Today's Tidbit... Walter Camp, Football's First Professional

Walter Camp was a busy boy in 1883 with all kinds of people offering him money for his services. For football's sake, its a good thing he turned down some of the opportunities presented to him.

Camp entered the collegiate sporting scene in 1876 when he enrolled at Yale and quickly earned a spot on the rugby / football team. He retained that spot for the next seven years, four during his undergraduate days and three while attending Yale Medical School, where he dropped out in 1883. So, what does one do after dropping out of medical school? If you were Walter Camp, you considered several job offers.

The 1879 Yale football team. Walter Camp, the captain, is seen holding the ball. (Wiki)

Camp, of course, was a fine all-around athlete, excelling in football, baseball, and other sports. He captained Yale's freshmen baseball team, playing left field and pitching for the varsity for several years, and is supposed to have been among the first pitchers to master the curve ball. Camp was among Yale's representatives at the American College Baseball Association meetings in February 1883 as he began transitioning from his role as a player to being an administrator and coach.

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