Introduction
Gridiron football is definitely a gripping sport that involves two opposing teams trying to push each other behind to gain every inch in the field and score a field goal or a touchdown. The team with the highest scored points at the end of the regulation or time is declared as the winner.
History
Football is certainly one of the most popular team sports in the planet. Aside from the United States, this sport is also played in Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Israel, Switzerland, Italy and many more. This sport is active on five continents and it is governed by the International Federation of American Football.
Football is a team sport that represents competitiveness, endurance and the human willingness to win. Such sport is not only played in various countries from around the world, but it was also played during the earlier periods of human civilization. According to recent findings, the Chinese played such sport 3000 years ago. It was also utilized by the ancient Greeks and Romans to train their soldiers and warriors. However, the modern gridiron sport owes its beginnings to the football in England.
Features
The gridiron was patterned after the sport rugby, which is a very prominent sport in England during the 17th and 18th centuries. Football was played in schools and college campuses during the earlier years of the 91th century. There were still no regulations during those days and each college or school played its own version of such sport. For instance, Princeton students played such sport with players using their legs to take the ball pass the opposing team and then their fists to advance the ball. Harvard has its own rendition of such sport during those days and it was very similar to what modern football is now.
The sport became very popular in American colleges during 1865, as football is like a religion to many nowadays. Princeton finally implemented rules to the game to reduce injuries and harm to its players. In the year 1869, the first intercollegiate gridiron football was played between Princeton and Rutgers. After four years, representatives from Yale, Rutgers, Princeton and Columbia formed the IFA or Intercollegiate Football Association. This association laid out the first rules of such fascinating sport.
Football during those days was still considered rugby. The rules and plays in the game were still very similar to the sport rugby. However, it all changed when Walter Camp altered the rules of the sport. He was considered as the Father of American Football due to his contributions to the sport. He imposed rules for interference, penalty and safety. He also introduced the scoring system, lines of scrimmage rules, system of downs and the neutral zone. These are what football is adhering to.
Football then became America’s favorite sport. Professional leagues such as the NFL and AFL became very popular around the world. The Super bowl, which was the official name of yearly football match between NFL and AFL, became the most anticipated sporting event of the year. The Super Bowl became the NFL championship game when AFL merged with NFL during the year 1970.
Tips and comments
These are some of facts and origins of your favorite sport called football. It has definitely transformed into a multi-billion dollars sport since its humble origins. Football is definitely the most electrifying sports in the planet.
