September 17
September 17, 1920: The Founding of the League That Became the NFL
Summary
Representatives of professional football clubs met in the Canton, Ohio, automobile showroom of Canton Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay and organized the American Professional Football Association. The new association sought to bring order to a sport troubled by escalating salaries, players moving freely among teams, and inconsistent club arrangements. The representatives elected celebrated athlete Jim Thorpe as the association's first president. In 1922, the organization adopted the name National Football League.
Why It Matters
The Canton meeting created the institutional foundation of the modern NFL. The early association was modest and unstable by later standards, but it began the long process of coordinating clubs, schedules, player relations, championships, and league identity. Its development helps explain how professional football grew from a collection of regional teams into a national sports organization distinct from the college game.
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OpenPlay Football: The APFA's founding explains the origins of the NFL and the organizational development of modern professional football.
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Sources
- Sept. 17, 1920 -- The Founding of the NFL, Pro Football Hall of Fame. Accessed 2026-08-09.
- Four Downs of Pro Football History - Founding of the NFL, Pro Football Hall of Fame. Accessed 2026-08-09.