Recognized as the "Father of American Football", Walter Camp (b. 7 April 1859 /d. 1925) was one of the giants of football in the US. It was he who sired the game as it is played in the United States, the game that evolved from rugby as it was played in England. He is credited with the play from scrimmage, the numerical assessment of goals and tries, the restriction of play to eleven men per side, set plays, and strategy features which have led to the development of the fast, interesting, and organized game which we enjoy so much today.
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"Walter Camp was one of the giants of football in the United States. He stands with Stagg, Rockne, Thorpe, Warner, Heffelfinger in the imprint they made upon the game. He stands first among them, for it was he who sired the game as it is played in the United States, the game that evolved from the rugby football of England. He played in the first Yale-Harvard game of rugby in 1876. From then on, his was the fertile, inventive mind and guiding leadership that brought about the evolution of the American style of football."
As a young man, Walter Camp was a competent swimmer, a good runner, and an able tennis player. By intense devotion to a regime of physical training, calisthenics and self denial, he became an outstanding athlete and it is our good fortune that he chose to elect football as the game to which he gave this intense dedication.
[ April 07, 2003, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]