NFL playoffs in Mexico History of FBA
late nineteenth century the country was ruled by General Porfirio Diaz and Veracruz lived one of his best seasons under the dictatorship of General. The capital of this entity (Xalapa
) was ruled by Don Teodoro Dehesa as at the time the young people of high society in the country studying abroad the sons of Don Teodoro (Theodore and Raul Dehesa Núñez) would not be the exception.
The school was attended Staten Island Academy in New York where they both learned a new sport that began to develop by the year 1869 when the universities of Princeton and Rugters celebrated the famous first battle. It was a tough sport but very attractive, which Americans called football.
In 1895, Raul Dehesa the youngest brother, made a trip to his hometown of Xalapa and friends there described in great detail the characteristics of this new sport, such was his enthusiasm that immediately spread to the youth of society and was so Jalapeño organized two teams.
Luis Amador de Gama, in his History of the Football Chart in Mexico, offers two versions: In one confirms the organizing role played by Raul Dehesa, but places the first game in 1890, which is impossible because in that year, the second son of Don Teodoro was a child. In the second version, Amador da Gama a more probable date, 1896, but it takes some American sailors from the port of Veracruz to Xalapa with the simple purpose of playing a meeting with Mexican youth.
On July 21, 1942, the sports newspaper ran a story this more precise, with real names of well known families porfiriana Jalapa. We read in this chronicle (the author could not be identified) of the then weekly:
"Once Raul, who was then just sixteen years was in Xalapa was under Augusto Sequeira and each of them organized a football team. The training took place in the hills of the (railway) ... The first game interoceanic formal audience of friends of the players was held on March 17, 1895, having participated in it as players: Octavio Rivadeneira, Aurelio Rodriguez, Manuel Matus, the Field brothers, Luis del Valle, Augusto Sequeira, the same Raul Dehesa, Leopoldo Kiel, then prof. Balcarcel, Luis Sherwell, Edmundo Arizmendi, Chano and Pepe Aparicio, Manuel Arzamendi, Pedro and Luis Pasquel, Angel Ochoa, Manuel Vázquez Vela and others. "
This is the most plausible version of the origin of football in Mexico and some from those involved in that meeting were still living. According to this article was not the only game that supported such equipment, but due to the hardness of shares, the most games end in fights and so the activity on the playing fields would not last long, but the seed would been planted.
In those distant times the football or American football, was different to what we know today: The type uniforms were baseball pants lightweight tarp called moleskin and a heavier canvas jacket and sometimes a bit padded or leather patches in places. The leather helmet was used in 1893 by an injured player and use was made compulsory until 1939. The half field 110 yards and each team had three chances to go five yards.
Sources:
100 years of American Football in Mexico
Alejandro Morales Troncoso
Youth Publishing, SA de CV
1996
Tackleo.com
Xalapa, the birthplace of American football in Mexico
By: Alejandro Vazquez-Vela Duhalt
October 2004
