CloakNNNdagger
Hall of Fame
Most fans are not aware that the concern over injuries and life almost killed American football early on. It's funny that President Roosevelt was greatly involved in saving it. Early versions of American football were somewhat similar to rugby where players wore no protective equipment. But there were virtually no rules and the sheer violence of the game resulted in an increasingly high injury and mortality rate. As originally played on college campuses, the game was extremely rough, including slugging, gang tackling and unsportsmanlike behavior. Quite a number of players died (18 in just the year 1905 alone, with 20 times fewer players than there are today). Fans loved the game. But interest in becoming a football player was quickly on its way down. So in 1905, President Roosevelt summoned representatives of the Big Three (Harvard, Yale and Princeton, the universities who first played the game and who also set the rules of play) to demand changes in the game's rules, essentially forcing them into cleaning up the game to hold off legislative attempts at the time to ban the game outright (sound familiar?).
Even though helmets began to be introduced to any extend right around this time, it was, for those who chose to wear them, a point which questioned their "manhood." (sound familiar?) It wasn't until almost 1940 that this was non-optional equipment for the NCAA with the NFL following suit several years later.
Early History of American Football Helmets
Even though helmets began to be introduced to any extend right around this time, it was, for those who chose to wear them, a point which questioned their "manhood." (sound familiar?) It wasn't until almost 1940 that this was non-optional equipment for the NCAA with the NFL following suit several years later.
Early History of American Football Helmets
