Discover how World War I changed college football history forever — from Walter Camp’s training programs to Memorial Stadiums and the birth of the NFL.
In this episode of Hardcore College Football History, we uncover the forgotten connection between World War I and the rise of American football.
It begins not on the gridiron, but in the deserts of Mexico during General Pershing’s failed expedition against Pancho Villa. The U.S. Army’s struggle with unfit soldiers, rampant boredom, and dangerous vice forced Secretary of War Newton D. Baker to create the Commission on Training Camp Activities, led by Raymond Fosdick. Their solution? Athletics—especially football—as a way to build discipline, teamwork, and moral strength in America’s soldiers.
With Walter Camp’s Daily Dozen fitness program and large-scale football leagues in military camps, thousands of young men experienced the game for the first time. Service teams featuring future legends like George Halas filled stadiums, raised money for the war effort, and brought football to the national stage.
After the war, universities built massive Memorial Stadiums to honor fallen soldiers, while NFL founders—many veterans themselves—carried the game into the professional era. Football’s transformation from a regional college sport into America’s national pastime was forged in the shadow of World War I.
👉 If you love college football history, don’t miss this deep dive into how a global war shaped the game we know today.
💥 PATREON – https://patreon.com/hcfbh
💥 JON’S BOOKS:
Been Dead, Never Been To Europe – Memoir About My Death And Recovery – https://amzn.to/3CgnmJP
Manage Your Damage – Heart Attack Survivor – https://amzn.to/3MkIy6i
The Mystery of the Dent in My Head – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMKCB54P
