Sports History Network

Who Invented This Sport? is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters for Sports Yesteryear . WHO INVENTED THIS SPORT? BACKGROUND Who Invented This Sport? is a sports time machine invented by two lifelong friends who are obsessed with the origins of sports as diverse as basketball and bobsledding and beyond. Each episode, we travel back through time and share with you a particular spor...

Calling all football fanatics! This episode tackles a fascinating topic: the history behind the referee's signal indicating a football is ready for play. We're thrilled to have Gridiron historian and Author Tim Brown join us as he shares his insights and experiences in the field. Together, we'll delve into the evolution of the "ready for play" signal, exploring its origins and how it's become an i...

Tuffy Leemans - sure, the name might conjure up images of a giant lineman, but this New York Giants legend packed a punch in a smaller package. Today on the podcast, we're going behind the helmet of Tuffy Leemans, exploring his rise from Nebraska to the NFL and his lasting impact on Big Blue. Forget the stereotypes; fullback Tuffy Leemans was a force to be reckoned with. Join us as we delve into h...

In a couple of weeks, the eyes of the sporting public around the world will look upon the city of Paris for the 33rd Summer Olympics. this much anticipated event will take place for the third time in the "City of Light". Four years from now, in 2028, the City of Los Angeles will host it for a third time. In this episode of the podcast, in anticipation of the Olympics, we will take a look at the ga...

Football Is Family is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear .  I don't know about you, but to me, video games and football go hand-in-hand. I've been a fan of playing my favorite teams and players in the digital world forever now. Listen in and step back in time in a nostalgic dream with me to reminisce about some of my favorite m...

We travel back 40 years to revisit 1984 in sports. In Part 1 we talk about a number of sports including hockey, the Olympics, and even pro wrestling. But the heart of this episode is basketball: from Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas to Bobby Knight's Gold Medical Olympic Team, to Bernard King's suprising Knicks. And of course, the classic '84 Finals between Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics. Enjoy...

When Football Is Football is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sports' Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY This week I share how someone in my life reminded me that one person truly can make a difference. The same thing can be said for a football team. SPECIAL OFFER GET A 7-DAY FREE TRIAL TO NEWSPAPERS.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC AND MANY MORE SPORTS HISTORY M...

The name "Wahoo Sam Crawford" might not sound familiar to many Major League Baseball fans. But, it's probably quite familiar to fans of the Detroit Tigers. Wahoo Sam played for the Tigers back in the early 1900s. He was a phenomenally good hitter. In fact, if not for Ty Cobb, one could argue that Wahoo Sam might be the greatest to ever play for the Tigers. He had a career batting average of .309 t...

The ABA started in 1967, and one of the original teams was the Anaheim Amigos. They later changed their name to the Los Angeles Stars and then moved to become the Utah Stars. Unfortunately, they did not make it to the merger with the NBA, but we tell their story anyway...  CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher   MUSIC "Disco Fun...

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY The 1968 Olympics were held in Mexico City in October. The Weightlifting was held from October 17th to October 21st. Some call these Olympic Games the Autumn Olympics due to its later than usual start. The reason for the late start was to avoid Mexico’s rainy season. The late start t...

Welcome to another exciting Tuesday where we get to go back in time and talk about an aspect of football history that may not be mainstream but is definitely worth the listen and education that we're going to get with Timothy Brown of FootballArcheology.com. This week, Tim tells us about the evolution of the sideline rules and of eligible receivers on the offense. This information comes from his o...

"The Sneakers game" is what this National Football League Championship game has been fondly branded as. This was a rematch of the two teams that played in the 1933 League Championship contest, the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants. Join us at the Pigskin Dispatch website and the Sports Jersey Dispatch to see even more Positive football news! Sign up to get daily football history headlines in y...

This episode’s special guest is Greg Thomas, who made history when he was the first starting African-American quarterback in high school in San Angelo, Texas, and he became the first African-American starting quarterback in University of Arkansas history. He was 28-8 as a starter, played in four bowl games, and was named MVP of the 1987 Liberty Bowl. For the Pro Football History Nugget of the Week...

