 wins, just 5 loses and 2 ties.
footballhistorian.com - 1932 Green Bay Packers - 1932 Chicago Bears - Archives
