75 Seasons: 1920 to 1995 - The NFL's 75th Anniversary [VHS]
In 1994 the National Football League celebrated its 75th birthday. Narrated by John Mahoney,75 Seasonstells the story of professional football in America from 1920 to 1994. The story starts with an interview with Alda Browser of the Canton Bulldogs, the only surviving player from the first professional team. We learn that the pro game lived for years in the shadow of the amateur university contests, and we witness the effect of society upon the game itself; as the men returned from World War II, the NFL evolved into a brutal contest--a battle of men waging war over territory and possession. Compared to being shot and scared senseless, the game of football, though, was fun. Crowds became eager for the game, and athletes such as Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, Homer Jones in the 1950s, and Joe Namath in the 1960s became football superstars. Joe Montana, Don Shula, and Bill Walsh make insightful observations about the development of the league over the last half of the 20th century, from the style of play to the style of player. This thoroughly absorbing retrospective is a must for football fans to have in their library.--Jeremy Storey