Football at Soldier Field

The origins of football can be traced to ancient Britain, where a round or oval object, usually the inflated bladder of an animal, was kicked, carried, or driven toward its goal. In medieval times, football was played between two towns whose spectators and players would meet at a central location. A goal was scored when the ball was kicked into the center of the opposing town. The game spread to all sections of the British Isles and to Ireland. William Ellis of Rugby College in England was the first player to pick up the ball and run with it in his hands. The modern American version of football soon followed.