The year 1920 marked a pivotal moment in American sports history with the formation of the American Professional Football Association (APFA), a precursor to the modern National Football League. This new organization emerged from a series of meetings among existing professional football teams, primarily from the Ohio League, who sought to bring structure and legitimacy to the burgeoning sport. The initial discussions and subsequent formal establishment
laid down the groundwork for what would become a major professional sports league, addressing issues like player contracts, salary caps, and scheduling in an effort to elevate the game's standards.
The Initial Gathering: Setting the Stage
The first significant meeting to discuss the formation of a new professional football league took place on August 20, 1920. This crucial gathering involved representatives from four prominent Ohio League teams: the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers, Dayton Triangles, and Akron Pros. The meeting was held at Ralph Hay's office in Canton, Ohio, signaling the region's central role in early professional football.
During this initial session, the club representatives tentatively agreed on several foundational principles. They proposed naming their new league the American Professional Football Conference (APFC). Key decisions included introducing a salary cap for the teams and establishing rules against signing college players or players already under contract with another team. These early agreements aimed to prevent bidding wars for talent and foster a more organized competitive environment. The four clubs also tentatively planned a uniform six-game schedule, with each team playing one another home and away.
The Organizational Meeting: Expanding the Vision
Word of the proposed new organization quickly spread, leading to a more expansive second meeting on September 17, 1920, also held in Canton. This gathering was intended for formal organization and included a wider circle of interested teams. Beyond the original four APFC clubs, a fifth Ohio team, the Columbus Panhandles, joined, having previously played alongside the initial four in what historians later termed the "Ohio League."
Teams from other states also participated, indicating a growing national interest in professional football. These included four teams from Illinois (the Chicago Cardinals, Chicago Tigers, Decatur Staleys, and Rock Island Independents), two from Indiana (the Hammond Pros and Muncie Flyers), two from New York (the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons), and the Detroit Heralds from Michigan. In total, these 14 founding teams formally established the American Professional Football Association (APFA).
Leadership and Early Structure
At the September 17 meeting, Jim Thorpe, the renowned player-coach of the Canton Bulldogs, was named the APFA's first president. His selection was largely driven by the publicity associated with his famous name, rather than any particular administrative experience. A franchise admission fee of $100 was adopted, though George S. Halas, player-coach of the Chicago Staleys, later recalled that no money actually changed hands among the 14 founding adopters.
Historians writing in 1978 noted that this new organization did not resemble a modern league. Instead, it functioned more as a professional association primarily focused on membership and articulating general principles. Its structure was compared to a
