It’s All About Football – Encore!

Interest in our web page has grown significantly  in this past year.  On this day of the 50th Anniversary Game of the Super Bowl it was thought that an encore presentation  of the following article on early football  published a year ago  would be of interest to both our past and present readers.   In doing so the article has been re-edited and “works of art” added.  We also take this opportunity to recognize some of  our Adirondack regional High School football teams and players of recent years with new photography.

Charles Fazzino (1955 – ) 3D & Pop Artist Super Bowl 50th Anniversary Poster

It is that time of the year when the nation goes “Football Crazy” with an estimation that over 110 million will watch the Super Bowl.  With so much publicity  about the game, leagues, players; and, recently the football itself — it was  thought that maybe there would also be some interest in the early history of the sport in our region.  From the Society’s newspapers, photographic and yearbook collections, and other research we offer:

From the late 1800s the local newspapers routinely provided  readers with national and college reports of the game.  College football was followed closely by many in the Adirondacks.  Scores and reports of the intensity of the game with numerous articles of player’s serious injuries and many deaths showed up in the headlines and reported in depth. 

“Football by Electric Lights” – Chicago, Sept 19, 1893 – The Chicago Athletic football team met the New York Athletic eleven in the Stock pavilion last night, playing by electric light.

The students of Brown University have raised $600 for the support of the football team during the present season.  (Oct, 1895)

People generally are now putting football on the same plane as prizefighting.  In a prizefight it is hardly possible for more than two people to be killed during the game, while in a football scrap half a dozen or more may perish.  We may all live to see it prohibited.  (Dec. 1896)