Mono Monday: Week 403 ...

... Inventions of the 19th Century.

Football is my all time favorite sport and I've recently discovered that, although it has ancient origins, modern day American football was shaped into the sport we know today by Walter Camp in the late 19th century.  

On November 6, 1869 players from Princeton and Rutgers held the first intercollegiate football game in New Brunswick, NJ.  They played a soccer-style game at this time.  A few years later a more rugby-soccer hybrid was played.  The players much preferred this style of game called the "Boston Game."  The man most responsible for the transition to this rugby-like game was Walter Camp, known as the "Father of American Football." 

Mr. Camp did away with the opening "scrummage" and introduced the requirement that each team give up the ball after failing to move the ball down the field in a certain number of downs. He also introduced the 11-man team, the quarterback position, the line of scrimmage, offensive signal calling and the scoring scale we know today. *

Thanks to Laurie54 for hosting Mono Monday this month and for setting the themes of "Inventions."  We're all learning a few things!

And here's another reminder: Tomorrow is Tiny Tuesday and I will be the host.  Please tag your entries TT333 so that I might find them!  TinyTuesday333 also will work.  More details can be found here.

* Source: History Channel website.