the first professional football game was played in new york city.
the first professional football game was played in new york city.
where was the first professional football game played?
new york city
from 1895 until 1909, latrobe was the home of the latrobe athletic association, one of the earliest professional football teams. the team's quarterback, john brallier, became the first football player to admit playing for money. in 1895 he accepted $10 and expenses to play for latrobe in a 12-0 victory over the jeannette athletic club. brallier was thought to be the very first professional football player, until the 1960s. it was then, that documents surfaced showing that william "pudge" heffelfinger, a former three-time all-american from yale, was employed to play guard for the allegheny athletic association three years earlier. in 1897, latrobe was the first football team to play a full season with a team composed entirely of professional players. in 1898 latrobe and two players from their rivals, the greensburg athletic association, formed the very first professional football all-star team for a game against the duquesne country and athletic club, to be played at pittsburgh's exposition park. duquesne went on to win the game 16-0. on november 18, 1905, latrobe defeated the canton bulldogs, which later became a founding member, and two-time champion, of the national football league, 6-0.
latrobe, pennsylvania
the first professional football game played in new york city was played at the polo grounds on december 4, 1920. the game featured the buffalo all-americans against the canton bulldogs in the first year of the american professional football association. the buffalo all-americans won the game, 7-3. some argue that the buffalo all-americans are tied with the akron pros for the first championship of the american professional football association, which soon came to be known as the national football league. in 1921 the nfl's new york brickley giants played the final game of their 1921 season against the cleveland indians at the polo grounds. the game ended in a 17–0 giants loss. shortly afterwards, the team folded. the brickley giants were originally formed with the intent of competing in 1919, and having all of their home games held at the polo grounds. however, after the team's first practice, the 1919 schedule, that began with an opening day game against the massillon tigers, was scratched because of conflict with new york's blue laws. in 1919, the city allowed professional baseball on sunday and the giants thought the law would also apply to football. however, it was ruled that professional football was still outlawed on sundays, so the team disbanded until 1921.
polo grounds