History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games

For professional football enthusiasts who thought they had read everything about the history of the game, Mark L. Ford breaks new ground with the first book on the NFL preseason. Described as the "test lab" by Ford, the preseason games are a time for trying out new strategies, future rule changes, and television coverage innovations. For thousands of players who appear every summer, the preseason is also the defining moment where careers can be made or broken. A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games: 1960 to 1985 is the first of two books by Ford on professional football's preseason. Along with its companion volume-which covers 1986 to 2013-these resources provide information on every NFL and AFL preseason game played in the last half-century. All the interesting events and people that were part of these summer battles are detailed, as well as the first outings for new teams, new rules, and new stars. In addition, Ford includes amusing anecdotes and mishaps, such as a 1972 game that was lost because the players were wearing the wrong shoes. Along the way, Ford notes key off-season developments that would bring professional football from earning a few million dollars annually up to a global monopoly with revenues and assets worth billions. A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games is a unique and important reference for pro football fans and cultural historians alike.