On the night of September 17 1920 a group of 14 men gathered at the Jordan and Hupmobile automobile showroom in canton ohio. Their purpose was to discuss the formation of a new professional football league.
The group, made up of team owners, was facing financial struggles due to rising player salaries and intense competition for players. They saw the need for a strong league to gain control over the sport and their finances. The meeting was organized by Ralph Hay, owner of the Canton Bulldogs, and representatives from three other in state teams were invited to participate.
their goal was to raise the standard of professional football, eliminate bidding for players and secure cooperation in scheduling. After several weeks of discussion, an agreement was reached. The representatives of 11 professional football clubs from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and New York came together to form the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Among them were familiar names such as Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Triangles, and others. The meeting took place in Hays showroom, with the attendees sitting on the cars running boards and fenders, sipping cold beer and finalizing the deal.
The 32 year old Jim Thorpe, a star player for the Canton Bulldogs, was unanimously chosen as the president of the new league. The first game involving an APFA team was played on September 26, 1920, in Rock Island, Illinois. The leagues first season was a struggle, with low attendance and minimal media coverage.The Buffalo All Americans, Chicago Tigers Columbus Panhandles, and Detroit Heralds joined the league before the end of the season, bringing the total number of teams to 14.
However, there were no playoffs, and the champion was determined by ballot. The Akron Pros who remained undefeated throughout the season, were declared the champions. The league was rebranded as the National Football League (NFL) in 1922, with Columbus Panhandles owner Joe Carr as its new leader. The NFL faced challenges in its early years, with college football still dominating the sports scene.
It was not until the signing of college star Red Grange in 1925 that the NFL began to gain popularity. Despite its rocky start, the legacy of the APFA lives on through two of its franchises, the Racine Cardinals (now known as the Arizona Cardinals) and the Decatur Staleys now the Chicago Bears. Today, 10 APFA players and Joe Carr are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, near the very place where the league was born in 1920.