The History of Shoulder Pads

The History of Shoulder Pads

• 1877
   Shoulder Pads Invented
   L.P. Smock, a Princeton football player, designed the first shoulder pads
• 1890s
   Leather Shoulder Pads Introduced
   One pad was placed on each shoulder and they were sewn onto the players' jersey
• 1900
  Football Almost Banned
  President Theodore Roosevelt considered banning football because of the number and severity of injuries that players were incurring
• 1940s
  Harness Shoulder Pads Introduced
  These pads were placed over the head and sewn at the chest.  The same basic style used in modern day football.

Shoulder Pads Today

• 1980s
  Synthetic Pads Introduced
  Pads made of plastic and synthetic materials were made that make the padding lighter and stronger.
• Today
  Now, there are different shoulder pads made for specific player's positions.

Ban Football?

People used to play football without shoulder pads.  Too many players were getting hurt, so they had to start wearing equipment, like shoulder pads, for protection. If they did not, President Theodore Roosevelt was going to ban football in the United States. So this led to the invention of shoulder pads.

New Dangers for Football Players...

123 high school football players died from heat-related illnesses between 1960 and 2009.

From 1980 to 1994, the annual rate of death was level at around one per year.  Over the last 15 years, however, the rate has nearly tripled, to an average of 2.8 deaths per year.  (Korey Stringer Institute)