Where Are America's Original Football Teams?

Prior to 1920, there were several football leagues that aspired to be professional football, predominantly the Ohio League and the New York Pro League. On August 20, 1920, representatives from four teams in the Ohio League (Canton, Cleveland, Dayton, and Akron) met. They decided for form the American Professional Football League and agreed to several rules; that they would not sign college players or players contracted to other teams and that there would be a salary cap. Another meeting was called for on September 17 in Canton, with an invitations to other clubs to join. Eleven team represenatives showed up, elected Jim Thorpe as President, and agreed to form the league, although there would be no fixed schedule, minimum or maximum amount of games, and the winner would be determined in a vote at the end of the year. The franchise fee to join was $100. It is said, by George Halas, that no teams actually paid the fee.