Canton in Stark County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
“The Cradle of Professional Football”
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, September 21, 2019
1. The Cradle of Professional Football Marker
On September 17, 1920, representatives from ten professional football teams met in Canton and formed the American Professional Football Association, which in 1922 became the National Football League (NFL). Pro football evolved from club football in the 1890s, and by the early 1900s had begun to spread across the country, concentrating in the Midwest. Jim Thorpe, the first nationally prominent pro, started with the Canton Bulldogs-an early pro football power-in 1915. In 1959, Canton citizens launched a well-organized and ultimately successful effort to have their city, "the cradle of professional football," designated as the site of a monument to the sport's historic stars. The Professional Football Hall of Fame opened on September 7, 1963, inducting seventeen charter members. The Hall of Fame interprets and promotes the study of the role of professional football in American culture.
Erected 2001 by The Pro Football Hall of Fame and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 8-76.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 17, 1920.
Location. 40° 49.269′ N, 81° 23.842′
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Williams Brick Plant (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Martin Luther King Jr. in Canton (approx. 0.2 miles away); Spanish Mortar (approx. 0.7 miles away); French Cannon (approx. 0.7 miles away); Stark County Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away); Base of the Conning Tower of the US Battleship Maine (approx. 0.7 miles away); Eulogy of the Common Soldier (approx. 0.7 miles away); Merchant Marine Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Canton.
Also see . . . Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Submitted on September 22, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2019
2. The Cradle of Professional Football Marker
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, September 21, 2019
3. The Cradle of Professional Football Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 22, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 411 times since then and 31 times this year. Last updated on June 7, 2023, by Grant & Mary Ann Fish of Galloway, Ohio. Photos: 1. submitted on September 22, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on November 18, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3. submitted on September 22, 2019, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
