American Football

American football is distinguished from the general term for football, which can also refer to association football (or soccer), rugby or Canadian football. American football, like other football games, involves a team attempting to move a football into an opposing team's end of the field. The model of game play involving kicking or carrying a ball to a goal dates back to ancient times.

Beginning Of American Football

American football's origins trace back to early history, though it would eventually evolve into the game we now recognize as professional football by England's reinvention. (Of course, America takes everything from England and Americanizes it) Primitive games of football used stones and other objects that man would use to kick and run with, which actually predated recorded history. The oldest documented evidence of early football was found in a Chinese military manual written between 476-221 B.C. The practice was known as “cuju” and involved kicking a leather ball through a hole of silk cloth strung between two large foot poles. A similar Asian ball-kicking game was called “kemari.”

Ancient Greece and Rome also played ball-kicking games, since many references exist to game accidents and game rules. References are also found for ball games in medieval ages, as well as old-century settlers discovering football-like games that were enjoyed by Native Americans and aborigines. There is also evidence of “mob football” games which saw neighboring towns and villages attempt to drag a ball (or actually parts of an animal) to designated markers at the end of each town. Shrovetide football (played by an unlimited number of townsfolk) has origins dating back to the 12 century, and still is tainted with the unproven theory that the original ball used was actually a severed head of an executed criminal. However, American football's rules are closely linked with football's reinvention in England.

Who Invented American Football?

American football's characteristics can be seen in descriptions of English football, stretching as far back as the year 1183. For a time football was even banned in the 12th century due to its noise and crowd-endangerment. Nicholas de Farndone, Lord Mayor of London mentioned “large footballs” in his official prohibition statement, the very first direct reference to football. References to kicking footballs were found in 1321, while King Henry IV gave the first reference to “foteball” as a unique sport.

American football has since developed into a major sporting event, with American football teams, American football fields, team USA American football rules and even American football culture. Fans today don't merely cheer for their favorite American football team, they live the lifestyle. They collect American football jerseys, American football equipment and of course, if at all possible, the official American football ball. The American Football League and the National Football League are the two most prominent names, although the AFL was officially absorbed by the NFL in 1970. For more interesting facts about American football, American football poems and sports: american football news visit the American Football News .com website.