Which NFL division boasts the most Lombardi trophies? We reveal the champions of the Super Bowl stage and dive into the fierce rivalries that forged this dynasty. From legendary quarterbacks to unforgettable playoff battles, this video explores the rich history and dominance of the division that's consistently sent teams to the big game. Who are the reigning kings of the Super Bowl? Tune in to fin...

Football Is Family is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sports' Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY Today we talk to my friend, Rich Shmelter, about his love of B-Movies, his Raiders, and drive in movies. Check out this interview, and then check out his books. www.amazon.com/stores/Richard-J.-Shmelter/author/B0C7PNKN1G?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppin...

Former Lions legend and Steelers Coaching icon Dick LeBeau joins us for a one-on-one interview in the PigPen! This isn't just any conversation - Coach LeBeau dives deep into his incredible career, from his days as a shutdown cornerback to his legendary coaching tenure, including his two Super Bowl victories with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach is promoting his new book titled Legendary . Th e icon...

 In Indiana, high school basketball is the most popular sport -- and for good reason. In many rural towns, it is what brings a community together. Fans still talk about the Milan Miracle in 1954 when a rural team upset a big city school for the state championship. So when the state legislature decided to split the state up into four divisions, it was a huge deal to everyone in the state, and a co...

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY The 1968 Detroit Tigers don’t seem to get talked about as often as some other great teams in MLB history. Perhaps it’s because they didn’t win two or three World Series in a row like many other teams have. It could also be because the team's success was somewhat overshadowed by the a...

Have you ever stopped to think about the iconic flip-down markers used to signal first downs in football? Today on the podcast, we delve into the fascinating history of this sideline staple with special guest historian Timothy Brown! Tim's original Tidbit that is the center of this discussion can be found at: Col. Roy C. Baker And The Flip-Style Down Marker Timothy Brown of FootballArchaeaology.co...

Football Is Family is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sports' Yesteryear . EPISODE SUMMARY Today we talk about EA Sports College Football 25!!!!!! It is about time EA Sports!!!!! ABOUT FOOTBALL IS FAMILY Do you bleed your favorite football team’s colors each weekend? Does the difference of a W or L in the box score dictate how you respond for the rest o...

Jump back in time with us and relive the exciting New York Giants' 1933 season! This year was a pivotal point for both the Giants and the NFL. We'll delve into: The key acquisitions that fueled the Giants' turnaround, including quarterback Harry Newman's record-breaking performance. The team's dominant run, including a record-setting blowout victory. The thrilling playoff matchup against the Chica...

Pro Football in the 1970s is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Your Favorite Sport's Yesteryear . JOE ZAGORSKI'S BOOKS ON AMAZON The NFL in the 1970s: Pro Football's Most Important Decade The Year the Packers Came Back: The 1972 Resurgence America's Trailblazing Middle Linebacker: The Story of NFL Hall of Famer Willie Lanier The 2,003-Yard Odyssey: The Juice, The Electric C...

The 1st 25 years of the #nfl were filled with single-platoon football, where players played on both sides of the ball, seldom, if ever, leaving the game. Historian Chris Willis has written a book ranking the top 100 of the stars from this almost forgotten era of the pro gridiron and joins us to talk about "The NFL's 60-Minute Men." You can order a copy of Chris Willis' The NFL's 60 Minute Men book...

Back in the early 1900s, the National League was the only game in town. It was Major League Baseball, thus the name the "Senior Circuit". In 1901, Ban Johnson, and others, joined the game with the American League and it was granted Major League status in 1903. Both leagues operated as separate entities, but met every year in the World Series. In 1913, the Federal League was a minor league, but it...

 In order to compete with the dominant NBA, the old ABA had to get creative with their contracts in order to attract players. To do this, the ABA promised their players massive amounts of money, more than even the NBA could offer. What most players did not understand is that they would not get most of that money until 20 years in the future... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voi...