silber@uiucdcsp.CS.UIUC.EDU (03/17/86)
>/* Written 10:53 pm Mar 12, 1986 by tonti@ptsfc.UUCP in uiucdcsp:net.sport.football */ >/* ---------- "First NFL championship played indoo" ---------- */ >While playing Trivial Pursuit the other evening, a question came up >that I was hoping someone out their can shine some light on. > >In the All Sports Edition, card #4 in the category of football, asks >the following question: > > What team won the first NFL championship played indoors? > >With the answer given as: > > Chicago Bears!! > > >Was their a possibly a championship in the NFLs early days played >indoors for whatever reason? > >Thanks in advance, > >Guy Tonti Yes, in fact, if I am correct, the very first NFL championship game was held indoors. The weather in Chicago was so bad that they played the game in a National Guard Armory. The building was undersized, so the field was 80 yards long, had a shortened endzone, and the uprights were moved to the goal line. I think that at least one punt hit the roof. I may be off on some of the details but generaly that the way it was. Ami Silberman "And now Oakland...er, L.A. ... is ..." /* End of text from uiucdcsp:net.sport.football */
rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (03/19/86)
> > >/* Written 10:53 pm Mar 12, 1986 by tonti@ptsfc.UUCP in uiucdcsp:net.sport.football */ > >/* ---------- "First NFL championship played indoo" ---------- */ > >While playing Trivial Pursuit the other evening, a question came up > >that I was hoping someone out their can shine some light on. > > > >In the All Sports Edition, card #4 in the category of football, asks > >the following question: > > > > What team won the first NFL championship played indoors? > > > >With the answer given as: > > > > Chicago Bears!! > > > > > >Was their a possibly a championship in the NFLs early days played > >indoors for whatever reason? > > > > Yes, in fact, if I am correct, the very first NFL championship game was held > indoors. The weather in Chicago was so bad that they played the game in > a National Guard Armory. The building was undersized, so the field was > 80 yards long, had a shortened endzone, and the uprights were moved to the > goal line. I think that at least one punt hit the roof. I may be off on > some of the details but generaly that the way it was. > > Ami Silberman I had thought the game was played in either the Chicago Stadium (home of Bulls and Blackhawks), or in the International Ampitheater. Another interesting tidbit is that they only used on set of goal posts, so both teams' offenses always went toward the same goal line (direction of play reversed at every change in possession). They also had some special ground rules, including some for punts hitting the roof. I'm not sure, but I also believe this was the first use of hash-marks on a football field. The indoor field was also too narrow, so they came up with the idea of moving the ball into a more central position (the hashmark) after each play. Previously, the ball could be right on the sideline, and the team would have to adjust its formation accordingly. They also played on real turf, there not being anything like artificial turf yet. Dirt was trucked in, and sod laid (after importing it from warmer climates) just for the game. Bob Schleicher ihuxk!rs55611 *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***